Middle East

Riyadh, July 10: The Hajj and Umrah Ministry has stressed that all Umrah companies and establishments must adhere to the services controls' document of the pilgrims, and visitors of the Prophet’s Mosque who are coming from outside Saudi Arabia in the new Umrah season of 1445 AH. The document has revealed that the pilgrims in the age category under 18-years-old must be with a companion. The

Jerusalem, July 3: Israeli aircraft and ground forces have conducted a nighttime raid on the city of Jenin and its refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, killing at least seven Palestinians and injuring dozens, many of them in critical condition. According to Palestinian Health Ministry, one of the Palestinian youths killed in Israel's early Monday raid has been identified as 21-year-old Samih

Arafat, June 27: Chanting “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (O God, here I am answering Your call)...,” around two million pilgrims started proceeding on Tuesday morning to Namirah Mosque as well as to their designated tents in Arafat, about 15 km east of Makkah, after spending a night of meditation and supplication in the Tent City of Mina. Male pilgrims in seamless white clothes - resembling a white

Mina, June 26: Around two million pilgrims, who came from all corners of the globe, converged on the tent city of Mina on Monday, the Day of Tarwiyah, marking the beginning of the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam. The 5-6day Hajj, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, has returned to full capacity this year for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus

Jeddah, June 26: Saudi Arabia has developed and introduced several services for the first time for the pilgrims participating in Hajj 2023 to help them perform the rituals with ease and comfort. Hajj services offered this season were distinguished for keeping pace with the developments taking place in the world that enhance the facilitation of life, such as artificial intelligence and others. The

Riyadh, June 23: Saudi officials say close to 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in the country so far for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, the vast majority by air. This year's pilgrimage will be the first without the restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic, starting in 2020. More pilgrims are expected to arrive before the start of the Hajj on Monday. The Hajj is one of the five

Ramallah, June 21: Hundreds of Israeli settlers, protected by the regime’s forces, have rampaged through several Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank, attacking native residents and vandalizing their property. Palestinian security sources said the armed settlers hurled stones and set Palestinian cars, fields, homes and other property ablaze in Huwara and Beit Furik, al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya

Doha, June 20: Qatar and the UAE have announced the reopening of their respective embassies and consulates with immediate effect. The detente was broadly welcomed by regional leaders and analysts. Qatar’s embassy in Abu Dhabi and its consulate in Dubai, as well as the UAE’s embassy in Doha, will reopen on Monday, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA). Both sides stressed that the significant

Paris, June 20: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the Kingdom’s official reception in Paris on Monday to present its candidacy to host Expo 2030. Representatives of 179 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions, which organizes the expo, also attended the event in the French capital. The crown prince toured an exhibition held by the Royal Commission for the City of

Ramallah, June 13: Palestinians are deeply concerned about a draft law being discussed in the Israeli Parliament to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque and aim to request the support of Turkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia and Egypt to prevent the law from being implemented. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh warned Israeli authorities against submitting the bill, proposed by Likud party member Amit Halevi