عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

2 Million Hajj Pilgrims Ascend Mount Arafat

Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)
Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)
TT
TT

2 Million Hajj Pilgrims Ascend Mount Arafat

Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)
Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)

The Hajj pilgrims ascended Mount Arafat on Saturday, one of the holiest days of the annual rituals that kicked off on Friday.

The General Authority for Statistics announced Saturday that 2,096,023 pilgrims from inside and outside Saudi Arabia had arrived in the holy city of Makkah to perform the Hajj.

Governor of the Makkah region Prince Khalid al-Faisal said Friday that the Kingdom was spending billions of dollars on projects that will better serve the pilgrims.

The Kingdom does not care so much about costs as it does about the comfort of its guests, he stressed during a press conference in Mina.

He revealed that more than 350,000 military and civilian personnel and 4,000 volunteers have been deployed to serve the pilgrims.

On plans to develop the holy sites, he said that preliminary studies of projects have been referred to the Makkah Region Development Authority, which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

The projects have all received approval and finishing touches are being set for their execution, said Prince Khalid.

The goal is to develop Makkah into a modern and smart city with all advanced amenities demanded by this age and generations to come, he explained.

Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said that the first phase of the Hajj was completed on Friday with the transfer of pilgrims to the Mina area.

Hajj is a top priority for Saudi Arabia and it is working tirelessly to ensure that pilgrims have a smooth experience, he added.

Security forces spokesman Sami al-Shweirekh said that all plans to organize the crowds are being executed without incident.

He revealed that 256 illegal Hajj operators have been busted and 16,903 people were returned to their homes for seeking to perform the pilgrimage without a permit.

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Libya’s Unity Gov. Urges Stronger Partnership with Saudi Arabia on Development Projects

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah during his meeting with members of the Saudi delegation (Dbeibah's Office)
Abdul Hamid Dbeibah during his meeting with members of the Saudi delegation (Dbeibah's Office)
TT
TT

Libya’s Unity Gov. Urges Stronger Partnership with Saudi Arabia on Development Projects

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah during his meeting with members of the Saudi delegation (Dbeibah's Office)
Abdul Hamid Dbeibah during his meeting with members of the Saudi delegation (Dbeibah's Office)

Libya’s Government of National Unity has called for strengthening partnerships with Saudi Arabia in development projects.

The appeal came during a meeting on Thursday between Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and a high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia’s Amiantit Group.

The group is one of the world's leading companies in the manufacturing of pipes and tanks, offering innovative solutions for water management and infrastructure.

The meeting was also attended by a representative of Technical Link Services for Communications (TLS), a subsidiary of Etihad Salam Telecommunications, which specializes in communications and information technology solutions.

Discussions centered on strengthening Libyan-Saudi cooperation to advance infrastructure projects, stimulate investment in the industrial and agricultural sectors, and expand prospects for collaboration.

The meeting followed agreements with Libya’s Ministry of Housing and Construction on water infrastructure, specialized factories, and advanced water treatment solutions.

The agreements also included deals that aim to upgrade Libya’s communications infrastructure and modernize its IT and telecom services.

In January, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Dbeibah had outlined Libya’s vision to strengthen cooperation with Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia to attract international investment across various economic and development sectors.

He discussed with several Saudi officials ways to reinforce bilateral partnerships in oil, gas, and renewable energy, highlighting Saudi Arabia as a key partner in developing Libya’s oil infrastructure.

Gulf

Saudi-Emirati Team in Aden to Restore Calm in Eastern Yemen

A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters file)
A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters file)
TT
TT

Saudi-Emirati Team in Aden to Restore Calm in Eastern Yemen

A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters file)
A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters file)

A Saudi-Emirati team arrived in Yemen’s interim capital Aden on an urgent mission to put in place executive mechanisms for the withdrawal of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces from the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and returning them under the control of previous forces under the direct supervision of the Saudi-led Arab coalition.

The team will discuss arrangements related to the handover of positions to the National Shield Forces to ensure that the situation returns to the way it was before the escalation.

The step is in line with Saudi Arabia’s intense efforts to end the escalation in eastern Yemen, in rejection of any unilateral measures taken by the STC in Hadhramaut, which the coalition viewed as an attempt to impose a new status quo or drag the province into internal strife that threatens peace and stability.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the arrival of the team consolidates Riyadh’s rejection of activities that may create mistrust or deepen the divisions inside Yemen’s legitimate institutions.

Gulf

UN Secretary General Visits Saudi Digital Government Authority's Innovation Hub in Riyadh

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meets with officials at the Innovation Hub of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meets with officials at the Innovation Hub of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
TT
TT

UN Secretary General Visits Saudi Digital Government Authority's Innovation Hub in Riyadh

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meets with officials at the Innovation Hub of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meets with officials at the Innovation Hub of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in Riyadh on Friday. (SPA)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and his accompanying delegation visited on Friday Saudi Arabia’s Innovation Hub of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in Riyadh.

He met with DGA Governor Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan. Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Alwasil was also present during the visit.

The officials discussed issues of mutual interest, including digital government development, support for innovation, and the enhancement of sustainable digital transformation ecosystems. They reviewed the Kingdom's efforts in digital enablement to support the Sustainable Development Goals and improve government sector efficiency.

The meeting addressed avenues for cooperation between the DGA and UN organizations, particularly in knowledge exchange, the development of digital standards, the enablement of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, the enhancement of digital capabilities, and the building of partnerships to improve the quality of digital services internationally.

Guterres was briefed on the DGA Innovation Hub, which houses a range of specialized laboratories and facilities, such as the Digital Inclusion Lab, Service Design Lab, Learning Experience Lab, and AI and Emerging Technologies Lab, along with other resources supporting innovation and the development of government digital solutions.

The DGA team presented an overview of the Kingdom's digital government strategy and progress in UN e-government development indicators, reflecting the maturity of the national digital experience and the advancement of the Kingdom's digital infrastructure.

Guterres commended the Kingdom's qualitative progress in digital government, stressing that the level achieved represents a leading international model and reflects a clear commitment to developing innovative and effective government services.

He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation to support initiatives that foster an advanced digital future in service of global development.