Istanbul, July 14, 2019

A group of English Muslims cycling from London to the holy city of Medina, Saudi Arabia took a break on Saturday in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul.

While biking across continents, the eight Englishmen, who call themselves the “Tour de Hajj” — meaning pilgrimage — also hope to raise money for Muslims in need worldwide and raise awareness of their plight.

Makkah, July 11, 2019

Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary general of Muslim World League (MWL), chairman of the board of directors of the International Organization of Muslim Scholars, said that Haj ritual is a worship that should be performed by Muslims, warning against any breach or deflecting it from its religious objectives like raising political and partisan slogans and sectarianism.

On July 11 the priests of the Gorodishchensky church district received the representatives of the Muslim administration of the region.

The parties discussed the harmonization of interethnic and interfaith relations in the district as well as the ways of interaction and further cooperation between the Orthodox and Muslim clergy, press service of the Penza eparchy reports.

Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil-hazrat Samigullin received the delegation of the World Council of Muslim Communities (UAE) headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Council Nasr Mohammed Aref.

The meeting took place in the residence of the Religious administration of Muslims of Tatarstan. It was also attended by the Rector of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy Daniyar Abdrakhmanov and Vice-Rector of the Academy Ramil Adgamov.

Grozny, July 10, 2019

2600 Muslims from Chechnya will make a pilgrimage to the Saudi Arabia this year, the region’s mufti Salah Mezhiyev said.

"We made all the preparations for pilgrims to date.  We have the agreements with hotels and airlines on direct flights from Grozny to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)," said the head of the Muslim religious administration of the republic, reports TASS.

Last year Chechen Republic had the same quota for haj.

Riyadh, July 7, 2019

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued directive to host 1,000 Palestinians who are family members of martyrs for performing the annual Haj pilgrimage.

The Palestinians will perform the pilgrimage under the Guests’ Program of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Haj and Umrah, which is being implemented and supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance every year, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Ankara, July 8, 2019

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Russia’s S-400 air defense missiles are currently being prepared to be flown to Turkey, the AP reports.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Bosnia on Monday, Erdogan wouldn’t say, however, when the Russian missile defense system would reach Turkey or where they will be deployed.

The International Moscow Urban Forum opened yesterday at Zaryadye Park in the capital of Russia. The aim of the forum is to offer modern projects for comfortable living of citizens. The event is attended by the famous international experts and guests from the Arab countries. A new interreligious cultural and educational center in New Moscow with a modern recreational zone is also presented on the forum, Business Online reports.

Rulers of Emirates, shaikhs, top officials, and Emirati and expat well-wishers on Wednesday joined the funeral prayer and burial of Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi, son of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

Shaikh Khalid passed away in London on Monday and was buried in Jubail graveyard a little after 9am on Wednesday in Sharjah. The funeral prayer was held at King Faisal Mosque at 9am, not far from the graveyard.

Muslims in Yekaterinburg started the construction of a new mosque. On July 2 vice-governor of the region Sergey Bidonko held a meeting with the representatives of the Muslim Religious Administration of the Sverdlovsk region "Ural Muhtasibat".

He said that authorities are working on the allotment of land for the mosque. “As soon as all the necessary legal procedures are completed we will start a public hearing on the city planning amendments. Further, the question will be submitted for approval by the Municipal Council” – he concluded.

A photo taken by a Singaporean non-Muslim woman for a worker praying in his safety gear on a hot day has gone viral, with many touched by the scene, The Independent Singapore reported.

An ancient 3,400-year-old palace has been found in a reservoir after water levels dropped because of a drought.

The discovery of the ruins in the Mosul Dam reservoir on the banks of the Tigris River in Iraq has been hailed an “archaeological sensation”.

The Bronze Age site in the Kurdistan region dates back to a period when the Mitanni Empire controlled vast swathes of the Middle East.

Well-preserved wall paintings in bright shades of red and blue were found in the palace which has been excavated by German and Kurdish archaeologists.