Saudi Arabia Raises Capacity to Receive 100,000 Umrah Pilgrims Daily

Saudi authorities have raised the capacity at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah to receive 100,000 worshippers and Umrah pilgrims on a daily basis. (SPA)
Saudi authorities have raised the capacity at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah to receive 100,000 worshippers and Umrah pilgrims on a daily basis. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Raises Capacity to Receive 100,000 Umrah Pilgrims Daily

Saudi authorities have raised the capacity at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah to receive 100,000 worshippers and Umrah pilgrims on a daily basis. (SPA)
Saudi authorities have raised the capacity at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah to receive 100,000 worshippers and Umrah pilgrims on a daily basis. (SPA)

Saudi authorities have raised the capacity at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah to receive 100,000 worshippers and Umrah pilgrims on a daily basis.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said on Friday that the decision will be effective as of October 1.

Worshippers can register through the Tawakkalna app to sign up to perform the Umrah and prayers at the Grand Mosque.

The General Presidency for the affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque ordered that the necessary social distancing signs be placed at the Grand Mosque in line with COVID-19 regulations. It ordered that lanes be set up for people with special needs also in line with social distancing rules.

Spokesman for the General President, Hani Haidar said efforts are underway to raise the capacity at the Grand Mosque even further.

The General Presidency has prepared the ideal environment and comprehensive plans of services, procedures and precautionary and preventive measures to receive worshippers and Umrah pilgrims, he stressed.



Saudi Leadership Extends Condolences to Thailand over Victims of Crane Collapse on Train

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
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Saudi Leadership Extends Condolences to Thailand over Victims of Crane Collapse on Train

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)

The Saudi leadership extended condolences on Sunday to King of Thailand over the victims of a crane accident that fell onto a train in northeastern Thailand killing tens and injuring several.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques sent a cable to King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, offering his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the deceased, and the Thai people, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, sent a similar cable to the Thai king.

He extended his deepest condolences to the king, the families of the deceased, and the Thai people.


Saudi Arabia Welcomes Agreement between Syrian Govt, SDF

People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes Agreement between Syrian Govt, SDF

People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Monday the ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and Syrian Democratic Forces that was reached on Sunday.

A Saudi Foreign Ministry statement hoped the deal would help bolster security and stability and build state institutions to meet the Syrian people's aspirations for development and prosperity.

The statement reiterated the Kingdom's full support for the Syrian government's efforts to boost civil peace and preserve Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Syrian government Sunday announced a ceasefire with the SDF, taking almost full control of the country and dismantling the Kurdish-led forces that controlled the northeast for over a decade.

The agreement includes dismantling the SDF and having its forces join Syria’s military and security forces, while senior military and civilian officials would be given high-ranking positions in state institutions.

The SDF would have to give up the Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces to the Syrian military and government, as well as its border crossings and oil and gas fields.


Saudi Arabia Ranks Second Globally in Humanitarian Aid for 2025

Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A
Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A
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Saudi Arabia Ranks Second Globally in Humanitarian Aid for 2025

Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A
Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A

Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025, leading in contributions to Yemen with 49.3% of total aid and ranking second for aid to Syria, according to the United Nations Financial Tracking Service.

A recently released 2024 report on development assistance showed that the Kingdom ranks second among 16 non-member donor countries and tenth globally in aid volume among all 48 donor countries, including both members and non-members.

Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah stressed that the Kingdom's leadership in humanitarian efforts reflects its commitment to generosity and prioritizing human dignity.

These figures are documented in real time on the Saudi Aid Platform, the region's largest aid platform. This approach, supported by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been crucial in achieving these international rankings and making a tangible global impact.

Al Rabeeah said Saudi Arabia remains a constant source of generosity and a beacon of goodwill, committed under its leadership to providing assistance to those in need worldwide.