Saudi Arabia's 'Makkah Route', a government programme to help Hajj pilgrims, has been expanded to include Turkey and Ivory Coast this year, the kingdom's Ministry of Interior announced this weekend.
Makkah Route is a government programme to help Hajj pilgrims from a number of countries with visa, customs and passport issues, as well as dealing with health requirements, luggage, transport and housing arrangements in Saudi Arabia.
The initiative was launched in several countries in 2018 when the Saudi authorities began to put measures in place to ease travel procedures for pilgrims from abroad.
The service was introduced in Malaysia and Indonesia first, two of the countries with the largest proportion of Hajj pilgrims.
The expansion of the initiative will now serve pilgrims in seven countries including Pakistan, Morocco and Bangladesh.
All services are handled from the Hajj pilgrims’ point of departure in their home country or country of residence.
Once pilgrims arrive in the kingdom, they move directly to their place of residence in Makkah and Madinah via buses with a designated route and their luggage is delivered to where they will be staying.
Collaborative programme
The ministry implemented the initiative in co-operation with the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Hajj and Umrah, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority “SDAIA”, “Doyuf (Guests) Al Rahman Program”, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 executive programmes, and the General Directorate of Passports.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed an agreement earlier this week to implement the Road to Makkah initiative, which will help simplify immigration procedures for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from Pakistan.
Saudi Deputy Minister of Interior Dr Nasser Al Dawood and Pakistani Minister of Interior Rana Sanaullah signed the agreements in Islamabad on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In the first phase, the service will be available at Islamabad International Airport, where around 26,000 pilgrims will be able to use it, and the service will then be extended to Karachi and Lahore airports.
Hajj flights from Pakistan began on May 21, with the final flight departing for Saudi Arabia on June 21.
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
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Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
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“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
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Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
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Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
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9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
