- Middle East
Two Holy Mosques witness large turnout for first Taraweeh of Ramzan 2026
Riyadh: Worshippers gathered on Tuesday, February 17, to perform the Isha and first Taraweeh prayers of Ramzan 1447–2026 at the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia. It came after authorities confirmed that Ramzan…
- India
India skips 85-nation statement on West Bank ahead of Modi’s Israel visit
Hyderabad: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Israel, India has refrained from signing a joint statement by 85 UN member states condemning Israel’s decision to seize large areas of the…
- Middle East
Iran’s Khamenei threatens to sink US warships in Gulf
Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday, February 17, that United States (US) warships deployed to Gulf “could be sunk to the bottom of the sea”, as tensions mounted alongside…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia announces Founding Day holiday for private, non-profit sectors
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced the official Founding Day holiday for employees in the private and non-profit sectors. In a post shared on X, the…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia sees crescent moon, Ramzan to begin on Feb 18
Riyadh: The crescent moon, which marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan 1447 AH-2026, was sighted in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday evening, February 17. Therefore, Tuesday is the 29th and…
- World
British Museum removes word ‘Palestine’ from ancient Middle East displays
London: The British Museum has removed references to the term “Palestine” from some displays relating to the ancient Middle East following concerns raised about its historical use, according to Anadolu Agency. The…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia launches Work Interruption service for domestic workers
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MoHRSD) has launched a new Work Interruption service through the unified national recruitment platform Musaned, aiming to regulate domestic labour contracts and…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia ready for Ramzan 2026 as millions set to visit Makkah, Madinah
Riyadh: Saudi authorities have completed wide-ranging operational, religious and municipal preparations for Ramzan 2026, as Makkah and Madinah prepare to receive millions of worshippers and Umrah performers during one of the busiest…
- Middle East
Renowned UAE-based Indian photographer Ramesh Shukla passes away
Abu Dhabi: Renowned United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian photographer Ramesh Shukla, widely regarded as the man who visually chronicled the early history of the Emirates, passed away on Sunday, February 15. He…
- Middle East
Warmer temperatures, below-average rainfall forecast in Makkah, Madinah this Ramzan
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology (NCM) has issued its preliminary climate outlook for the holy month of Ramzan 1447 AH/2026, predicting above-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall across the Makkah and…
- Middle East
Gulf countries condemn Israel’s ‘illegal plan’ to convert West Bank land into state property
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait have condemned an Israeli decision to convert land in the occupied West Bank into what authorities term “state property”, warning that the move violates international law and…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia calls for sighting of Ramzan crescent on Feb 17
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on citizens and residents to check the sighting of the crescent moon of the holy month of Ramzan 1446 AH-2026 on Tuesday evening, February 17. In…
- World
London’s West End lights up for Ramzan 2026 as mayor calls for unity
London: London’s West End is lit up with decorations to celebrate the month of Ramzan 1447 AH–2026, a holy month for Muslims, for the fourth consecutive year. On Friday, February 13, Mayor…
- World
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy holds talks with Iranian opposition figure in Munich
Munich: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday, February 14, that he met Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last Shah and a prominent opposition figure, on the sidelines of the Munich Security…
- Middle East
Around 8,000 bodies remain trapped under Gaza rubble
Gaza Strip: About 8,000 bodies are still buried beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings across the Gaza Strip despite ongoing recovery efforts, according to the territory’s Civil Defence. In a statement on…
