An estimated 2.5 million Muslims have begun their annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Haj, with many prayers focusing on a peaceful resolution to the recent uprisings in the Arab world.
Israel decides to withdraw from Ghajar - a tiny village that straddles the border between Lebanon and the Golan Heights. But locals fear that their town might end up being cut in half. Saudi Arabia unveils the brand new Mecca Metro - a train designed to alleviate the transportation problem during the Hajj pilgrimage. And we take you to Iraq and those families who're nostalgic for the Saddam Hussein era.
The pilgrimage to Mecca is also taking place on the web. Amazon.com has outraged American web users by selling a pedophilia book. And the Philippine Football Federation is looking for a new manager online.
Sunday marks the start of this year's hajj, the world's largest annual pilgrimage that has seen hundreds of thousands of Muslims pouring into the small city of Mina in Saudi Arabia before continuing onto Mecca for a series of solemn rituals.
Saudi Arabia's Binladen Group is building the world's largest clock on what will be the world's second-highest skyscraper, overlooking Mecca's Grand Mosque, and will test it during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, news reports said on Tuesday.
With more than two million Muslims set to gather in the holy city of Mecca for the annual haj pilgrimage, Saudi authorities are concerned about the spread of swine flue and any repeat of the previous disasters that have marred the event.
Saudi Arabia is hosting the annual Mecca pilgrimage. But this year, swine flu virus may prevent hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from converging on the country from abroad. What are the dangers?
In this edition: swine flu fears weigh on the pilgrimage to Mecca; the US puts pressure on Israel to stop building settlements in East Jerusalem; the call to save a wonder of the ancient world, the Jordanian city of Petra.
Arab health ministers have agreed to ban young children, people over 65 and those suffering from chronic illnesses from the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in order to contain the spread of swine flu.
French group Thales announced that it was awarded a 103 million euro contract by China Railway Construction Corp. to supply train control and communications systems for a new metro railway in the holy Saudi Arabian city of Mecca.
