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Saudi Royal Order Salvages 3 Tourism Projects from Influential Figures

Saudi Royal Order Salvages 3 Tourism Projects from Influential Figures
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Saudi Royal Order Salvages 3 Tourism Projects from Influential Figures

Saudi Royal Order Salvages 3 Tourism Projects from Influential Figures

A Saudi royal decree has terminated the services of a number of officials tied to graft allegations at prominent tourism projects.

The order was based on reports received from the Royal Commission for AlUla, the Red Sea Company, and the Souda Development Company regarding violations against the lands of the Red Sea Project, the state news agency SPA reported.

There were more than 5,000 violations reported in the Red Sea Project lands and dozens in AlUla, according to SPA, in addition to others not authorized by the Royal Commission for AlUla.

“These violations are considered violations of the system and constitute environmental damage,” according to SPA.

The violations, which have been authorized by some officials, have a “great impact” on the completion of projects and are an infringement on the competence of the Commission, SPA reported.

“The Ministries of Interior and Municipal and Rural Affairs, and the governorates of Madinah, Tabuk and Asir are given a one-month period from this date to remove all infringements, and very strict measures shall be taken in the event of any further infringement after that,” a statement carried by SPA said.

According to the statement, the royal order terminated the services of Lieutenant General Awad bin Eid bin Awda al-Balawi, Director General of the Border Guard, and referred him to retirement.

It also ended the services of the governors of Umluf, al-Wajh and the head of the Souda Center, according to SPA.

Services of the commanders of the border guard sectors in Umluf and al-Wajh have also been terminated.

The services of the official who was responsible for infringements, as well as his deputy at the Ministry of Interior, in addition to those responsible for infringements in the governorates of Madina, Tabuk and Asir have also been terminated.

The royal decree requires that the Control and Anti-Corruption Commission immediately investigate all the officials about their suspected involvement and for legal action to be taken against those found responsible.

AlUla is one of the most important tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia due to its historical treasures, while the Red Sea project includes an archipelago of 90 unspoilt islands with stunning views, while the Souda development project is a unique mountainous tourist destination.

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Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister, Egyptian Counterpart Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
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Saudi Foreign Minister, Egyptian Counterpart Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call on Saturday from Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Dr. Badr Abdelatty.

They discussed the latest regional developments and agreed to maintain bilateral coordination and consultation on these issues.

Gulf

Albudaiwi: GCC States Consistently Seek to Enhance Global Security and Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
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Albudaiwi: GCC States Consistently Seek to Enhance Global Security and Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi said that the GCC member states consistently seek to enhance security, stability, development, and prosperity to serve the mutual interests of the region's peoples and the entire world.

This comes in light of the rapid geopolitical shifts as well as growing security and economic challenges facing the globe, according to SPA.

During his participation in a panel session on GCC-European strategic links, held today in the Czech capital, Prague, on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC Global Security Forum 2026, the GCC secretary-general said: "The GCC General Secretariat’s participation in the GLOBSEC Global Security Forum 2026 embodies its keenness to maintain an active presence in regional and international forums. This engagement aims to bolster communication and exchange perspectives with international partners, decision-makers, and experts, thereby supporting efforts to maintain regional and international security while keeping pace with rapid global changes."

He also pointed out that the region has recently witnessed several events that have heavily impacted security and stability, adding that the GCC states have sustained their continuous diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and defuse tensions in the region, promoting paths of dialogue and diplomacy to protect regional security, stability, and the safety of its peoples.

The GCC secretary-general underscored the paramount importance of protecting the security of air and maritime corridors, ensuring freedom of navigation, the safety of supply chains, and the stability of global energy market.

"The stability of the Gulf region remains a fundamental pillar for the stability of the global economy and international maritime security," he reiterated.

Albudaiwi explained that recent developments have proven that the security of Europe and the Middle East has become unprecedentedly interconnected, asserting that any disruption in the Gulf region and its surrounding maritime passages directly affects the European economy, global energy security, supply chains, and international stability as a whole. He stressed that Gulf stability is no longer merely a regional matter, but has become a shared international interest.

Discussing the future of Gulf-European relations, Albudaiwi mentioned that both sides aspire to elevate their ties to broader horizons.

He added that the upcoming GCC-EU Summit will contribute to cementing cooperation across numerous fields and achieving the mutual interests of both parties, emphasizing the significance of reaching tangible results that serve both sides and elevate their ongoing cooperation.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Says Will Not Allow Practices That Deviate Hajj from its Objectives

Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)
Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)
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Saudi Arabia Says Will Not Allow Practices That Deviate Hajj from its Objectives

Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)
Security commanders are seen at the press conference in Makkah on Friday (Bashir Saleh)

Saudi Arabia said it would not allow the Hajj to be used for any activity that strays from its religious purpose, as more than 1.5 million pilgrims arrived from abroad by Friday afternoon.

He made his statement during a press conference by Hajj security commanders at the Unified Security Operations Center (911) in the Makkah region.

Officials outlined security, traffic, and organizational plans for this year’s holy pilgrimage, along with related instructions and guidelines.

Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, director of Public Security, said the Hajj security system was fully ready to carry out its duties.

“Our goal is for pilgrims to reach their destination, perform their rituals, and return home safely,” he stressed.

Al-Bassami said crowd management plans focused on regulating pilgrim flows and minimizing overlap between routes. Technology, he said, was playing a key role alongside security personnel on the ground.

He said authorities were prepared for various scenarios based on risk assessments, following extensive drills and field exercises to test the readiness of all security agencies.

Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Omari, commander of the Special Emergency Forces at the Presidency of State Security, described the security plans as “integrated, proactive and flexible.” He said security forces were deployed in the central area and the holy sites to protect pilgrims.

Maj. Gen. Dr. Hammoud Al-Faraj, director general of Civil Defense, said preparations for the Hajj season were complete.

“We trained all bodies involved in serving pilgrims on self-protection,” he said, adding that male and female volunteers were working alongside Civil Defense personnel across all tasks and operations.

Maj. Gen. Dr. Saleh Al-Murabba, commander of the Passports Forces for Hajj, said the “Makkah Route” initiative accounted for 30% of arriving pilgrims. He said 1,518,153 pilgrims had arrived from outside Saudi Arabia by Friday afternoon.