INTERNATIONAL

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah allows women to register for Hajj for this season without a mahram with other female pilgrims. The 2021 Hajj registration, which is open to citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia, can be made through http://localhaj.haj.gov.sa from yesterday until June 23. Those wishing to perform the hajj must register individually, the Saudi Gazette reported. The Ministry has set some conditions for applicants which must be 18 to 65 years old, in good health including immunity with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and free of chronic diseases. The ministry also set open registration conditions for individuals who have not performed the hajj in the past five years. Beginning June 25, the second phase of registration will begin including compiling and complet...

On Sunday, the long and divisive political reign of Benjamin Netanyahu came to an end after 12 years. An unlikely alliance of some eight political parties came together and succeeded in doing so as it gained the vote of confidence by the Israeli parliament. The Knesset, Israel's Parliament approved this new government by just a single vote of 60 to 59, with on absentee. As soon as the results were announced, Bennet went over to shake hands with Mr. Netanyahu before walking to the rostrum at the front of the parliamentary chamber and taking the oath as the new prime minister. If the current government is able to hold together for two years, Yair Lapid, a centrist leader, is set to take Mr. Bennett’s place after two years. This eight-party alliance ranging from left to right, fro...

Saudi Arabia will only accept 60,000 citizens and residents to perform the Hajj pilgrimage this year, shutting the doors to pilgrims from abroad. Only 60,000 people from all nationalities living in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to perform the ritual due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said in a written statement. It added that those who do not have chronic diseases, between the age of 18 and 65 and have been vaccinated will be allowed to perform Hajj. On May 9, the ministry had announced that this year’s pilgrimage will be held amid special health and safety measures in the shadow of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest site Kaaba in the city of Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims are required to perfor...

The international airport of the Iraqi capital Baghdad was attacked by drones, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported, citing a statement from Iraqi security agencies. According to the statement, there were three drones, one of them was shot down. Earlier, Al Sumaria TV channel reported, citing a source in security agencies, said that the Victory military base, located near the Baghdad international airport, came under rocket fire. Shortly before this, the Balad air base in the Iraqi province of Salah ad Din was subjected to rocket fire, no casualties were reported.

A recent Reuters report about the analysis by a German researcher states that the birth control policies imposed by China could cut between 2.6 to 4.5 million births of the Uyghur and other ethnic minorities in Southern Xinjiang within the coming 20 years. This makes about a third of the region's projected minority. The research report by Adrian Zenz, which is yet to be published, also includes a previously unreported cache of research produced by Chinese academics and officials on Beijing’s intent behind the birth control policies in Xinjiang. The official data in this research shows that birth rates have already dropped by 48.7% between the years 2017 and 2019. Some western countries have adamantly pushed the need to investigate China's actions in Xinjiang. These countries have cal...

On Monday, a 20 year old Canadian man killed four members of a Muslim family in a premeditated vehicle attack. The Canadian police has said that a 9 year old boy from the family, the only survivor is in hospital due to grave injuries. The attacker has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. During a press conference, Det Supt Paul Waight said, "It is believed that these victims were targeted because they were Muslim." He also added that the police are weighing possible terrorism charges, given the murder is believed to be a hate crime. The family has wished to keep the names of the victims secret. The victims were two women - aged 74 and 44 - a 46-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl. The nine-year-old boy was in hospital with serious but non-life...

As the level of violence remains high in Afghanistan despite efforts to jumpstart the stalled peace process, a total of 119 people were killed in clashes and security incident in just two days, June 3-4, an official said here. The official, on the condition of anonymity, said that 196 security personnel were injured also during this period, TOLO News reported on Sunday. According to the official, 54 people were killed on June 3, while there were 65 casualties the next day. Of the 119 victims, 102 were members of the security forces. There were also 17 civilian casualties in the two days, while 55 were wounded, the official added. Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry figures revealed that 183 Talibanians were killed in Afghan defensive operations in eight provinces on June 3, and 181...

At least 30 people died and several sustained injuries in the Ghotki district of Pakistan's Sindh province after two trains collided with each other. Sir Syed Express train rammed into Millat Express between Reti and Daharki railway stations in Ghotki, ARY News reported on Monday. The accident occurred when a Sargodha-bound Syed Express collided with a Millat Express that was already present at the track after the derailment, according to the railways' officials. According to the local police officials, several people are still trapped in the bogies of both trains. Moreover, the police and rescue teams reached the spot for the rescue operation as the up and down railway traffic has been suspended. Heavy machinery and cutters are required for the operation, said Deputy Commissio...

A 12-year-old Palestinian child was run over by Israeli police in East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood for placing the Palestinian flag on his bicycle while riding to a nearby grocery to buy bread. “I was on my bike to buy bread when three Israeli policemen chased me because I put the [Palestinian] flag on the bike,” Jawad al-Abbasi said in a report he provided to the Hadassah Hospital where he has been receiving treatment. The boy said he was nursing injuries on his head, neck, and leg. Jawad also told the Jerusalem-based Wadi Hilweh Information Center in another testimony that Israeli police held him at gunpoint and beat him. “I was afraid that they would shoot me or arrest me,” he added. Jawad said passers-by had to call the ambulance because Israeli police refused to, notin...