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News for pilgrims

Visa rules, Nusuk and Rawdah changes, transport and season dates — short, with what it means for your trip.

  • Absher has launched 23 services through electronic authorization

    Absher has launched 23 services through electronic authorization

    RIYADH — The Saudi General Directorate of Passports has announced the services available through electronic authorization and provided a list of services that can be accessed through its account on the Absher platform. The service enables Absher users to electronically authorize another person to complete a service on their behalf. Users can also view and cancel issued authorizations through Absher Individuals services. The electronic authorization services include issuing and canceling travel permits for dependents; reporting lost or damaged passports; issuing and renewing iqama (residency pe

  • Riyadh Airport Launches 'Silent Airport' Project
    Transport

    Riyadh Airport Launches 'Silent Airport' Project

    RIYADH — King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh began on Tuesday the first phase of the gradual implementation of its ‘Silent Airport’ project at Terminal 5. The airport explained that the project aims to provide passengers with a quieter and more comfortable travel experience by reducing public announcements and limiting them to departure gates, while increasing reliance on digital screens and other digital channels. Passengers can follow their flight updates through the airport’s WhatsApp number 920020090, its website, signage, and the “Ask Me” team. The airport added that further phase

  • Local photographers tell the story of the Prince Mohammed Reserve

    Local photographers tell the story of the Prince Mohammed Reserve

    RIYADH — Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve is putting cameras in the hands of the people who live and work across its landscapes, empowering rangers, ecologists and community specialists to tell the story of conservation through their own eyes. Marking World Photography Day on Wednesday, the Reserve announced the completion of an intensive six-month photography development program designed to build local storytelling skills and document the land, sea, wildlife, people and culture that define the Reserve. “This isn't about pretty pictures. Photographic storytelling by l

  • Ceramics 3600 Years Old: The Oldest Trademark

    Ceramics 3600 Years Old: The Oldest Trademark

    RIYADH — A study by the Heritage Commission has uncovered the oldest known concept of a trademark in pottery, dating back around 3,600 years, at Qurayyah Oasis in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Conducted in cooperation with the University of Vienna and published in the journal PLOS One, the study found that a village in the Tabuk region specialized in producing two-colored pottery, representing an early form of a “trademark” before the emergence of its modern concept. The study found that the pottery followed an organized manufacturing system, reflected in the consistency of its