The Latest Breaking News from Makkah

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…

Umrah security forces in Saudi Arabia have introduced the Interior Ministry's plan for the Umrah season in 2023. The program tackles security, managing and organizing crowds, managing traffic, providing humanitarian services, and empowering squads implementing the plan. “The Umrah security plan for (this) year included managing and organizing crowds and…

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Vienna, praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts to dissociate the Islamic religion from the phenomena of terrorism and isolation, stressing the importance of the Makkah Document in confronting hatred and extremist ideas and spreading tolerance and coexistence. During an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat in Riyadh,…

Saudi Arabia seeks to transform Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah in the west of the Kingdom into a center for financial and business activities in the Islamic world. Three economic entities are joining forces to turn the two cities into a center for business activities, and a platform for knowledge…

Saudi Arabia has launched a package of facilitation to the visitors of Makkah and Madinah from Türkiye. In a meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday, the Saudi Tourism Authority announced that Turkish nationals wishing to visit Saudi Arabia will now have the option to obtain a tourist visa through the Saudi…

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said fingerprint registration will be mandatory to issue a visa for pilgrims coming to Makkah from the United Kingdom, Tunisia, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Malaysia. The decision aims to ease the entry procedures through the Kingdom’s ports and improve the digital experience for pilgrims.…

Saudi Arabia's private utility ACWA Power and a unit of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Wednesday signed agreements to develop the largest solar power plant in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The 2,060 megawatt project will be located in Al Shuaibah in Makkah province and is…

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched on Monday a unified government platform, "nusuk.sa", that will serve the new Saudi gateway to Makkah and Madinah, reported the Saudi Press Agency. The platform is aimed at developing the experience of pilgrims, and facilitating the procedures for their arrival from all…

The final statement of the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions praised the historic Makkah Declaration, which was signed by the grand Imams and Muftis of the Islamic world and scholars in Makkah, stressing its importance in promoting peace, dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect, for the good…

The second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques includes five mosques in the Makkah Region with the aim of protecting and renovating their historical structure, in addition to prolonging their lifespan and maintaining their architecture affected by the changing climate over the past decades…

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, had the honor of washing the Holy Kaaba in Makkah on Monday, reported the Saudi Press Agency. He did the honor on behalf of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Crown Prince Mohammed, accompanied by…