Curtailed haj compounds Saudi economic woes
Vacant religious sites. Abandoned pilgrim tents. Lifeless hotels. A stunning emptiness -- and fears of economic ruin -- haunt the usually bustling city of Mecca after Saudi authorities curtailed the haj pilgrimage over coronavirus.
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Haram Agency working out crowd control plan
The Agency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque under the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques is currently carrying out extensive studies about the entire aspects of its crowd control plan prior to partial opening of the Grand Mosque for performers of Umrah and Tawaf .
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Lagos suspends 2020 hajj operations till next year
Lagos State Government has suspended the year 2020 hajj operations, with the call to all intending pilgrims to differ the exercise till 2021.
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Jeddah bids fond farewell to iconic airport terminal
Jeddah’s international airport is bidding a fond farewell to its distinctive south terminal, known for its unique triangular tent-shaped exterior and large glass facade, as flight operations move to a new base.
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Makkah’s historical mountains hold stories of past and present
Makkah’s historical mountains are a window into the holy city’s beauty and grandeur as they overlook all aspects of the Grand Mosque, while also providing perfect locations for guides, photographers and researchers to document, present or learn more about Makkah’s stories from Prophet Muhammad’s era to the present day.
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Hajj cancellations a particularly bitter blow for Palestinians besieged in Gaza
Some 1,500 residents of the coastal enclave had been eagerly preparing to perform the pilgrimage, only for coronavirus to get in the way
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Space for each pilgrim 4 times larger than normal
The space allocated for each pilgrim for this year's Hajj will be four times larger than the area allocated previously, according to a senior Hajj official.
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Nearly 1,500 Muslims in Italy cancel Hajj plan
This year, nearly 1,500 Muslims from several nationalities living in Italy will have to cancel their trip to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. Most of them had booked their flight tickets and hotels last year, but they will now have to cancel their pilgrimage after Saudi Arabia’s decision to allow only a limited number of pilgrims to perform Hajj this year.
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WHO chief lauds Saudi Arabia’s decision to host limited Hajj
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said it supported Saudi Arabia's move to hold a limited Hajj this year, saying putting health first is a choice all countries must make during the coronavirus pandemic.
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24 artifacts uncovered near Al-Moalla Cemetery in Makkah
The Makkah Mayoralty disclosed that it had handed over 24 artifacts to the Ministry of Tourism. The pieces of heritage were uncovered during digging works for the smart parking lot project near Al-Moalla Cemetery in the holy city.
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Medina province is free of COVID-19
The Saudi Health Ministry has announced the recovery of the last person to have contracted the new coronavirus in Al Ais, meaning that the Al Medina provinc is free of the virus, according to the online newspaper Sabq.
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Saudi Arabia announces drastic curbs to numbers for annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
Following months of deliberation over whether to cancel the annual hajj pilgrimage to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Saudi Arabia announced this week that it will drastically limit the number of people involved.
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