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Guests of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Umrah Program Depart for Makkah

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
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Guests of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Umrah Program Depart for Makkah

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

The second group of guests participating in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Umrah and Visitation for the year 1446 AH, implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, departed for Makkah today after having visited Madinah for several days.
The guests expressed gratitude for the opportunity to visit the Prophet's Mosque and explore various religious, cultural, and civilizational landmarks. They commended the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance for the comprehensive services provided throughout their journey, SPA reported.
The guests thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for the exceptional care and attention they received.

They praised the dedicated efforts of the ministry's working committees in providing the highest standard of service and ensuring a seamless and comfortable experience.
This year's second group of the program comprises 250 Umrah performers from 14 European countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Austria, Montenegro, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, Britain, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Sweden.

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Cold Winds Sweep Beijing, Closing Key Sites, Disrupting Travel

A child dressed as the emperor reacts after retrieving his crown blown away outside the Forbidden City during high winds in Beijing, China, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP)
A child dressed as the emperor reacts after retrieving his crown blown away outside the Forbidden City during high winds in Beijing, China, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP)
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Cold Winds Sweep Beijing, Closing Key Sites, Disrupting Travel

A child dressed as the emperor reacts after retrieving his crown blown away outside the Forbidden City during high winds in Beijing, China, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP)
A child dressed as the emperor reacts after retrieving his crown blown away outside the Forbidden City during high winds in Beijing, China, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (AP)

China's capital hunkered down on Saturday as rare typhoon-like gales swept northern regions, forcing the closure of historic sites and disrupting travel while bringing late snowfalls and hailstone showers in some areas.

Windows shook and trees crashed onto footpaths and cars, rocked by gusts of wind driven by a cold vortex from neighboring Mongolia that sent temperatures plunging by more than 12 degrees Celsius (22 degrees Fahrenheit).

The winds, which started on Friday, are set to continue over the weekend, packing gusts of up to 150 kph (90 mph), the official Xinhua news agency said. They brought late snowfalls in Inner Mongolia and hailstones in southern China.

Beijing issued its second-highest gale alert this weekend, for the first time in a decade, warning 22 million residents to avoid non-essential travel as winds could potentially break April records dating from 1951.

The winds dominated social media chats, with many people expressing concern for food delivery workers braving the conditions.

"In weather like this, we can choose not to order delivery - it's too hard for them," one Weibo user wrote.

By 11.30 a.m. (0330 GMT), 838 flights had been cancelled at Beijing's two major airports, the Flight Master tracking app showed, while the capital's historic sights and parks were shut, with some old trees trimmed in preparation for the cold blast.

The winds forced the postponement of a half-marathon set for Sunday featuring humanoid robots competing with humans in a bid to showcase China's technological advances.

Sandstorms raging over a stretch from Inner Mongolia to the Yangtze River region crippled road travel in eight provinces, Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV said.

Sandstorms were expected to impact Shanghai from Saturday afternoon through to Sunday morning.

Strong winds bringing sand and dust from Mongolia are routine in spring, but climate change has made weather events more extreme.