MWL Chief Meets Islamic Leaders, Figures at Hajj

Muslim World League Sec-Gen Mohammad al-Issa with Muslim leaders (SPA)
Muslim World League Sec-Gen Mohammad al-Issa with Muslim leaders (SPA)
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MWL Chief Meets Islamic Leaders, Figures at Hajj

Muslim World League Sec-Gen Mohammad al-Issa with Muslim leaders (SPA)
Muslim World League Sec-Gen Mohammad al-Issa with Muslim leaders (SPA)

Muslim World League Sec-Gen Mohammad al-Issa held a series of friendly meetings at the League’s building in Mina and its headquarters in Makkah with several senior scholars, muftis, and religious leaders in various countries of the Islamic world.

Issa also received calls from senior Islamic figures, including muftis, heads of Islamic centers, and members of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world.

The guests commended the excellent services provided to the pilgrims, commending the success of the Hajj season.

They applauded Sheikh Issa’s sermon on Arafa Day, which focused on the nation’s creed, unity, and values. The speech was viewed live by more than six hundred million via Manarat al-Haramain website and translated into fourteen languages.

Sheikh Issa’s met with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam, Sec-Gen of the Council of Senior Scholars Fahd al-Majed, Sec-Gen of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) Moustapha Sano, Malaysian Minister of Religious AffairsDatuk Idris Ahmad, Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Khalil Qumas, and President of the Nahdlatul Ulama Yahya Khalil in Makkah.

He also met with the Iraqi Minister of Hajj Sami al-Masoudi, the head of the Iraqi Sunni Endowment Sheikh Abdul-Khaliq al-Azzawi, members of the Iraqi Fiqh Council, Pakistani Minister of Religious Affairs Abdul Shakur Sardar Khan, the Jordanian Minister of Awqaf Mohammad al-Khalayleh, Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education Dah Ould Amar Talib, and the Chairman of the Pakistan Scholars Council Sheikh Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi.



12 Killed, 309 Injured in Attack on Riyadh Airport; Coalition Vows Response

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh
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12 Killed, 309 Injured in Attack on Riyadh Airport; Coalition Vows Response

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said on Saturday that an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 others of various nationalities, while the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen reported a projectile landing near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

The Coalition said in a statement that operations at Riyadh airport had been temporarily suspended pending a damage assessment and safety checks in coordination with the relevant authorities.

It said the 12 people killed included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshi residents, and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

Brig. Gen. Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government, said a projectile had landed near King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. He also said a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia had been intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj province, while a drone had been destroyed in the Eastern Province.

Malki said the attack on a passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh amounted to a fully-fledged war crime under international humanitarian law, adding that the coalition's joint command would respond to the attack.


UK Defense Minister: Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport 'Dangerous Escalation' and 'Contemptible'

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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UK Defense Minister: Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport 'Dangerous Escalation' and 'Contemptible'

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

UK Defense Minister Wes Streeting on Sunday condemned Saturday's deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh's airport as a "dangerous escalation" and "contemptible".

"What we've seen overnight is a dangerous escalation and I'm afraid an increasing pattern of behavior from the Houthis that's targeting civilian sites in Saudi Arabia," he told Sky News.

"This is completely contemptible action and it's one of the reasons why the UK is providing support to Saudi Arabia in the form of air defenses, but also air-to-air refueling," he said.

"We want to see an end to this conflict. It cannot be right that the Houthis are attacking civilian targets in this way," he added.


Crowds Attend Funeral of Saudi Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami in Jeddah

Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Crowds Attend Funeral of Saudi Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami in Jeddah

Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Crowds of condolences comfort the family of Captain Pilot Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Salhiyah cemetery (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A large crowd attended funeral prayers for Captain Hamoud Alkalthami at Al-Guraigri Mosque in Jeddah on Saturday afternoon before his body was laid to rest at Al-Salhiyah Cemetery in the northeastern part of the city.

Relatives, friends, colleagues from Saudia Airlines, aviation sector workers and members of the public attended the funeral.

Mourners began arriving early to offer condolences to the family of Alkalthami, who was killed in an attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday.

His death prompted an outpouring of grief across Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector, with colleagues paying tribute in person and on social media, remembering his good character, warm smile and strong professional relationships throughout his career.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Khaled Salmeen Bahashwan, who worked with Alkalthami for more than 22 years at Saudia Airlines, remembered him as a kind, cheerful and compassionate colleague whose sincere smile and exemplary character left a lasting impression. He praised Alkalthami’s devotion to his wife and two daughters, his loyalty to colleagues and his willingness to support others, saying his many admirable qualities were difficult to capture in words.

Saudia mourned Captain Alkalthami, honoring his service and expressing condolences to his family and colleagues.

The airline also confirmed that an aircraft was damaged while parked on the airport tarmac, with no passengers on board. It said emergency procedures were immediately activated in coordination with the relevant authorities to assist those affected and provide support to their families.