Saturday, 26 July 2025

Jordanian crown prince engaged to Saudi national

RIYADH: The Royal Hashemite Court announced the engagement of Jordan’s Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II to Saudi national Rajwa Khaled bin Musaed bin Saif bin Abdulaziz al-Saif, on Wednesday in the presence of King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and Queen Rania Al Abdullah, reported Petra. The engagement took place at the home of […]

Saudi welcomes 1 million for biggest hajj pilgrimage since pandemic

MECCA, Saudi Arabia: White-robed worshippers from across the world have packed the streets of Mecca as Islam’s holiest city prepares to host the biggest hajj pilgrimage since the coronavirus pandemic. Banners welcoming the faithful, including the first international visitors since 2019, festooned squares and alleys, while armed security forces patrolled the ancient city, birthplace of […]

Saudi shops awash in red — but don’t mention Valentine’s

RIYADH: Red clothing and underwear are displayed in Saudi shopfronts, but the increasingly popular Valentine’s Day promotions are missing one thing: the festival’s name. While sales surge and Valentine’s gifts become more common among the youthful Saudi population, the word “Valentine’s” is nowhere to be seen. “Management has asked us to decorate the window display […]

Motac sets RM6,900 as floor price for umrah package of 12 days, 10 nights

KUALA LUMPUR: The government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), has set the floor price for an umrah package of 12 days and 10 nights at RM6,900. The ministry, in a statement today, said the price was set in line with current developments due to the increase in the cost of performing […]

Umrah agencies need to be prepared for new rules, SOPs

KUALA LUMPUR: Umrah management agencies need to be prepared to understand the new rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the minor pilgrimage as set by the Saudi Arabian government. Tabung Haji (TH) Haj executive director Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the move was important to ensure umrah pilgrims received complete information […]

Desert camel carvings dated to around 7,000 years ago

PARIS, France: Life-sized carvings of camels and horses hewn into rock faces in Saudi Arabia could be around 7,000 years old, according to new research that suggests they are significantly older than previously thought.  The 21 reliefs, which were only recently discovered, are heavily eroded and were initially estimated in 2018 to be some 2,000 […]

Govt studying visa-related procedures for umrah

BENTONG: The government is looking into several procedures, including those related to visas, before allowing Malaysians to perform the umrah, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri. “We are collecting as much information as possible regarding the umrah. We need to look at the whole aspect and […]

Saudi lends a helping hand to Malaysia in combatting Covid-19

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has directed King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) to urgently provide Malaysia with medical, preventive equipment, and supplies to address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported this came in response to the […]

Special haj pilgrimage briefing for Malaysians in Saudi Arabia

IPOH: The government estimated about 200 Malaysians in Saudi Arabia who are eligible to perform the haj pilgrimage this year, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri. He said a special session, to be carried out via video conferencing, possibly this Thursday, would be held to brief them […]