Hajj halls at airport will ease pilgrims’ path, says transport minister
15 August 2018

Hajj halls at airport will ease pilgrims’ path, says transport minister

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s transport minister, Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi, visited the Hajj halls at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Wednesday to ensure that work progress, performance efficiency and the pilgrims’ reception process are in line with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) operational plan. The plan aims to simplify pilgrims’ travel

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Abu Dhabi's Etihad deploys more flights to Jeddah, Madinah for Hajj
15 August 2018

Abu Dhabi's Etihad deploys more flights to Jeddah, Madinah for Hajj

The airline will operate 16 additional flights to the Saudi cities until August 28

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Madinah introduces multilingual double-decker bus tour for Hajj pilgrims
15 August 2018

Madinah introduces multilingual double-decker bus tour for Hajj pilgrims

JEDDAH: A new double-decker bus tour, supervised by the Development Authority of Madinah Region, will introduce visitors to some of Madinah’s historic landmarks as well as its entertainment facilities, commercial sites, and public utilities. The tour is part of the service extended to Hajj pilgrims and other visitors to the holy city. 

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Saudi organizes hajj in more modern, planned manner
15 August 2018

Saudi organizes hajj in more modern, planned manner

General President of Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah Sheikh Abdurrahman As-Sudais stated that Saudi Arabia has organized Hajj 1439 Hijri/2018 with more modern innovations and well-planned initiatives than before.

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Haj Ministry: Pilgrim satisfaction to figure high in evaluation of service providers
14 August 2018

Haj Ministry: Pilgrim satisfaction to figure high in evaluation of service providers

The Ministry of Haj and Umrah has informed all Haj service providers that it will include the satisfaction level of the pilgrims in the evaluation of their performance.

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Digital wave in holy cities as pilgrims become Internet-savvy
14 August 2018

Digital wave in holy cities as pilgrims become Internet-savvy

A digital wave is in full swing in the holy city of Makkah with the authorities ensuring high speed data transmission, keeping in mind the growing number of Internet-friendly Haj pilgrims who are keen on communicating with their near and dear ones back home in cyber space.

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Hajj 2018: What’s on pilgrims’ bucket lists
14 August 2018

Hajj 2018: What’s on pilgrims’ bucket lists

RIYADH: Hajj is one of the biggest dreams of every Muslim’s life, and pilgrims looking forward to their stay in Makkah and Madinah say a bucket list is the best way to plan the trip.  Most of the sites in the two holy cities are spiritual, giving pilgrims a sense of the prophecies. Standing in the places of the Holy Prophet transports them back to the past as if they lived

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More than 192,000 employees to serve pilgrims during Hajj 2018
14 August 2018

More than 192,000 employees to serve pilgrims during Hajj 2018

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics announced on Tuesday its statistical calendar for this year’s Hajj season, which includes more than 136 major services to be carried as part of the general services offered to pilgrims. The authority said on its official website that a total of 192,254 employees, from both genders, will be working to deliver those

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100,000 to benefit from ‘Makkah Road’ initiative
14 August 2018

100,000 to benefit from ‘Makkah Road’ initiative

JEDDAH: The director of the Passports Department in Madinah, Dr. Khaled Al-Huaish, revealed that 43,063 pilgrims have been received and a total of 100,000 Indonesian pilgrims are expected on the “Makkah Road,” a fast-track initiative for Malaysian and Indonesian pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia without the long wait.

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North African Tech Teams Impress At Record-Breaking Hajj Hackathon
14 August 2018

North African Tech Teams Impress At Record-Breaking Hajj Hackathon

The maiden edition of theHajj Hackathonsprung up a few surprises as it turned out to be another classic case of the dark horses giving the favorites a run for their money.

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Ka'aba tour brings Hajj history to life for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia
14 August 2018

Ka'aba tour brings Hajj history to life for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: Guests of King Salman for Hajj and Umrah Program visited the Kiswa Factory of the Holy Ka’aba on Tuesday to watch the stages of cladding, and hear an explanation of its history and the raw materials used in its manufacture. The visit was part of the cultural program organized for the guests and supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da’wah and Guidance. Guests

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Saudi minister endorses Arab News-Facebook cooperation for Hajj coverage
14 August 2018

Saudi minister endorses Arab News-Facebook cooperation for Hajj coverage

MAKKAH: The Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah has endorsed efforts between Arab News and Facebook to cooperate in covering the annual Muslim pilgrimage this year. As almost 2 million people gather in Makkah for Hajj, this newspaper and the social media network will cooperate in the transmission of live broadcasts of the pilgrimage using 360-degree video technology. This will

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