Iraq Cabinet agrees to US troop exit by end of 2011 Nov 17, 2008
Lawmakers are under pressure to vote on it by Nov. 25, when they plan to set out on the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The agreement is to replace the United Nations mandate expiring Dec. 31 that gives U.S. forces the legal basis for being in Iraq. (Los Angeles Times)
Islam's internal struggle: King Abdullah and the skeptics Nov 13, 2008
He is the keeper of the two Holy Mosques, the religious sites at Mecca and Medina which, together with Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, constitute three of the leading holy places of Islam. He is also the leader of a nation that critics say has been slow to modernize, with fraught consequences for the rest of the world. (International Herald Tribune)
Battle for Iraq's 3rd city hangs in balance Nov 12, 2008
"You can buy a bus ticket to just about anywhere, including Mecca," says Harper, referring to Islam's holiest city in Saudi Arabia. "This is not a final, apocalyptic battle with someone walking off the field as the victor," he says. (MSNBC -- International)
Saudi Arabia to Lead UN Faith Forum Nov 12, 2008
The Saudi initiative emerged in the summer during a meeting of religious leaders in Mecca. The Saudi leader subsequently drew a range of religious groups -- including Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Taoists and others -- together in Madrid in July, where they signed a declaration calling for greater cooperation among religions. (Washington Post)
Afghan transport minister sacked Nov 11, 2008
Hamidullah Qaderi has been sacked and an inquiry has been ordered into his handling of contracts to take Afghan pilgrims to Mecca for the Haj, it said ... President Karzai has ordered the attorney general's office to investigate Mr Qaderi's handling of lucrative contracts to take 30,000 Afghans to Mecca for the Haj, news agency AFP reported ... Saudi Arabia offers places for 30,000 Afghans to travel to Mecca to participate in the Haj which starts in a few weeks. (BBC News -- South Asia)
On ballots this Nov: More Muslim American women Oct 31, 2008
The 59-year-old high school government and history teacher was born in Mecca but moved to Egypt when she was 10 so she could attend school, not an option for girls in Saudi Arabia at the time. She was a write-in candidate for the seat four years ago after the Democratic Party approached her. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Crime)
Review: 'The Devil We Know' Oct 30, 2008
His Iran wants control of Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. Today in Culture. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Changing tactics with Taliban Oct 29, 2008
(CNN) -- Since Afghan officials met with former Taliban leaders in Mecca, Saudi Arabia a month ago the drum beat of hammering out a political deal with the Taliban rather than smashing them militarily has been growing steadily ... And the Saudis, who brokered the Mecca meeting, want a commitment from Omar to end his association with bin Laden before he can participate in peace talks ... According to sources close to the talks in Mecca, the Taliban representatives recognize they can't defeat U.S.... (CNN -- International)
Prophet Muhammad film announced Oct 29, 2008
The events of the Prophet's life took place primarily in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, now in Saudi Arabia. Producer Oscar Zoghbi said his team had "only the utmost respect" for the original film, directed by the late Moustapha Akkad. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Prophet Mohammad Movie 'Messenger' Being Remade Oct 29, 2008
The events of Mohammad's life took place mainly in Mecca and Medina, Islamic holy cities in modern Saudi Arabia. 2008 Reuters. (Newsmax)
Saudi king to attend UN interfaith dialogue Oct 27, 2008
Earlier this year, he brought together different Muslim sects for a meeting in the holy city of Mecca. In July, he presided over a gathering of Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists among other religions hosted by Spain. (Yahoo News -- Politics)
Hot air and improbable peace Oct 24, 2008
Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta is in Islamabad talking up the prospects of the jirgagai, yet, given the failed Mecca initiative, it can be expected that instead of bearing any fruit, the gathering will result in further humiliation for Washington and its allies. Senior Pakistani and Afghan officials on Tuesday agreed on an agenda for the jirgagai, saying that it would review the implementation of decisions taken at a grand joint jirga of Pakistani and Afghan delegates held in the... (Asia Times Online)
The seven-year stitch Oct 24, 2008
Saudi Arabia confirmed this week that it had hosted exploratory talks between the Afghan Government and Taliban representatives in the holy city of Mecca last month ... Taliban spokesmen were quick to deny that anybody who went to Mecca had travelled with the movement's blessing, insisting loudly that there could be no such talks while foreign forces were in Afghanistan. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
US warns Iraq over troop pact Oct 23, 2008
UPDATED ON: Thursday, October 23, 2008 03:40 Mecca time, 00:40 GMT. Americas. (Aljazeera.net)
Ghana's Muslim pilgrims get vote Oct 23, 2008
Ghana's electoral commission has announced special arrangements so Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca for the Hajj can vote in polls on 7 December. The annual religious journey in Saudi Arabia is scheduled to take place between 30 November and 20 December. (BBC News -- Africa)
Rise in Saudi beheadings brings rebukes Oct 15, 2008
Venancio Ladion, from the Philippines, was beheaded for murdering a Saudi man in Mecca by suffocating him and stabbing him in the neck with a pen. Also put to death was Saudi Fahd al-Shadoukhey for committing theft and rape while under the influence of alcohol. (MSNBC -- International)
Poor swept aside by Jeddah development Oct 14, 2008
Wealthy developers have focused attention on luxury projects in Mecca and Jeddah, while ordinary Saudis have difficulty getting access to bank loans amid a lack of housing for the middle class. Newspapers have reported incidents of local residents clashing with police in Mecca over the past year over plans to remove them to make way for construction. (Globe and Mail -- International)
No Afghan-Taliban peace talks, for now Oct 10, 2008
Moreover, the former Taliban members who participated in the Mecca meetings may not have much sway in persuading current militants to come to the table ... For example, Mullah Abdul Salaam Zaif, former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, who attendted the Mecca meetings, is widely respected within Taliban circles ... On the ground, however, news of the Mecca meetings may have only strengthened the Taliban's resolve. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
The fatal flaw in Afghan peace moves Oct 8, 2008
With the reported intra-Afghan talks under the mediation of Saudi Arabia in Mecca on September 24-27, attention inevitably shifts to the hidden aspects of the "war on terror" in Afghanistan - the geopolitics of the war ... This is already evident from the contradictory reports regarding the talks in Mecca ... Kabul took the easy route by refusing to acknowledge that any talks took place during the Iftar in Mecca. (Asia Times Online)
Look who came to dinner ... Oct 8, 2008
Reports emerged this week that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia recently hosted high-level talks in Mecca between representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban ... The Muslim holy month of Ramadan was used as a cover for revived backchannel diplomacy in the Saudi holy city of Mecca. (Asia Times Online)
Egypt blocks Gaza protest attempt Oct 7, 2008
The reports say several dozen Palestinians were permitted through the crossing after returning from visiting Mecca in Saudi Arabia. A spokesman for the Hamas authorities in Gaza said more pilgrims were expected to return to Gaza in the coming days. (BBC News -- Africa)
Sources: Taliban split with al Qaeda, seek peace Oct 7, 2008
King Abdullah hosted talks in city of Mecca at end of September, source says ... The talks in Mecca took place between September 24 and 27 and involved 11 Taliban delegates, two Afghan government officials, a representative of former mujahadeen commander and U.S. foe Gulbadin Hekmatyar, and three others. (CNN -- World)
Taliban, Afghan Officials Met In Saudi Arabia Oct 7, 2008
Saudi Arabia is a leader of the Sunni Muslim world and the home of Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. It was one of a handful of countries that recognized the strictly Islamic Taliban as rulers of Afghanistan in the 1990s. (CBS News -- World)
Taliban, Afghan Officials Deny Peace Talks Held Oct 7, 2008
Saudi Arabia is a leader in the Sunni Muslim world and the location of Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina ... Even after the Taliban's ouster by a U.S.-led invasion in 2001, Saudi Arabia kept its doors open for Taliban members to make the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. (Newsmax)
Ex-CIA Agent: War With Iran May be Coming Oct 6, 2008
Iran aspires to be the center of not only Shia Islam but also all Islam, with the goal of eventually taking over the holy sites of Mecca and Medina from Saudi Arabia, Baer says. That process is already pretty far along. (Newsmax)
King Abdullah Economic City Oct 3, 2008
"We just need these new cities," says Khaled al-Faisal, governor of the Mecca region ... A full-scale port will handle not only freight but also some 300,000 pilgrims arriving by sea for the annual Hajj a high-speed railway link between Mecca and Medina will stop at KAEC.. (Time.com)
The blessings of Ramadan Sep 25, 2008
Silvery lines of tape mark the direction of their prayers, toward the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. About 70 men fill the larger prayer room and spill outdoors into a green nylon tent, where they listen to the service over loudspeakers. (OregonLive, OR -- Living)
Treating Foreigners Sep 25, 2008
Dead Sea mud: Mecca for medical tourists Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski , JRep ... "You don't see France, England and Switzerland actively marketing their countries" as meccas for medical tourists, she sniffs, suggesting that medical tourism is hawked by less developed lands ... He tells The Report that, while he does not turn down requests for cosmetic surgeries such as breast augmentation and face-lifts, he prefers to promote Israel as a mecca for complex surgery - procedures which are also more... (Jerusalem Post, Israel)
Archeological Potential of Arabian ... Sep 21, 2008
This cave is located in the Kishb Lava Field, 244 kilometers east of Mecca. It is 320 meters long and its passages lie seven meters below the surface. (Suite101.com)
EVE'S GRAVEYARD: While legend puts biblical Eve in Jiddah, many have doubts Sep 19, 2008
Like hundreds of Muslims who visit Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage in nearby Mecca, the Iranians had heard the legend that Eve was buried in that spot ... But Arab tradition puts Adam in the holy city of Mecca, which is 43 miles east of Jiddah, where God ordered him to build the Kaaba, the sacred stone structure that Muslims face during their five daily prayers, according to Nawar ... God then told Adam to go to a hill in Mecca to repent for his sins, Nawar said. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Nigeria shuts TV over hoax report Sep 18, 2008
Last month, he left the country for two weeks, telling ministers he was going on a pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca, but went to a hospital in Saudi Arabia for treatment. President Yar'Adua has suffered from a condition affecting his kidneys for at least 10 years. (BBC News -- Africa)
Is Momin Khawaja a terrorist? Sep 13, 2008
It's nearly a five-block walk from the downtown government office building to the two-storey white brick house where Momin Khawaja spends every lunch hour facing Mecca and kneeling in prayer to Allah. In the fall of 2003, Khawaja pops out of his seventh-floor cubicle at his Slater St. office to join other Muslim men at the Islamic Information Centre on Lisgar St.. (Canoe.ca)
Legend puts biblical Eve in Saudi Arabia Sep 11, 2008
Like hundreds of Muslims who visit Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage in nearby Mecca, the Iranians had heard the legend that Eve was buried in that spot ... But Arab tradition puts Adam in the holy city of Mecca, which is 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of Jiddah, where God ordered him to build the Kaaba, the sacred stone structure that Muslims face during their five daily prayers, according to Nawar ... God then told Adam to go to a hill in Mecca to repent for his sins, said Nawar. (USA Today -- News)
BOOK REVIEW: 'The Siege of Mecca: The Forgotten Uprising in Islam's Holiest Shrine and the Birth of Al Qaeda' By Yaroslav Trofimov Sep 10, 2008
In The Siege of Mecca: The Forgotten Uprising in Islam s Holiest Shrine and the Birth of Al Qaeda, Yaroslav Trofimov, a Middle East foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, tells how the Nov. 22, 1979, capture and battle for the shrine shook up the House of Saud and set in motion a counterstrike by Islamic fundamentalists. The assault and siege at Mecca was not even known to most of the world for a day and details were also withheld even longer, Trofimov writes ... What greatly... (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Searching for the roots of a deep faith Sep 9, 2008
Participants in the Kumbh Mela, a rotating Hindu festival, have reportedly topped 75 million, and each year, some two million Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. Nor is Damascus the only place where Christians are heading these days. (International Herald Tribune -- Travel)
Nigeria: 17 Days of Waiting for Mr President Sep 7, 2008
After announcing the retirement of the top echelon of the military, the special adviser to the president on communications, Segun Adeniyi, had said the President was proceeding on to Mecca to perform Umrah. Although he did not include the day Yar'Adua was expected to return, many observers in the President Villa believed that the President would be back in a matter of days since a scheduled trip to Brazil was just days away. (allAfrica.com)
Don't let them eat cake, Saudi cleric says Sep 5, 2008
Only the Muslim feasts of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which concludes the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, are permitted. In many Muslim nations, including Egypt, Dubai, Lebanon and Iran, people routinely celebrate birthdays, especially for children. (MSNBC -- International)
Call for truth on Nigeria leader Sep 5, 2008
When he left Nigeria, the president said he was going to Saudi Arabia to visit the Muslim holy city of Mecca. Rumours about his worsening state of health spread after it was confirmed he was in a hospital in Jeddah. (BBC News -- Africa)
Area Muslims observe Ramadan Sep 1, 2008
These obligations also include the declaration that "there is no God but God and Muhammad is the messenger"; prayer five times a day; giving to charity and making hajj, the pilgrimage to the Islamic holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslim holidays are determined by a lunar calendar and so Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, can begin at different times during a secular year. (Los Angeles Daily News)
Govt, family allay fears over Yar'Adua's health Sep 1, 2008
" "Saudi military police were seen guarding the hospital, which is run by the defence ministry and where ruling family members and senior officials are usually treated," the report said. Some Nigerian newspapers reported on Saturday that Yar'Adua, 57, was believed to have undergone surgery in Saudi Arabia. Yar'Adua left Nigeria about 10 days ago for the lesser hajj, or Umrah, which is performed in Mecca in Saudi Arabia, according to the government. "The President is still performing the lesser... (Guardian News, Nigeria)
Nigeria:Yar'Adua Undergoes Surgery in Saudi Arabia Aug 30, 2008
President Umaru Yar'Adua, who has been officially reported to be on lesser hajj in Mecca is in King Fahd hospital in Saudi Arabia ... The president whose health has been of public concern had gone to Mecca for lesser hajj and was expected back in Nigeria before departing to Brazil on a state visit. (allAfrica.com)
Mideast clock confusion ahead of Ramadan Aug 29, 2008
Whirling dervishes perform in Turkey, pilgrims gather in Mecca, and an elderly man is doused with holy water. Jews pray at the Mount of Olives, matzoh is baked in Brooklyn, and thousands of rabbis pose for a group photo. (MSNBC -- International)
Think About It-The dark side of democracy Aug 28, 2008
Saudi Arabia is actually the birthplace of the religion of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. (Billerica Minuteman, MA)
EDITORIAL: Another Hajj Fiasco Looms? Aug 28, 2008
The pilgrimage to Mecca, as one of the five pillars of Islam, is of spiritual significance to every Moslem. This spiritual obligation should therefore, not be seen to be taken away from the potential pilgrims, through no fault of theirs. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Saudis in Syrian diplomatic spat Aug 28, 2008
Mr Shara said the collapse of a Palestinian unity deal brokered by Saudi officials in the holy city of Mecca showed the kingdom's influence was on the wane. Distasteful. (Yahoo News -- Saudi Arabia)
Ramadan: Breaking the fast with a bite of date Aug 27, 2008
The others are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving to the needy and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. . (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Female doctor writes of life in Saudi Arabia Aug 27, 2008
Another weak spot of the book is Ahmed's description of her participation in the hajj, the pilgrimage made by millions of Muslims to Mecca, the traditional birthplace of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. Unless readers are already familiar with the many aspects of the multi-day journey that attracts Muslims from around the globe, it can sometimes be confusing to understand. (The Trentonian, NJ)
Army Moves Ahead With Mobile Laser Cannon... Aug 20, 2008
The first target should be that piece of sheite rock in mecca. Blast it all to hell and 00004000 put up a bunch of porn shops and porn theaters. (The Drudge Report)
'Oldest man' passes away in India Aug 20, 2008
He shot into limelight five years ago when he managed to complete his only unfulfilled dream, to visit the Muslim holy place of Mecca in Saudi Arabia ... He had been drawing a pension since 1938, but relatives say he could not afford to pay for a trip to Mecca. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Pakistan will turn even more volatile post-Musharraf. Aug 20, 2008
Media reports in Pakistan also said that Musharraf was expected to travel to Saudi Arabia with his family for a pilgrimage to Mecca in the near future following which he would decide whether to live outside Pakistan. The reports said Musharraf would remain in Pakistan for some time before travelling to Saudi Arabia. (India Times, India)
Women doctor shares journey into heart of Islam Aug 18, 2008
" Ahmed says it was a paradox to live in a land with such rigid laws but one that was enthralling and spiritual. She made the Hajj to Mecca, the journey every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it is obligated to make at least once. Many make preparations months and even years in advance. Ahmed went almost by chance, deciding only a week before when a colleague convinced her that she might never get another chance. Entering the Kabul, she felt small among the tens of thousands of pilgrims. "The... (The Trentonian, NJ)
LETTERS: NCT, August 13, 2008 Aug 14, 2008
When Mohammed first started screaming from the rooftops that he alone had the divine word of God, the people of Mecca ignored him. However, when he started insulting and defaming the religion of the peace loving Meccans, they couldn't take it anymore and tried persuading him to stop ... Mohammed the coward was too scared of the growing hostility against him and instead of calling upon his Allah to strike down the Meccans, he crept out one night and fled for his life. (North County Times)
Senior al Qaeda leader killed in Pak Aug 12, 2008
Yazid gave a rare interview to Pakistan's private Geo Television, aired last month, in which said a suicide bomber who carried out an attack on the Danish embassy in Islamabad in June came from the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Mahmood Shah, a former security chief of Pakistan's northwestern ethnic Pastun tribal areas, said al-Masri and Yazid appeared to be the same person. (India Times)
Phoenix seeks international connection Aug 12, 2008
For years, leaders have struggled to develop the Valley's business identity on the world's stage beyond a haven for retirees and a tourism mecca. To combat that image, Phoenix wants to send a delegation of business people to Dubai in mid-September; a similar Dubai delegation would visit Phoenix the following month. (AZCentral -- Business)
Hyderabad: Mecca Masjid gets CCTVs Aug 12, 2008
Mecca Masjid gets CCTVs, finally-Hyderabad-Cities-The Times of India ... Mecca Masjid gets CCTVs, finally12 Aug 2008, 0405 hrs IST,TNN ... HYDERABAD: After a year-long delay, the closed circuit television (CCTV) control room at Mecca Masjid finally became operational on Monday. (India Times, India)
Saudi Arabia bans sale of dogs and cats (5) Aug 4, 2008
The prohibition went into effect Wednesday in the capital, Riyadh, and authorities in the city say they will strictly enforce it unlike previous bans in the cities of Mecca and Jiddah, which have been ignored and failed to stop pet sales. Violators found outside with their pets will have their beloved poodles and other furry companions confiscated by agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
Pets Might Lead To Petting Aug 2, 2008
The prohibition went into effect Wednesday in the capital, Riyadh, and authorities in the city say they will strictly enforce it unlike previous bans in the cities of Mecca and Jiddah, which have been ignored and failed to stop pet sales. Violators found outside with their pets will have their beloved poodles and other furry companions confiscated by agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the official name of the religious police, tasked with enforcing... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Weird News)
Saudi capital bans pet walking, buying Aug 1, 2008
The prohibition went into effect on Wednesday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and authorities in the city say they will strictly enforce it unlike previous such bans in the cities of Mecca and Jiddah, which have been ignored and failed to stop sales. advertisement. (MSNBC -- International)
Saudi Arabia: No New Pets Aug 1, 2008
The prohibition went into effect on Wednesday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and authorities in the city say they will strictly enforce it unlike previous such bans in the cities of Mecca and Jiddah, which have been ignored and failed to stop sales. Violators found outside with their pets will have their beloved poodles and other furry companions confiscated by agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the official name of the religious police, tasked with... (Fox News)
King Faisal I Aug 1, 2008
When his father Hussein ibn Ali, Sharif of Mecca, was ordered to Constantinople in 1893, Faisal accompanied him and began his formal and private education in that city ... In 1914 he was in command of his father s army in Asir and when World War I broke out he was in Mecca. (Suite101.com)
King Ghazi of Iraq Aug 1, 2008
The new king of Iraq had been born in 1912 in Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia the only son of after three daughters. He spent his childhood under the care of his grand father, Hussein ibn Ali, while his father was at war. (Suite101.com)
BAE lifts 2008 outlook on demand for armoured cars Aug 1, 2008
Reuters Published: August 1, 2008. BAE Systems, Europe's biggest defense company, lifted 2008 earnings expectations on Friday as it beat first-half forecasts, boosted by strong demand for armoured vehicles for war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Hidden treasures of the Middle East Jul 31, 2008
The World Tourism Organization reports that 46 million foreign tourists visited the Middle East last year, making it one of the world's fastest-growing regional destinations "despite ongoing tensions and threats." Muslims making the pilgrimage to Mecca account for some of those numbers, but guide companies report a growing interest in the region from Americans as well everyone from history buffs to outdoors-lovers to old-fashioned Arabists. The birthplace of three major world religions, as... (MSNBC -- Travel)
Saudi king opens interfaith event in Spain Jul 17, 2008
Whirling dervishes perform in Turkey, pilgrims gather in Mecca, and an elderly man is doused with holy water ... And in June, Abdullah held a religious conference in Mecca in which participants pledged improved relations between Islam's two main branches, Sunni and Shia. (MSNBC -- International)
Saudi king appeals for tolerance Jul 17, 2008
In June, Abdullah held a religious conference in Mecca in which participants pledged improved relations between Islam's two main branches, Sunni and Shia Islam. The conference is sponsored by Saudi Arabia and is billed as a strictly religious, non-political affair. (BBC News)
