Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still eager to secure normalisation with the Saudi powerhouse as a historic milestone and a sign of broader acceptance in the Arab world, Western diplomats said.

Touted as the world’s longest driverless metro system, the $22.5 billion project will eventually span 176 kilometers.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have introduced new measures to curb begging in Islamic holy sites, including affidavits for Umrah pilgrims and group travel requirements.

Starting this Sunday, Saudi Arabia will implement a significant policy change aimed at localizing engineering jobs.

Critics of the government say all pilgrims, whatever their status, should be protected from heat, and allege the authorities cracked down on unauthorised attendees in 2024.

Clad in white, worshippers began arriving at dawn for the most gruelling day of the annual rites, ascending the rocky, 70-metre (230-foot) hill where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon.

A funeral prayer for Yahya Ramadan was held at the Grand Mosque, and he was laid to rest in the holy city.

"I don't follow the records, the records follow me," the 39-year-old Portuguese forward tweeted afterwards.

West Jerusalem’s refusal to consider Palestinian statehood stands in the way of US plan for the Middle East

A royal source in Riyadh has criticized Tehran for “terrorism”

On a crisis tour of the region, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Saudi Arabia this week before stops in Egypt, Qatar and then Israel, where he is pressing for a truce deal in the Israel-Hamas war.

The agreement will see the two establish a joint committee to form a working group for weapons systems research and development as well as production to continue cooperation in defence, DAPA said in a press release on Monday.