Saudi Arabia, UAE Mosques to Stay Closed for Eid Prayers

Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, UAE Mosques to Stay Closed for Eid Prayers

Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Mosques will remain closed for prayers on the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Saudi and United Arab Emirates officials said on Friday, calling on the population to adhere to safety guidelines to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Eid, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, may fall on Saturday or Sunday in the Gulf region.

Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Abdullatif al-Sheikh gave instructions not to have Eid prayers in mosques, Saudi state TV quoted him as saying.

"Muslims will hold the Eid prayer at home because of the pandemic," the Saudi Press Agency cited Sheikh Abdul Bari al-Thubaiti, the imam, or the prayer leader, of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, as saying in the Friday sermon.

During Ramadan, prayers without worshippers were held by the imams in the two holy mosques of Makkah and Madinah, in the west of the kingdom.

In the UAE, the Dubai government's media office said on Twitter that mosques will remain closed, and listed a series of Eid customs that should not be observed, including family visits and giving gifts or money to children.



Saudi Interior Ministry, French Police Implement Advanced Security Training Program for Women

Saudi Interior Ministry and French Police implement advanced security training program for women. (SPA)
Saudi Interior Ministry and French Police implement advanced security training program for women. (SPA)
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Saudi Interior Ministry, French Police Implement Advanced Security Training Program for Women

Saudi Interior Ministry and French Police implement advanced security training program for women. (SPA)
Saudi Interior Ministry and French Police implement advanced security training program for women. (SPA)

As part of its international partnership initiatives, the Saudi Ministry of Interior collaborated with the French National Police to implement a specialized female training program, the Saudi Press Agency said on Friday.

The training took place at the Women's Capacity Training Development Center within the General Directorate of Prisons.

The program sought to equip female trainees from different departments of the Ministry of Interior with advanced technical and security skills.