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UNBELIEVABLE: 2 - The Untold Story

Four Saudi Cities Rank High on IMD Smart City Index

Riyadh has maintained its position as the 3rd Arab city in the IMD Smart City Index (SCI) 2023, which saw for the first time the Saudi cities of Makkah, Jeddah, and Madinah included in the index, ranking the 4th, 5th and 7th respectively. At the global level, Riyadh, Makkah, Jeddah,…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Makkah’s Grand Mosque Welcomes a Million Worshippers Daily

The Grand Mosque in Makkah has been welcoming nearly a million Umrah pilgrims and worshippers daily since the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan that began 12 days ago. The numbers are expected to rise in the second half of the month. The General Presidency of the Affairs…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Jordanian Crown Prince Arrives in Jeddah

Jordanian Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II arrived in Jeddah on Sunday. He was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by deputy Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Mayor of Mekkah Saleh Al-Turki, chief of police in Makkah Saleh Al-Jabri, and Jordan’s Consul General…

Asharq Al-Awsat

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250,000 Pilgrims Arrive in Jeddah ahead of Umrah

Some 250,000 pilgrims from around the world have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah. They arrived at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport where they were provided with all the necessary services that would make their journey as smooth as possible. Director of passports at the facility Suleiman Al-Yusuf…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia Reveals Plan for Crowd Management in Umrah 2023

Umrah security forces in Saudi Arabia have introduced the Interior Ministry's plan for the Umrah season in 2023. The program tackles security, managing and organizing crowds, managing traffic, providing humanitarian services, and empowering squads implementing the plan. “The Umrah security plan for (this) year included managing and organizing crowds and…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Archbishop of Vienna Stresses Importance of Makkah Document in Confronting Hatred

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Vienna, praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts to dissociate the Islamic religion from the phenomena of terrorism and isolation, stressing the importance of the Makkah Document in confronting hatred and extremist ideas and spreading tolerance and coexistence. During an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat in Riyadh,…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia to Transform Makkah, Madinah into Global Islamic Business Hub

Saudi Arabia seeks to transform Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah in the west of the Kingdom into a center for financial and business activities in the Islamic world. Three economic entities are joining forces to turn the two cities into a center for business activities, and a platform for knowledge…

Asharq Al-Awsat

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Saudi Arabia Facilitates Visits to Makkah, Madinah for Turkish Nationals

Saudi Arabia has launched a package of facilitation to the visitors of Makkah and Madinah from Türkiye. In a meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday, the Saudi Tourism Authority announced that Turkish nationals wishing to visit Saudi Arabia will now have the option to obtain a tourist visa through the Saudi…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Riyadh Allows Fingerprint E-Registration to Issue Umrah Visa for 5 Countries

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said fingerprint registration will be mandatory to issue a visa for pilgrims coming to Makkah from the United Kingdom, Tunisia, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Malaysia. The decision aims to ease the entry procedures through the Kingdom’s ports and improve the digital experience for pilgrims.…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi's ACWA Power, Badeel to Develop Largest Solar Plant in Middle East

Saudi Arabia's private utility ACWA Power and a unit of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Wednesday signed agreements to develop the largest solar power plant in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The 2,060 megawatt project will be located in Al Shuaibah in Makkah province and is…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia Launches Unified Electronic Platform to Facilitate Visitor Procedures at Two Holy Mosques

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched on Monday a unified government platform, "nusuk.sa", that will serve the new Saudi gateway to Makkah and Madinah, reported the Saudi Press Agency. The platform is aimed at developing the experience of pilgrims, and facilitating the procedures for their arrival from all…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Congress of Leaders of World, Traditional Religions Praises Makkah Declaration for Promoting Peace

The final statement of the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions praised the historic Makkah Declaration, which was signed by the grand Imams and Muftis of the Islamic world and scholars in Makkah, stressing its importance in promoting peace, dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect, for the good…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Mohammed Bin Salman Project Revives Historical Structure of Five Mosques

The second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques includes five mosques in the Makkah Region with the aim of protecting and renovating their historical structure, in addition to prolonging their lifespan and maintaining their architecture affected by the changing climate over the past decades…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Crown Prince Washes Holy Kaaba

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, had the honor of washing the Holy Kaaba in Makkah on Monday, reported the Saudi Press Agency. He did the honor on behalf of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Crown Prince Mohammed, accompanied by…

Asharq Al-Awsat

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Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Exhibit Offers Immersive Look at Prophet’s Hijrah Trek

A Saudi museum is using filmed re-enactments and contemporary artwork to depict a key episode from Prophet Mohammed's life that led to the establishment of the Muslim community. The exhibition seeks to illustrate -- and enliven -- the 1,400-year-old story of the Hijrah, when Prophet Mohammed, threatened with assassination, undertook…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia Refers to Judiciary Case of Non-Muslim Journalist Entering Makkah

Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that it was referring to the judiciary the case of a non-Muslim journalist being allowed entry to the holy city of Makkah and following paths reserved to Muslim worshippers. A Makkah Region police spokesman said a Saudi citizen has been referred to the general prosecution…

Asharq Al-Awsat

MWL Chief Meets Islamic Leaders, Figures at Hajj

Muslim World League Sec-Gen Mohammad al-Issa held a series of friendly meetings at the League’s building in Mina and its headquarters in Makkah with several senior scholars, muftis, and religious leaders in various countries of the Islamic world. Issa also received calls from senior Islamic figures, including muftis, heads of…

Asharq Al-Awsat

How Saudi Arabia Changed Hajj Management over 100 Years

This year’s Hajj season, which concluded yesterday, saw great success despite the political, health and economic woes worldwide. More so, Hajj 2022 marks a centennial passing on the Saudi government’s organization of the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah. Over the course of a century, the Kingdom demonstrated exceptional ability in…

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Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Crown Prince Inaugurates 2nd Phase of Historic Mosques Development Project

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, inaugurated on Tuesday the second phase of Prince Mohammed bin Salman project to develop historic mosques. The project aims to rehabilitate and restore 130 historical mosques throughout the Kingdom. The second phase of the project covers 30 mosques:…

Asharq Al-Awsat

OIC, MWL Congratulate Saudi Arabia on Success of Hajj

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Muslim World League (MWL) congratulated the Saudi leadership on the success of this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday. In a statement, Secretary General of the Jeddah-based OIC Hissein Ibrahim Taha highlighted the great services provided to the…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia Declares Success of Hajj

Prince Khalid al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of the Makkah Region and Chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, declared on Monday the success of the Hajj for 2022. The holy pilgrimage has been a success on the security, services and health levels with no…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Life of Head of Iranian Medial Mission to Hajj Saved after he Suffers Heart Attack

The Saudi Ministry of Health announced on Sunday that medical teams succeeded in saving the life of the head of the Iranian medical mission to the Hajj after he suffered a heart attack, reported the Saudi Press Agency. It said Mohammad Reza Gholamreza Refatiani was transferred to the King Abdullah…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Hajj Pilgrims Prepare to Depart Makkah to Madinah

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif conveyed to security forces the gratitude of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on their success in ensuring the safety and security of the Hajj pilgrims. The Saudi leadership conveyed its…

Asharq Al-Awsat

British-Iraqi Travels on Foot Across 11 Countries to Make it to Hajj

Saudi Arabia’s acting Minister of Media, Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi received on Sunday Adam Mohammed, a British citizen of Iraqi decent, who came to the Kingdom on foot from the United Kingdom to perform the Hajj, reported the Saudi Press Agency. Meeting in Mina, Mohammed briefed the minister on his ten-month…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Hajj Pilgrims Perform Ritual Stoning of the Devil on 2nd Day of Eid Al-Adha

Hajj pilgrims performed the symbolic stoning of the Devil on Saturday as their holy journey winds down. Helicopters hovered overhead while security officers organized the flow of worshippers in Jamarat, where the stoning ritual takes place. “Everything was easy, from organizing the crowd, or the stoning in Jamarat, to the…

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