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250,000 Pilgrims Arrive in Jeddah ahead of Umrah

Muslim worshippers gather before the Kaaba, as they perform the Maghrib (sunset) prayer to mark the end of the first day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah on March 23, 2023. (AFP)
Muslim worshippers gather before the Kaaba, as they perform the Maghrib (sunset) prayer to mark the end of the first day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah on March 23, 2023. (AFP)
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250,000 Pilgrims Arrive in Jeddah ahead of Umrah

Muslim worshippers gather before the Kaaba, as they perform the Maghrib (sunset) prayer to mark the end of the first day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah on March 23, 2023. (AFP)
Muslim worshippers gather before the Kaaba, as they perform the Maghrib (sunset) prayer to mark the end of the first day of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah on March 23, 2023. (AFP)

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 told Asharq Al-Awsat that the worshippers have come from Europe, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, the United States and Arab countries.

He said the travelers began arriving five days before the start of Ramadan and their numbers would gradually increase.

Saudi Arabia expects to welcome over a million Umrah pilgrims during the holy month

The Kingdom has sought to provide all means at the disposal at the worshippers, whether at the airport or the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah, Al-Yusuf added.

Moreover, he stressed that completing the passport procedures for the Umrah pilgrims takes no more than a minute at the Jeddah airport.

The Kingdom has employed all of its means and energy to serve the pilgrims. At King Abdulaziz International Airport, passport employees have been trained to learn different languages to facilitate communication with the arrivals.

The latest technologies are in place to provide electronic services that would speed up procedures.

Once they complete passport procedures, the pilgrims have several transportation options that would take them to Makkah. They can choose from buses, the Haramain train and other means.

The Haramain Highspeed Railway is one of the most important vital means of transport for pilgrims to and from Makkah.

Seeing as the number of pilgrims will increase, authorities have come up with crowd management plans at transportation hubs in Makkah.

As for the pilgrims’ stay in the Kingdom, they have several options based on their needs and means. Makkah alone boasts some 1,100 hotels, ranging from 1- to 5-star ratings, most of which are located around the Grand Mosque.

The hotels are regularly inspected for safety and other standards by the relevant authorities.

Hospitals and clinics are also prepared to receive pilgrims in case of any medical emergency. Ten hospitals and 82 health centers are ready to serve the pilgrims.

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Gulf

Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee Kicks Off 12th Session in Riyadh

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
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Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee Kicks Off 12th Session in Riyadh

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA

The 12th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee kicked off Sunday in Riyadh, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and bringing together representatives from government entities of both countries to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation and developing strategic partnerships across various economic and development sectors.

The committee session was co-chaired by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning Dr. Samir Abdelhafidh, attended by official delegations and government sector representatives from both countries, SPA reported.

In his opening remarks, Alkhorayef emphasized the strength of Saudi-Tunisian relations and the brotherly and economic ties between the two countries, which span more than 70 years. He noted that these ties are reflected today in shared visions and ambitious work programs that align with the aspirations of both countries’ leaderships and peoples, as well as their mutual interests.

He pointed out that the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee, launched in 1998, represents an institutional framework aimed at translating cooperation into executable programs and initiatives. He expressed his hope that this session would serve as a new starting point for joint strategic projects and more impactful agreements that contribute to the economic development of both countries.

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors. The minister called on companies in both countries to build practical partnerships in promising industries and value chains. He also highlighted the outcomes of the third meeting, held in Tunisia in July 2025, namely the agreements on mutual recognition of product conformity certificates, which positively contributed to a 38% growth in trade exchange through September 2025 compared with the same period last year.

The committee’s current session focused on boosting cooperation mechanisms, discussing investment opportunities, and exchanging expertise in key sectors, including industry, mining, tourism, transport and logistics, and the judiciary and justice sectors. These efforts aim to enhance trade efficiency, support the access of Saudi products to international markets, and strengthen economic and investment cooperation.

Gulf

77th Saudi Relief Plane for Palestinian People in Gaza Arrives in Egypt

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
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77th Saudi Relief Plane for Palestinian People in Gaza Arrives in Egypt

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA

The 77th Saudi relief airplane, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Kingdom’s Embassy in Cairo, arrived Sunday at El Arish International Airport in Egypt.

The airplane carried food baskets and shelter kits destined for those affected in the Gaza Strip, SPA reported.

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support, provided through the center, to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Gulf

Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Saturday it “was time for the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen to listen to reason and prioritize public interest and unity of ranks and respond to the Saudi-Emirati mediation to end the escalation.”

In a post on the X platform, he called on the STC to withdraw its forces from the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and restore control to the National Shield and local authorities.

Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia formed the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen to help the country reclaim control over all of its territories.

The liberation of southern provinces was a pivotal development towards that goal, he stressed.

Saudi Arabia “views the southern issue as fundamental” to Yemen and it will not “exploit it in conflicts that do not serve” the nation, he added.

The Kingdom had brought together all Yemeni components to the Riyadh conference to come up with a clear path for a comprehensive political solution, including the southern issue, he went on to say.

The conference paved the way for a “just solution to their cause through dialogue and without the use of forces.”

“Saudi Arabia approved the decision to move the base of power so that the southerners could have a greater role in state institutions. It consolidated partnership instead of elimination or imposing a status quo through forces. Saudi Arabia also presented Yemen with economic support, as well as development and humanitarian initiatives that helped ease the suffering of the people,” Prince Khalid added.

“Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition offered sacrifices with their Yemeni brothers in liberating Aden and other provinces,” he noted. “The Kingdom has always sought that these sacrifices be made in the name of reclaiming territories and restoring the state, not as a path towards new conflicts.”

It had hoped that these sacrifices would have been “invested in the security of all Yemeni people, not exploited for petty gains, whereby the unfortunate developments in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra since the beginning of December 2025 have led to the division in ranks that should be united against the enemy.”

“The developments have laid waste to the sacrifices of our sons and Yemeni people and have harmed the just southern issue,” stressed Prince Khalid.

He noted that several southern leaderships and figures have exhibited “awareness and wisdom in supporting efforts to end the escalation in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra and prevent the secure southern provinces from being dragged into futile conflicts.”

“They are aware of the major challenges facing Yemen and will not allow saboteurs to achieve their goals in the country and the region,” he remarked.

He declared that the “southern issue will remain part of any comprehensive political solution. The cause will not be neglected or marginalized. It should be resolved through consensus, adhering to commitments and building trust between all Yemeni segments, not through adventures that only serve everyone's enemy.”