Pilgrims from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh praised the Makkah Route Initiative for fulfilling their aspirations by facilitating Hajj travel with unprecedented ease. Now in its sixth year of implementation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and its eighth year globally, the initiative is a key component of the Ministry of Interior’s efforts under the Pilgrim Experience Program, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. This year, the initiative serves 10 countries across 17 international entry points, including new participants Senegal and Brunei Darussalam. The program streamlines the pilgrimage by providing electronic visas, verifying health requirements, and completing passport and biometric procedures at…
Author: Editorial Team
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan accused Afghan border forces of targeting civilians in a new wave of clashes, saying at least nine people were killed and 15 injured over the past two days. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X that those killed included women and children, with 12 people injured on Thursday in what he described as “unprovoked and criminal targeting of civilians” in the Bajaur tribal district. He added that three civilians were injured on Friday while playing cricket, blaming a quadcopter attack on what Islamabad refers to as “Fitna Al Khwarij,” a term used by Pakistan…
KYIV — Russian drone strikes killed at least two people and injured 13 others across southern and northeastern Ukraine on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said. Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said a drone strike hit a minibus in the Dniprovskyi district, killing two people — a municipal worker and a woman — and injuring seven others, including utility workers. All of the injured were taken to hospital for treatment, he added. Prokudin later said a second strike targeted another minibus in Kherson’s Tsentralnyi district, injuring one person. The Kherson Regional Military Administration said the number of injured in the initial attack rose…
Data issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Statistical Centre revealed that the GCC countries continued to bolster their performance in the 2026 Economic Freedom Index, recording a clear superiority over the global average—an indicator reflecting the strength of economic openness and the improved business environment in the region. According to the data, the average Economic Freedom Index for the GCC countries reached 66.9 points, surpassing the global average of 59.9 points by a margin of nearly seven points, reflecting a higher level of economic openness compared to the international rate. The data indicates that all GCC countries witnessed improvement or stability…
MAKKAH — Security patrols in Makkah arrested three Indonesian residents for committing fraud by publishing misleading and fake advertisements on social media offering Hajj services. Fake Hajj permits and tools used in these activities were seized from them.They were referred to the Public Prosecution after taking the necessary legal measures. The Public Security urged the public to comply with Hajj regulations and instructions and to promptly report violations by calling 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom. Source: Saudi Gazette
WARSAW — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned of a growing fracture within the transatlantic alliance, describing what he called the “ongoing disintegration” of NATO as a “disastrous trend.” “The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance,” Tusk wrote on X, urging coordinated efforts to reverse the situation. His remarks came hours after Washington announced plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 troops from Germany. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is assessing a broader reduction of its military presence in Europe, including Germany, following criticism…
RIYADH — The Board of Directors of the Real Estate General Authority (REGA) has approved the Real Estate Marketing and Advertising Regulations, pursuant to the Real Estate Brokerage Law. This is aimed at enhancing transparency and safeguarding stakeholders within the real estate market. Under the new regulations, the use of the names of government entities in real estate marketing is strictly prohibited. The advertising license will be revoked if it is found that its validity has expired or used in a manner inconsistent with its stated purpose, or it contains misleading or inaccurate information. Under the regulations, it is prohibited…
RIYADH — Saudi Customs at the land, sea, and air ports across the Kingdom recorded 864 seizures of contraband during the last week. The seized items include 35 types of narcotics, such as hashish, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and Captagon pills, in addition to 345 types of other prohibited materials. Customs ports also foiled 1,946 attempts to smuggle tobacco and its derivatives, along with 15 types of cash and five types of weapons and related equipment. The seizures were part of the ongoing efforts of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) to enhance security and protect society from all types…
Pilgrims from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh praised the Makkah Route Initiative for fulfilling their aspirations by facilitating Hajj travel with unprecedented ease. Now in its sixth year of implementation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and its eighth year globally, the initiative is a key component of the Ministry of Interior’s efforts under the Pilgrim Experience Program, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. This year, the initiative serves 10 countries across 17 international entry points, including new participants Senegal and Brunei Darussalam. The program streamlines the pilgrimage by providing electronic visas, verifying health requirements, and completing passport and biometric procedures at…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and Syria are exploring the prospect of further enhancing bilateral cooperation in the land transport sector in a way developing and improving the efficiency of the transport system. Eng. Abdulmajid Al-Tassan, vice president for regulatory affairs at the Saudi Transport General Authority, met with Mohammed Rahal, Syria’s deputy minister of transport, at the authority’s headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday. During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of facilitating the movement of passengers and goods between the two countries and continuing joint coordination to support the smooth flow of land transport and enhance the integration of…