ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates will move its weekend to Saturday and Sunday starting next year, the UAE media office said in a tweet on Tuesday. The shift is significant, given Friday has long been a sacred day for worshippers of Islam. Most countries in the Gulf have Friday to Saturday weekends. The […]
Middle East
Saudi Arabia links Tablighi Jamaat with terrorism, asks Friday preachers to speak against Daw’ah
RIYADH — Friday preachers in Saudi Arabia will warn against Tablighi Jamaat group and its ‘misguidance that leads to terrorism’, as per the instructions of Ministry of Islamic Affairs announced according to MilliChronicle.com. Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Abdullateef Aal-Sheikh directed the preachers of the mosques in which Friday prayers are held, to dedicate the […]
Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia excavate kingdoms mentioned in Old Testament
SAUDI ARABIA — Amid the arid desert and mountains of Al Ula in northwest Saudi Arabia, archaeologists are working to excavate the remnants of the ancient and long-forgotten kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan. Al Ula, a flagship tourist destination since it opened in 2019, is known chiefly for the majestic tombs of Madain Saleh, a […]
Muslims gather at Haram Sharif to offer first Jumma without COVID restrictions
MAKKAH — After the Saudi government relaxed COVID-19 restrictions pertaining to holy sites, Muslims are flocking to the Grand Mosque in Makkah today to offer Jumma (Friday) prayers en masse. Today’s will be the first Friday prayer to be offered in months at the Grand Mosque with a full strength of worshippers allowed by Saudi […]
Saudi Arabia: Umrah, prayers at Grand Mosque restricted to fully vaccinated pilgrims
RIYADH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that only fully vaccinated pilgrims with two doses will be allowed to apply for the permit for performing Umrah and prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah starting from Sunday, Oct. 10. The same condition will apply for the application of a permit to visit […]
10 injured in drone attack at Saudi Airport: Report
CAIRO — Ten people were injured on Friday in an explosives-laden drone attack at King Abdullah airport in the Saudi southern city of Jizan, the state news agency (SPA) said citing the Saudi-led coalition spokesman. Six Saudis, three Bangladeshi Nationals and one Sudanese were injured. Some of the airport’s facade windows were also shattered in […]
Erdogan says he may receive Taliban leader to discuss situation in Afghanistan
ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he may receive the leader of the militant Taliban group to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. Erdogan, speaking in an interview with CNNTurk television, said he discussed ways with the leadership of Qatar on Wednesday on how to stop the advance of the Taliban […]
Israeli Army Arrests Dozens of Palestinian Students in West Bank on Suspicion of Terrorist Activity
RAMALLAH — The Israeli army arrested dozens of Palestinian students suspected of terror activity in the West Bank village of Thermos Aya, north of Ramallah, on Wednesday. The army says the suspects belong to a Hamas student cell at Ramallah’s Birzeit University, and that some of them “were directly involved in terrorist activities.” The university […]
‘Turkey to eradicate all terrorist organizations attacking country’
ANKARA — Turkey is determined to eradicate all terrorist organizations targeting the country, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun stated, underlining that the Turkish people will not allow any harm to the country, its democracy and sovereignty. Speaking on the 2016 failed coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Altın told Daily Sabah that July […]
Sharjah Ruler pardons 225 prisoners ahead of Eid Al Adha
SHARJAH — His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has ordered to release 225 prisoners from the Punitive and Reformative Institutions in Sharjah, based on their good conduct, on the occasion of Eid Al Adha. Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of […]