Latest Mecca News
More than 1,300 people died during Hajj, many of them after walking in the scorching heat
CAIRO (AP) — More than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, Saudi authorities announced Sunday. Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said...
AP Week in Pictures: Global
June 14-20, 2024 People protested during a general strike in Panama, Muslim pilgrims gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea and Vietnam. Kurdish migrants trying to reach Britain were discovered off French shores, and trains collided in...
Hundreds died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia amid intense heat, officials say
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Hundreds of people died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced intense high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, officials said Wednesday as people tried to claim their loved ones' bodies. Saudi...
Muslim pilgrims wrap up the Hajj with final symbolic stoning of the devil and circling of the Kaaba
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims wrapped up the Hajj in the deadly summer heat on Tuesday with the third day of the symbolic stoning of the devil, and the last circumambulation around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, in the city of Mecca. The three-day stoning ritual in...
Muslim pilgrims resume symbolic stoning of the devil as they wrap up Hajj pilgrimage in deadly heat
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims used the early morning hours Monday to perform the second day of the symbolic stoning of the devil, hoping to escape the noontime summer heat that caused heatstroke and sunburns among thousands wrapping up the Hajj pilgrimage. The final...
Pilgrims commence the final rites of Hajj as Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia under the soaring summer heat. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. ...
Muslim pilgrims converge at Mount Arafat for daylong worship as Hajj reaches its peak
MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Following the footsteps of prophets beneath a burning sun, Muslims from around the world congregated Saturday at a sacred hill in Saudi Arabia for worship and reflection amid a sweltering heat. The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of...
Muslims start the Hajj against the backdrop of the devastating Israel-Hamas war
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — In sweltering temperatures, Muslim pilgrims in the Saudi city of Mecca converged on a vast desert tent camp Friday, officially starting the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Earlier, they circled the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site. ...
Masses of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia circle the Kaaba ahead of the official beginning of the Hajj
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Masses of Muslim pilgrims in the Saudi city of Mecca on Thursday circled the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, a day before heading to the nearby desert area of Mina to officially open the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage that takes the faithful along a route taken by...
