Makkah News and Updates

Madinah, 29 Dhu-AlHijjah,1436 , 13 October,2015, SPA 

Madinah is currently witnessing the largest expansion in the history of the Prophet's Holy Mosque currently under way, where it is expected that the accommodation capacity of the Mosque will reach, after its completion about (1,600,000) worshipers.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA)'s camera has monitored by air and land the expansion works in the Prophet's Holy Mosque and the Central Area surrounding it.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1408132

a corner for new minaret

New Madinah Airport


Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz New International Airport in Madinah, 

"second gate to serve pilgrims"
 

Madinah, Dhu-AlHijjah 23, 1436, October 07, 2015, SPA 

Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz New International Airport in Madinah, which was officially inaugurated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during his visit to the city of Madinah in the month of Ramadan, has witnessed an intense movement of reception and bidding farewell to many visitors to Madinah throughout Hajj season this year, where it received in the pre-stage of Hajj this year more than 560,000 pilgrims.

Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz New Airport, which is the second gate to the Two Holy Mosques, along with King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, is one of the most prominent projects provided by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to support the air transport in the Kingdom in general, and facilitate the movement of arrival and departure of pilgrim-visitors to the city of Madinah in particular in Hajj and Umrah seasons.

This vital project, which is located close to the current airport,east of the city of Madinah, is part of massive development plans carried out by the state, and one of a series of major development projects
that focus on the development of infrastructure for various service sectors that accommodate the growing numbers of pilgrims and visitors who annually come to the Kingdom in increasing rates. Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah accommodates more than 8 million passengers a year as a first stage after the expansion is completed.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/print.php?id=1406188

Transporters used pilgrim luggage to smuggle drugs


Pilgrims wait their ride at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah 
in this file picture. The Saudi Customs Authority has said drug smugglers in
cahoots with unscrupulous transportation have tried to smuggle drugs into
the Kingdom by hiding the contraband in pilgrims’ luggage.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

JEDDAH: Foreign transportation companies have tried to smuggle drugs into the Kingdom by hiding them in pilgrims’ luggage, according to the Saudi Customs Authority.

Essa Al-Essa, spokesperson of the authority, charged that these companies have tried to take advantage of pilgrims’ crowds to smuggle drugs in addition to other violations.

Captagon, Tramadol Qoro, qat and large quantities of other drugs were found in pilgrims' luggage, in addition to undisclosed amounts of money. “An organized gang is involved in smuggling cash and precious metals using pilgrims’ luggage.”

He explained that the main violation by transportation companies is mixing pilgrims’ bags in such a way that their identification becomes difficult. Al-Essa refused to identify the countries sending luggage violating the rules.

The customs authority has an automated mechanism in place to prevent smuggling attempts. It includes trained dogs and X-ray inspection.

It held an exhibition to show workers the types of drugs, ways of smuggling them and proper means to deal with incoming pilgrims.

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/823021

Mina stampede probe on track


Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior who is also chairman 
of the Supreme Haj Committee, chairs in Riyadh on Sunday evening a meeting of the main 
investigation committee formed to find out the causes of the Mina stampede.

Oct 20, 2015

RIYADH — Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior who is also chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, chaired here on Sunday evening a meeting of the main investigation committee formed to find out the causes of the Mina stampede and submit the findings to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

The Crown Prince was reassured on the progress of the investigation. He directed the members of the committee to continue their efforts to find the causes of the accident.

The meeting was attended by Minister of State and Cabinet member Dr. Musaed Bin Muhammad Al-Aiban, Deputy Interior Minister Abdulrahman Alrbaia’an, Director General of General Investigation General Abdulaziz Bin Mohammad Alhwairaini and Chief of General Intelligence Khalid Bin Ali Alhmaidan.

The Crown Prince ordered the probe immediately after the Sept. 24 tragedy during a stoning ritual at Mina. Saudi authorities issued a death toll of 769.

King Salman has already ordered “a revision” of how the Haj is organized.

The King said last week that the Kingdom used “all its capabilities and efforts” to ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims.

King Salman also said that “irresponsible comments” will not affect his country’s efforts to provide the best services to the Guests of Allah.

“Irresponsible comments that aim to take political advantage of this incident, and cause division in the Muslim world, will not affect the role of Saudi Arabia and its great duty and responsibilities in the service of pilgrims” the King said at a Cabinet session.

King Salman stressed that Saudi Arabia has been honored to serve the two holy mosques, and is dedicated to ensuring the comfort and safety of pilgrims.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...robe-on-track/

Kingdom’s airports would increase the number of passengers they handle 
from the current figure of 28 million to 45 million by 2020.

Saturday 24 October 2015

JEDDAH: The new upgraded King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah will open for full operations in mid-2017, according to the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA), the country’s regulatory body.

Construction on the new facility and testing of all equipment would be completed at the end of 2016, said Sulaiman Al-Hamdan, GACA’s director general and chairman of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), a local publication reported Friday.

Al-Hamdan on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a new Saudia building in the support area next to the airport’s new building. Saleh Al-Jasser, director general of Saudia, was also present at the ceremony.

At a press conference later on Thursday in the operations building, Al-Jasser said the SR350 million Saudia facility would also be ready by mid-2017, as part of its strategic program that includes fleet development, expansion of its flight network, and installation of the latest information technology.

Al-Jasser said the new building would allow Saudia to administer all operations under one roof. The plan is eventually to increase the number of flights from 500 to 1,000 a day, which would be one of the highest airline operations in the world, he said.

He said the Kingdom’s airports would increase the number of passengers they handle from the current figure of 28 million to 45 million by 2020, a goal that has been laid down in GACA’s operational plan.

On privatization, he said Saudia has taken significant steps in certain areas including supplies and types of services, and setting up companies with shares owned by the public.

Al-Jasser said the entry of a third airline company in Saudi Arabia was no problem for Saudia and would be good for competition. He was referring to the plan by Qatar Airways to launch Al-Maha airline company to operate along local routes in the Kingdom.

Al-Maha would reportedly initially operate flights from Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah, Abha and Qassim. Qatar Airways already operates international flights between Doha and Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Taif, Qassim, Al-Ahsa and Madinah.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/824976

Hajj Pilgrimage Goes 
Hi-Tech To Reduce Incidents
 

26 October 2015

Every year millions of Muslims visit Mecca for Hajj, the great pilgrimage that believers must undertake at least once in a lifetime, in a certain period of the year, and Umrah, the ‘minor’ pilgrimage, which can be undertaken at any time.

The numbers are stunning: in July, 14 million pilgrims visited Mecca for the Umrah. In September at least 2 million people gathered for the Hajj.

The density of the crowd is extraordinary as well: researchers estimate it can exceed six people per square meter, with startling consequences in terms of safety and security. Just little more than a month ago, a crowd stampede caused the deaths of at least 2,268 people who were suffocated or crushed. Less serious, but still troubling, is the fact that family members that travel together often get separated, and old people and children can easily faint or get lost.

Making sure nobody gets hurt is basically a crowd control, or crowd management problem, one that technology could perhaps help to mitigate. There several projects in store, ranging from the use of computer simulation software designed to predict crowd disasters, to the prototyping and commercialization of wearable devices that could help pilgrims not to lose their sense of direction, and keep track of fellow travelers.

One example of the latter is the Hajj Guider, a smart bracelet that coupled with an app, which will allow pilgrims to communicate via two-way audio, track each other and provide navigation and guidance services. It is being developed in Pakistan by a group of engineers and developers that have several years of experience in developing software and web platforms for clients like Sony, SEGA and Diageo.

“The initial idea,” they told me, when we recently met in Turkey, where they were pitching their product at the StartupIstanbul competition, “was to create a mobile application to help pilgrims track each other and navigate during Hajj and Umrah.”

“However, we quickly realized that a smartphone application would have dependencies, such as cellular signals and limited battery life. So, we decided to focus our attention on a wearable band, which would allow pilgrims to track each other, press a panic button in case of emergency, and communicate offline.”

The device, of which a prototype is currently available, would costs less than $100 and would also work without Internet connection, using a technology that creates its own mesh network. “I cannot go into details because the use case is still under going patent documentation,” one of the founders, Moeez Qadari tells me by email. Full scale launch is scheduled for Hajj 2016.

Hajj Guider is not the only electronic bracelet that aims at making the pilgrimage experience safer: as Al Arabiya reported in May, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj is working on a similar device that would help pilgrims move through the streets of Mecca. Aside from giving directions, it would also contain the pilgrim’s address of residence and his full medical records.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/federico...uce-incidents/

www.hajjguider.com

Washing of Kaaba
will be next Sunday 8 Nov

Al-Faisal has the honor to wash the Kaaba on Sunday

الفيصل يتشرف بغسل الكعبة الأحد
 

21 historic mosques restored


Al-Ghamamah mosque was one of the 21 historic mosques restored.

5 November 2015

RIYADH: The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) and the Al-Turath Heritage Foundation has completed the restoration of 21 mosques around the country.

The SCTNH, at its 39th meeting recently, has also set up a project to restore other mosques in cooperation with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, to highlight their religious importance.

This is expected to boost the work of the Al-Turath Foundation, which has been working on the restoration of mosques for the past 17 years, in conjunction with the SCTNH, according to a report in an online publication recently.

The mosques that have been restored include Al-Zawiyah in Yanbu and the Al-Ghamamah and Abu Bakr Siddique mosques. The Umar bin Al-Khattab mosque in Madinah has been restored with the help of Al-Manakha company, and the Al-Sakhrah mosque with the support of Prince Sultan bin Salman, the president of the SCTNH.

The Al-Shafei mosque in Riyadh has been restored with funds allocated by the late King Abdullah, and the Al-Aushazah mosque of Riyadh with the help of the late Princess Sultanah bint Ahmad Al-Sudairi. The Al-Dhuwaihiriyah mosque was completed with the assistance of Prince Sultan bin Salman, while residents helped to restore the Al-Sarihah, Al-Mureeh, Al-Dawasir and Al-Husseini mosques.

In Asir, the Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammad bin Saud grand mosque was restored by the Al-Turath foundation with funds set aside by the late King Abdullah when he was crown prince.

Six mosques in the Eastern Province were restored with the support of the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu. Five of these mosques are in Al-Ahsa and one near Jubail.

A study to revamp eight mosques has also been completed. They are the Al-Baiah mosque in Makkah, and five mosques in the Sabaa Masajid area, which would be completed by the secretariat of Madinah. Al-Memar mosque and Al-Hanafi mosque in the old part of Jeddah would be restored with support from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

A total of 87 historic mosques in the Kingdom have been identified for restoration including four in Makkah, eight in Madinah, 14 in Riyadh, five in Qassim, 36 in Asir, six in Tabuk, six in Jazan, four in Najran and four in Baha.

http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/830751

King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex, Madinah

Nov 5, 2015

MADINAH — More than 1,000 workers in King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex and Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah stopped work early Tuesday over non-payment of their salaries for many months.

A source at the complex said work has completely stopped in all sections of the press which is printing copies of the Holy Book and its translations in various languages. He said hundreds of workers refused to vacate the company’s housing compound.

Awwad Al-Hazmi, director of labor office in Madinah, said the office inspectors in collaboration with the security forces have followed up on the issue and listened to the workers’ complaints.

He said the inspectors met more than 400 workers of various nationalities who said they have not been paid for three months.

“The issue has been referred to the ministry in Riyadh, because there was no administrative official from the national operating company to talk to,” he said.

Hazmi said a complaint was filed against the company last month at the preliminary labor commission for delaying the salaries of 1,086 workers.

Secretary General of the complex Mohammed Al-Aoufi said the complex is not directly involved in the issue as the matter is between the operating company and its employees.

Khaled Ouwaidah, spokesman of the airport, said air traffic was not affected by the absence of a number of maintenance workers. “We had a plan B which enabled us to continue business as usual in the airport,” he added.

A source at the airport, who opted not to be identified, said a number of cleaners and maintenance workers did not come to work because the company did not pay them salaries for two to four months. He said a number of Saudi employees were also not paid.

The source said a committee, comprising the police and representatives of the labor office, listened to the workers at their place of accommodation and summoned and questioned several company officials.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...rk-in-madinah/