Saudi Govt Approves Establishment of Higher Council of Space Headed by Crown Prince Mohammedhttps://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3964081/saudi-govt-approves-establishment-higher-council-space-headed-crown-prince
Saudi Govt Approves Establishment of Higher Council of Space Headed by Crown Prince Mohammed
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
The Saudi government approved on Tuesday the establishment of the Higher Council of Space that will be headed by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.
The government also approved an amendment to the name of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, changing it to the Communications, Space and Technology Commission.
The cabinet was briefed on the talks Crown Prince Mohammed held with the president of Senegal and prime minister of Pakistan.
It was also briefed on the work of the Sub-Committee of Saudi–Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council and the Saudi-Chinese High-Level Joint Committee.
The government highlighted Crown Prince Mohammed’s announcement last week that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) will establish five companies that will invest in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Sudan.
The companies will seek to invest up to SAR 90 billion (USD 24 billion) to help build lasting strategic economic partnerships, growing PIF’s Assets Under Management, and diversifying Saudi Arabia’s sources of revenue, while underscoring the objectives of Vision 2030.
The cabinet highlighted the recent 6th Future Investment Initiative forum that was held in Riyadh last week. The event addressed several issues and solutions to challenges facing the world.
A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed at the event that also witnessed the launch of many local, regional and international initiatives that support the investment sector.
Syrian Hajj Director to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Services for Pilgrims Are Beyond Description, Improve Every Yearhttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5270649-syrian-hajj-director-asharq-al-awsat-saudi-services-pilgrims-are-beyond-description
The Syrian Director of Hajj and Umrah described the services provided by Saudi Arabia to pilgrims as beyond description (General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques)
Syrian Hajj Director to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Services for Pilgrims Are Beyond Description, Improve Every Year
The Syrian Director of Hajj and Umrah described the services provided by Saudi Arabia to pilgrims as beyond description (General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques)
Mohammed Nour Araj, Director of Hajj and Umrah in Syria, said the services and care provided to pilgrims by the Saudi authorities responsible for Hajj are beyond description, noting that the Hajj system continues to see rapid annual development, directly improving the pilgrim experience.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Araj said coordination with the relevant Saudi authorities has reached an advanced level of operational integration. He noted that all logistical and organizational arrangements were completed smoothly under a flexible system capable of responding to any developments. He added that any observations or challenges that arise are addressed within no more than 24 hours, alongside daily follow-up by the Saudi authorities with all Hajj missions.
The number of Syrian pilgrims this year reached 22,500, distributed across several departure points (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Regarding the number of Syrian pilgrims, Araj said this year’s total reached 22,500 pilgrims, distributed across several departure points. Around 12,000 will depart from Damascus Airport, 9,500 from Aleppo Airport, while the remaining pilgrims will travel through external transit points including Istanbul, Gaziantep, and Egypt. He added that the first flights are scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia next Saturday, at a rate of six flights per day, as part of an organized transport plan designed to ensure smooth movement and arrivals according to set schedules.
On the humanitarian side, Araj said 600 pilgrims are traveling under a presidential grant that includes families of those killed and wounded, as well as a number of former detainees and government employees. He explained that the selection of these groups is coordinated between Syria’s Ministries of Defense and Interior.
Araj also confirmed that Syrian pilgrims will be accommodated in 20 residential towers in Makkah, in addition to six towers in Madinah. He said the Syrian mission’s sites in Mina and Arafat have already been handed over and are fully prepared to receive pilgrims.
Regarding services, Araj explained that the Syrian delegation includes around 200 members across various specialties, including administration, media, religious guidance, and medical services. These teams accompany pilgrims from departure until their return, with each residential site assigned a full team including doctors and religious guides. He noted that the medical staff includes 40 male and female doctors.
On the mechanism for selecting pilgrims, Araj said around 65,000 people applied for Hajj this year. Following the selection process, 65 percent of accepted applicants were elderly, compared with 35 percent from younger age groups.
Syrian pilgrims last year at Damascus Airport on a direct Hajj flight (Asharq Al-Awsat)
From Tadmor Prison to Makkah
From the depths of suffering emerged a testimony, not merely as a personal story, but as a human document carrying years of pain and reflecting an entire chapter of Syria’s history. Syrian pilgrim Samoual Abdul Qader Haj Ismail described the joy of making the first journey of his life after spending 15 years in Tadmor Prison, enduring a travel ban, and facing another arrest during the years of the Syrian uprising.
Speaking by phone to Asharq Al-Awsat, Samoual, born in 1962, said he was first arrested on September 19, 1979, in Aleppo while studying law. That marked the beginning of a series of detentions, most notably in August 1981 when he was held for two months by the military branch in Idlib before entering the longest phase of his imprisonment, which lasted nearly 15 years under State Security in Idlib.
He said his case passed through a field court operating under Law 49, where he, like many other detainees, was sentenced to death. Five years later, the sentence was reduced to life imprisonment. He spent most of his detention in Tadmor Prison, which he described as not merely a detention facility but “an open system of torture,” where life was governed by the moods of prison guards.
Inside overcrowded cells holding dozens of detainees, daily life became a constant struggle for survival, Samoual said. Food was extremely scarce, often limited to a loaf of bread or a few olives, while even sleeping carried risks, as any spontaneous movement could result in severe punishment. Beatings were carried out using metal and wooden tools.
He continued: “Food distribution itself often became a form of torture, whether through reducing portions or serving food at dangerously high temperatures that caused direct burns, as prisoners were forced to dip their fingers into the containers. Our clothes were worn out and torn, patched using primitive methods because sewing tools were prohibited.”
Mass Executions
The former political prisoner said trials were held regularly, with sentences, especially executions, issued within minutes.
“Tens of thousands were executed inside the prison, while thousands more died under torture or from disease amid the absence of medical care,” he said.
Serious diseases such as tuberculosis in its various forms and scabies spread widely because of overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions. Although there were doctors among the detainees, the lack of medication meant many cases ended in death.
After his release in 1995, Samoual said the suffering did not end. Security restrictions continued, from travel bans to being denied work opportunities and permits, in addition to repeated summonses by security agencies. With later developments in Syria, he was arrested several more times.
Humanitarian Work
Despite everything he endured, Samoual returned to his hometown of Kafr Takharim to begin a new chapter. He now works as an imam and established a school for orphan care that provides free services despite limited resources.
He said he was deeply happy to receive a Hajj visa, making Makkah his first destination after years of imprisonment and travel bans.
Bahrain Revokes Membership of Three Lawmakershttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5270573-bahrain-revokes-membership-three-lawmakers
Bahrain was targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks during the US-Iran war (Reuters).
The Bahraini parliament voted to revoke the membership of three lawmakers following their objection to measures taken by the authorities against individuals sympathetic to Iran.
The decision came during heated debates at a parliamentary session that considered the positions of the three MPs to be inconsistent with the requirements of safeguarding national security and preserving internal unity amid the current regional tensions.
During the session, lawmakers affirmed support for the authorities’ measures to safeguard the country’s security and stability. They categorically rejected positions or actions that undermine national sovereignty or support external agendas.
The revoked memberships included MPs Abdulnabi Salman, Mamdouh Al Saleh, and Mahdi Al Shuwaikh.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passportshttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5270483-saudi-arabia-t%C3%BCrkiye-agree-visa-exemption-diplomatic-and-special-passports
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passports
The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a reciprocal visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic and special passports.
After the signing of the agreement, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
During Wednesday’s meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation to serve common interests and promote security and stability in the region.
The meeting was attended by Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Fahad Abualnasr, and Director General of the General Department for Councils and Committees Fahad Alharthi.
06 May 2026, Türkiye, Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud sign a bilateral agreement on mutual visa exemption for diplomatic and special passport holders following the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa
Also Wednesday, Prince Faisal and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan co-chaired the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara.
The meeting reflected the advanced relations between the two countries and their commitment to strengthening coordination and cooperation across all fields in a manner that serves common interests and meets the aspirations of the leadership and peoples of both countries.
At the outset of the meeting, the ministers reviewed relations between the two countries and stressed the importance of institutionalizing current and future cooperation within the framework of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council to ensure sustainable progress and shared prosperity.
They also stressed the need to leverage the capabilities and resources available to both countries to achieve mutual benefits, while commending the role of the council’s secretariat and affiliated committees.
The two ministers hoped to hold the fourth meeting of the council in the Kingdom on a date to be agreed upon by both sides.
06 May 2026, 06 May 2026, Türkiye, Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud following the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa
The Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, established in 2016, is a mechanism for cooperation and consultation between the two countries aimed at developing and strengthening relations in all their dimensions within an institutional framework.
The first meeting of the Council was held in Ankara on February 7 and 8, 2017, while the second meeting was held in Riyadh on May 18, 2025.
The Council includes 5 sub-committees with the participation of relevant authorities from both countries: The Political and Diplomatic Committee, the Military and Security Committee, the Culture, Sports, Media, and Tourism Committee, the Social Development, Health, and Education Committee, and the Trade, Industry, Investment, Infrastructure, and Energy Committee.
Regular meetings of the sub-committees are held, the last of which was the meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Committee held virtually on April 28 last year to prepare for the Council's third meeting.
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