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2 days ago
A Turkish cyclist has gone on a gruelling journey from Germany heading to Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage due in June. The 26-year-old cyclist Burak Ozturk has started his trip from Stuttgart in Germany and documents his adventure on social media, reported Saudi news website Sabq. The cyclist has no specific arrival date in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, but he is confident that he will there before the Hajj season gets underway. The 6,000-kilometre journey will pass through several countries, including Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Greece, Türkiye, Syria, and Jordan, before arrival in Saudi Arabia, Islam’s birthplace. Ozturk had originally planned his Hajj journey two years ago, a plan derailed by family circumstances. But this year, he was able to finalize all preparations, including the necessary legal procedures, to ascertain a safe and smooth journey to Mecca. Hajj in and around Mecca is one of Islam’s five obligatory duties. Muslims, who can physically and financially afford Hajj, have to undertake it at least once in a lifetime. Last month, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah opened registration for Saudis and Muslim foreign residents wishing to perform this year’s Hajj rites. […]
2 days ago
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced receiving the first signal from Etihad-SAT, its first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite. It represents a technological leap in MBRSC’s satellite fleet, integrating radar imaging technology with existing optical satellite capabilities. Unlike traditional optical cameras, radar imaging relies on radio waves that penetrate clouds, darkness, and even rain, making it a powerful tool for consistent and uninterrupted data collection. View this post on Instagram A post shared by مركز محمد بن راشد للفضاء MBRSC (@mbrspacecentre) Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President of MBRSC, noted that the UAE is steadily advancing towards strengthening its position among the leading nations in space science and technology, guided by the vision and support of the leadership. “This milestone paves the way for leveraging space technologies across various fields that serve the nation.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by مركز محمد بن راشد للفضاء MBRSC (@mbrspacecentre) Strategic partnership Etihad-SAT was developed through a strategic partnership with South Korea’s Satrec Initiative. MBRSC’s team led the technical specifications phase before moving on to preliminary design and technical validation to ensure compliance with the highest global standards. In the later stages, MBRSC engineers took the lead […]
3 days ago
The National Space Science Agency (NSSA) has confirmed the successful deployment and operation of Bahrain’s Al Munther satellite in orbit. The satellite has fully activated its solar panels and sensors and has successfully transmitted its first signal to ground stations, verifying its operational status. Al Munther was launched earlier today, March 15, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket developed by SpaceX. The Falcon 9 is one of the most frequently launched rockets, known for its reusable design that reduces the cost of space access. It is a two-stage, partially reusable launch vehicle measuring 70 meters in height and 3.7 meters in diameter. The rocket has a maximum payload capacity of 22,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 8,300 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). It is powered by RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen (LOX) fuel.
3 days ago
More than 3.7 million vehicles used roads leading to the Saudi city of Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest mosque, in the first 10 days of the current Islamic month of Ramadan, the kingdom’s road authorities have said. The rise in traffic rates was due to a surge in pilgrims performing the Umrah or minor pilgrimage in the Grand Mosque during Ramadan, the Roads General Authority added. The Authority said vehicle traffic was facilitated through an integrated system of services including major improvements to the road network infrastructure and implementing the highest safety and quality standards. The roads were surveyed and maintained, utilizing the latest technologies to ascertain the safety of road users. The month of Ramadan, noted for devout worshipping, traditionally marks the peak season for Umrah performers. The Grand Mosque houses the Holy Kaaba, the direction of prayer for Muslims worldwide. More than 25 million worshippers, including 5.5 million Umrah pilgrims, prayed in the mosque during the first 10 days of Ramadan that began this year on March 1, according to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV. Millions of Muslims from all over the world flock to Saudi Arabia, Islam’s birthplace, to undertake the Umrah and pray in the Grand Mosque in […]
3 days ago
Saudi Arabia has called on imams and preachers to uphold sincerity in their worship and preaching during the holy month of Ramadan, warning against practices that may verge on self-promotion or hypocrisy. In a religious edict (fatwa), Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh expressed concern over the increasing trend of filming and broadcasting prayers and sermons from mosques on social media platforms, stating that such practices could compromise the spiritual purity of worship. “Sincerity is a condition for the acceptance of any act of worship,” he said, adding that public display of religious acts for praise or attention contradicts the essence of devotion. Filming and sharing online The Grand Mufti’s comments came in response to a question regarding the recent decision by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance to prohibit the filming and sharing of Ramadan prayers and lectures online. Al Sheikh supported the decision, describing the matter as a “serious issue” even prior to the ministry’s intervention, and emphasized that the ban aims to prevent potential violations and maintain the sanctity of worship. “There are two conditions for any work to be accepted by God: sincerity and adherence […]
3 days ago
A fire had broken up at a school in Kuwait, prompting the evacuation of children and staff, a local newspaper has reported. Upon arriving at the private school in the area of Jleeb Al Shuyoukh in the Farwaniya governorate, firefighters had evacuated the building and handled the blaze, said Al Anba. Investigations showed that the fire had erupted inside a room used as a warehouse on the school roof without causing casualties. Images posted by the paper showed thick smoke billowing from the place as firefighters were trying to put out the blaze. Earlier this week, firefighters controlled and extinguished fires in two mosques in Al Salmiya area east of Kuwait City, reported Al Qabas newspaper. No casualties resulted from both fires the causes of which were not clear. Last June, a blaze swept across a residential building in Mangaf area, south of Kuwait City, leaving 50 people dead in one of the worst such incidents in Kuwait. The fatalities included 45 Indians and three Filipinos. Fire Force investigators attributed the blaze to a short electric circuit, saying it started around dawn in the room of the building guard before it spread across the six-floor residence. The high death toll was […]
3 days ago
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, on the passing of Princess Noura bint Bandar bin Mohammed Al Abdulrahman Al Saud. . His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, sent similar condolences cables to King Salman.
3 days ago
Education Minister Dr Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma has announced plans to build five new schools and four academic buildings as part of the upcoming budget. Additionally, 80 public schools will undergo major upgrades, including renovations, deep cleaning, and new furniture to enhance learning environments. The ministry is also advancing efforts to introduce the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme in public schools, with an IB Organisation delegation set to visit Bahrain in April. The programme aims to provide Bahraini students with an internationally recognised academic pathway. To strengthen the teaching workforce, 600 Bahrain Teachers’ College graduates will be recruited across 2025 and 2026. Meanwhile, a new cohort will begin a four-year degree in education, ensuring a steady pipeline of trained teachers for public schools. Infrastructure planning is being coordinated with Housing and Urban Planning to integrate schools into new residential areas and meet population growth demands. Curriculum updates are also in progress, with improvements in English, Arabic, maths, and science. Question banks will be expanded to help students prepare for exams, and the ministry is working with Bahraini and international experts to refine teaching methods. Quranic studies will be strengthened, and a new subject on Bahraini folk culture will be introduced in […]
3 days ago
She landed in the Kingdom dreaming of a better life. But fate had other plans. Endless work, meagre pay, and no way out. She had few options to pursue, as her passport had been confiscated by her employer, a woman in her 50s. Police said the woman had to work for around nine households without receiving full wages, leaving her physically exhausted and mentally drained. The suspect, who is accused of running an unlicensed manpower agency and employment office, has been remanded in custody, with her trial postponed to Sunday for a hearing of prosecution witnesses. The victim, 25, said she came to Bahrain on a visit visa to work as a housemaid for BD120 a month. Instead, she claimed, she was passed between nine households without receiving her full wages, while the accused withheld her passport to keep her trapped in the job. The Interior Ministry flagged the case as potential human trafficking, finding that the accused withheld the victim’s earnings, handing over just BD200 for the first two months. A witness backed the claims, saying the accused had sent voice messages threatening the worker with violence. Prosecutors said the accused admitted to running a recruitment agency and employment […]
3 days ago
Etihad-SAT, the UAE’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, was successfully launched today aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The highly anticipated launch took place at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the US. This is a groundbreaking achievement for the UAE’s space ambitions and marks a significant milestone in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre’s (MBRSC) growing contributions to space exploration and technological innovation. The launch was initially scheduled for 10.39am, but was later moved to 10.43am. Developed as part of a strategic partnership with South Korea’s Satrec Initiative, Etihad-SAT was designed with the involvement of MBRSC’s team, who led the technical specifications phase before moving on to preliminary design and technical validation to ensure compliance with the highest global standards. MBRSC engineers then took the lead in finalising the design and manufacturing in partnership with Satrec Initiative. Earth observation Etihad-SAT is equipped with advanced SAR technology that enables high-precision Earth observation in all weather and environmental conditions, both day and night. The satellite offers three imaging modes: spot mode (high-resolution imaging for small areas), scan mode (wide-area coverage for large regions), and strip mode (extended observation for longer regions). These features make Etihad-SAT a powerful tool for multiple […]
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