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Muslim pilgrims flock to holy Mecca for first post-pandemic Hajj

The Alarabiya English reported, citing Reuters, thousands of pilgrims started arriving in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Friday (July 1), among some one million Muslims expected to attend the 2022 Hajj pilgrimage season after two years of major disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hundreds performed the first ritual of the Hajj, wrapped in white robes, with some carrying umbrellas against the burning desert sun. Hajj in Islam involves walking in a circle around the Kaaba, the sacred building at the center of Mecca's Grand Mosque.
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, allowed back foreign travelers this year to perform the Hajj.
Only a few thousand Saudi citizens and residents attended the annual pilgrimage in the last two years as COVID-19 wreaked havoc across the global economy and curtailed travel.

However, authorities have said only one million people can join the 2022 season, less than half of pre-pandemic levels, and access is restricted to pilgrims aged 18 to 65 who have been fully vaccinated or immunized against the virus and do not suffer from chronic diseases.
Security officers mixed with pilgrims inside the mosque. A web of surveillance cameras oversaw its surroundings and checkpoints controlled access to the city to help ensure an incident-free Hajj.
Saudi ministry: Only Hajj pilgrims permitted to perform Umrah through July 19
Over the years, the kingdom has spent billions of dollars on making one of the world's biggest religious gatherings more secure.
In 2019, the last year before the pandemic struck, some 2.6 million people performed the Hajj, while around 19 million took part in the Umrah, another form of pilgrimage to Mecca which - unlike the Hajj - can be carried out at any time of the year.
An economic reform plan of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aims to increase Umrah and Hajj capacity to 30 million pilgrims annually and to generate 50 billion riyals ($13.32 billion) of revenues by 2030.
Source: alarabiyaenglish
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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