Author: Editorial Team
GAZA — Hamas said on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration that his country would expand its area of control in Gaza was a dangerous escalation, as European states and residents of the Palestinian territory also voiced alarm at the plan. “In a blatant violation of all agreements, as is their usual practice, Netanyahu announced expanding control over 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, while the killing and starvation continue,” Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim told AFP news agency. “Any attempt to impose a new reality of occupation in Gaza is null and illegitimate,” said Ismail Al-Thawabta,…
The Civil Defense is continuing its field operations across the Grand Mosque and its surrounding courtyards to enhance preventative safety measures, protect visitors, and deliver vital humanitarian services to pilgrims and worshippers. Deployed teams are managing routine civil defense duties while maintaining a high state of readiness to respond immediately to emergencies, ensuring a rapid deployment framework that upholds maximum public safety during the final stages of the Hajj season. Source: Riyadh Daily
DAMASCUS — Syrian President Ahmad Al Sharaa visited areas devastated by floods on Friday after days of mayhem caused by surging waters in the Euphrates. Rising water levels on the Euphrates River have triggered evacuations and disrupted basic services across eastern Syria, affecting an area spanning more than 200 kilometers, authorities said.. Several children have died, homes and farms were flooded, a bridge collapsed and the military has been called in after heavy rain pushed the Euphrates to its limits in northeastern Syria. The crisis prompted widespread evacuations, urgent shelter preparations, and a sweeping humanitarian relief effort, Syria’s Emergency and…
CAIRO — A force affiliated with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed at least 27 civilians, including elderly residents, in an attack on villages west of Bara in Sudan’s North Kordofan state, a humanitarian organization said on Friday. The Cairo-based Sudan Doctors Network said the attacks took place on Thursday in the al-Murrah area, describing them as “a new crime targeting unarmed civilians in areas with no military presence” during the Eid Al-Adha holiday. It said the attacks worsened already “catastrophic humanitarian conditions that citizens are enduring due to the ongoing war.” A full-scale war erupted in April…
Pilgrims performed the stoning ritual at the three Jamarat pillars on the second day of Tashreeq, in a serene, spiritual atmosphere, managed through comprehensive organization by the relevant authorities. Crowd movement along the Jamarat Bridge remained fluid and safe as pilgrims adhered to designated one-way tracks. After completing the ritual, traffic divided smoothly between those returning to their Mina accommodations and those proceeding to Makkah for the Farewell Tawaf to hasten their departure. Source: Riyadh Daily
KUALA LUMPUR — Saudi Arabia officially inaugurated its pavilion as Guest of Honor at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026, showcasing the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary creative achievements through a diverse program of literary, artistic and cultural events. The participation is led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, one of the cultural commissions operating under the Ministry of Culture. Running from May 29 to June 7 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, the fair features an integrated Saudi cultural program that includes panel discussions, poetry evenings and appearances by Saudi writers and intellectuals, alongside live…
The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, represented by the Holy Makkah Municipality, announced the continuation of sanitation and environmental health efforts during the 1447 AH Hajj season through an integrated operational system working around the clock to serve pilgrims in Makkah and the holy sites. The ministry stated that the total volume of waste removed in Makkah since Dhu Al-Qadah 15 exceeded 250,000 tons, with a daily average surpassing 6,000 tons, while more than 16,000 tons were removed in the holy sites during the Hajj season, with a daily average exceeding 200 tons. It explained that field operations were carried…
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday blocked the Kennedy Center from temporarily closing the cultural and arts venue for a yearslong renovation and said its board violated the law when it added President Donald Trump’s name to the historic landmark. In the latest legal setback for Trump’s efforts to leave his personal mark on the landscape of the nation’s capital, US District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” with no regard for its legal obligations. Cooper also concluded that the board…
RICHMOND — A bus struck six vehicles on Interstate 95 in Virginia early Friday morning as traffic slowed for a work zone, killing five people and injuring dozens, including the driver, authorities said. The crash happened at about 2:35 a.m. on southbound I-95 in Stafford County, near Quantico, Virginia. All five of the people who died were in vehicles hit by the bus, and three of the injured were in critical condition, police said. “The preliminary investigation indicates that traffic was slowing southbound for an upcoming work zone,” state police said in a news release. “A bus failed to slow…
Saudi women continue to demonstrate exceptional professionalism and competence through their active leadership roles in serving pilgrims at the Grand Mosque during the Hajj season. Backed by the government’s female empowerment initiatives, they manage pivotal responsibilities, including crowd control, field guidance for female visitors, health services, and humanitarian volunteer operations. This extensive field presence underscores the high level of advanced training and competence achieved by national female talent, contributing to the integrated service system that ensures comfort, tranquility, and safety for the pilgrims. Source: Riyadh Daily