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Saudi Arabia Seeks to Enrich Hajj, Umrah Experiences

Governor of the Makkah region, Prince Khalid al-Faisal, inaugurates the 20th “Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research.” (SPA)
Governor of the Makkah region, Prince Khalid al-Faisal, inaugurates the 20th “Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research.” (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Seeks to Enrich Hajj, Umrah Experiences

Governor of the Makkah region, Prince Khalid al-Faisal, inaugurates the 20th “Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research.” (SPA)
Governor of the Makkah region, Prince Khalid al-Faisal, inaugurates the 20th “Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research.” (SPA)

Saudi officials are studying ways in which to enrich the experience of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims on their religious journey.

Governor of the Makkah region, Prince Khalid al-Faisal, inaugurated on Tuesday the 20th “Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research.”

The forum aims to present the results of research and scientific studies on improving the experience of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, as well as shedding light on the best practices in crowd management, while creating effective communication channels between concerned parties and sectors in managing the pilgrimages.

Discussions focused on ways to develop and improve the pilgrims’ experience through various services and at various locations at the holy sites. They also tackled the introduction of cultural and scientific activities that the pilgrims can take part in, such as field trips, shopping outings and recreational events.

They addressed economic, environmental and social sustainability to boost local production. They also studied ways to reduce pollution, support clean energy and increase the holy sites’ capacity to take in more pilgrims.

Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al Al-Sheikh said the forum is in line with the efforts exerted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research at Umm Al Qura University to involve researchers and specialists in improving the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.

Over a hundred scientific studies have been submitted to the forum, he revealed. They tackle economic management and media, health, information technology and architectural aspects of the pilgrimages.

Over 25 public and private sector agencies are taking part in the event.

The second day of the forum will include a ministerial meeting on the Kingdom's success in combating the coronavirus pandemic. It will also tackle the impact of the pandemic on the Hajj and Umrah.

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten; Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al Al-Sheikh; Minister of Health Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah; and President General of the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais will participate in the meeting, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

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Gulf

King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
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King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared on Sunday that the state “will proceed firmly” in addressing the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran, including Tehran’s attacks on the Gulf.

As he received senior officials, King Hamad revealed that Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been assigned with implementing “comprehensive and decisive measures, including the introduction of programs to resolve any gaps that have been identified in the defense or economic sectors,” reported Bahrain’s state news agency BNA.

King Hamad directed the immediate launch “of the legal measures against those who have betrayed the nation or undermined its security and stability, alongside a review of cases relating to entitlement to Bahraini citizenship, with the appropriate legal procedures to be applied accordingly.”

“The situation remains sensitive and calls for steadfast adherence to national responsibility and the safeguarding of the homeland with no tolerance for negligence or dereliction of duty,” he warned.

“The nation deserves the utmost sacrifice,” he added, stressing that Bahrain “will remain committed to its positions advocating the resolution of crises through peaceful means and diplomatic efforts, in a manner that serves the interests of the peoples of the region and the world.”

King Hamad also expressed pride in the achievements of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad in advancing government work and driving further development across various sectors.

Gulf

WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
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WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)

As more than 17 million people across Yemen faced hunger in 2025, a US$25 million contribution from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) enabled the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to deliver lifesaving food assistance and strengthen livelihoods for vulnerable families, said the WFP last week.

“The KSrelief funded project allowed WFP to provide emergency food assistance to over 43,000 families in some of the most food insecure areas of Dhale governorate and the West Coast,” it noted in a statement.

“In parallel, the contribution supported longer term recovery efforts in Hadramawt, al-Mahra and Socotra, helping 6,500 families strengthen their livelihoods through vocational training programs and asset creation.”

“Through the same project, 1,208 acres of agricultural land were rehabilitated, 38,360 meters of irrigation channels repaired, and 26 greenhouses constructed, boosting local food production and building resilience to increasingly severe weather conditions,” added the statement.

“KSrelief stepped up at a critical moment,” said Elkhidir Daloum, WFP Country Director in Yemen.

“Reaching nearly 50,000 families with either emergency food assistance or livelihood support is no small achievement. This partnership made a tangible difference in the lives of people facing severe needs.”

In 2025, Yemen recorded its highest levels of food insecurity, with 70 percent of families reporting they were unable to access adequate food in July.

KSrelief has been a valued partner in WFP’s efforts to improve food security in Yemen, contributing more than US$300 million since 2020.

Gulf

MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
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MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the attack targeting the French battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa reiterated the organization’s condemnation of attacks on UN agencies and their missions, as part of its broader rejection of all acts of violence and terrorism.

Al-Issa noted that the attack breaches international obligations concerning the safety and security of UN personnel.

He offered condolences to the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.

Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the group denied involvement.

The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Hezbollah.