Mecca

January 27, 2025 4:48 PM

Saudi Arabia allows foreigners to invest in firms with property in Mecca, Medina

Saudi Arabia's market regulator said on Monday it would allow foreign investment in listed companies that own real estate within Islam's two holiest sites of Mecca and Medina, as the Gulf country looks to attract more investment. The move will allow foreigners to invest in firms whose revenues rely on the Islamic pilgrimage, one of the top revenue sources for the oil-rich kingdom. Saudi Arabia's market watchdog, the Capital Market Authority (CMA), said in a statement the move aimed to attract ...

September 16, 2024 6:12 PM

Climate change boosted deadly Saudi haj heat by 2.5 C, scientists say

The heatwave in Saudi Arabia blamed for the deaths of 1,300 people on the haj pilgrimage this month was made worse by climate change, a team of European scientists said on Friday. Temperatures along the route from June 16 to 18 reached 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) at times and exceeded 51.8 C at Mecca's Great Mosque. The heat would have been approximately 2.5 C (4.5 F) cooler without the influence of human-caused climate change, according to a weather attribution analysis by Cli...

September 16, 2024 6:15 PM

Over 1,300 people died during Hajj pilgrimage in 2024: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that as many as 1,301 people died during the Hajj pilgrimage, with "numerous cases" due to heat stress and "unauthorized" trips accounting for over four out of five of the deaths, CNN reported. In a statement, the Saudi government said, "The health system addressed numerous cases of heat stress this year, with some individuals still under care. Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301." The statement noted that 83 per cent of those who died were "unautho...

June 20, 2024 12:03 PM

Climate change threat hangs over haj pilgrimage as hundreds perish in heat

Nearly 2 million Muslims will reach the end of the haj pilgrimage this week, but extreme heat has proved fatal for hundreds who began the journey last Friday to the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Mecca in Saudi Arabia. At least 562 people have died during the haj, according to a tally based on foreign ministry statements and sources. Egypt alone has registered 307 deaths and another 118 missing, according to medical and security sources, as temperatures at times soared past 51 degrees Celsius (...

June 19, 2024 2:55 PM

Scorching Temperatures Claim Lives of Hajj Pilgrims

This year's Hajj pilgrimage was marked by extreme heat, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 550 pilgrims. Among the deceased, 323 were Egyptians, primarily succumbing to heat-related illnesses. India reported around 50 deaths during the core Hajj period, including the Day of Arafat. The Day of Arafat posed significant challenges, with temperatures soaring above 50 degrees Celsius. Despite the provision of air-conditioned tents, many pilgrims adhered to the strict religious practice of "W...

September 16, 2024 6:36 PM

Record 175,000 Indian Pilgrims Arrive for Haj 2024, Boosted by New Services

A record 175,000 Indian pilgrims have descended on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for the annual Haj pilgrimage this year, with the massive group being supported by a range of new services and amenities provided by the Indian government. In the first, around 95% of the 140,020 pilgrims traveling through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) have been put up in hotels inside the preferred Markazia area of Medina. All HCoI pilgrims are also being accommodated inside the traditional boundaries o...

May 9, 2024 1:26 PM

First batch of Haj pilgrims from Srinagar depart for Saudi Arabia

The first batch of pilgrims from Srinagar departed for Medina in Saudi Arabia on Thursday to perform Haj. "We are thankful to the (central) government for extending us all necessary help. We are delighted that Allah has chosen us to perform Haj at such a young age. I will pray for lasting peace and happiness in Kashmir." a Haj pilgrim said. The inaugural Haj flight from Delhi carried 285 pilgrims. Kausar Jahan, Chairperson of the Delhi State Haj Committee, stated that improved facilities hav...