World

Makkah and Madinah have secured places among the world's most visited cities in 2025, highlighting Saudi Arabia's booming religious tourism sector under Vision 2030. According to the official international visitor rankings for 2025, Makkah ranked as the 5th most visited city globally, while Madinah claimed the 7th spot, reflecting the Kingdom's growing appeal to millions of Muslim pilgrims worldwide. The milestone comes as Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 19.5 million international Hajj and Umrah pilgrims in 2025, the highest number in its history, with overall visitor satisfaction exceeding 90%, according to official figures. The surge has been fueled by the Kingdom's Vision 2030 reforms, which have significantly expanded capacity at the Two Holy Mosques through investments in h...

A powerful El Niño weather event could push nearly 49 million additional people into acute food insecurity by the end of 2027, raising the global total to 274 million, according to a new warning from the World Food Programme (WFP). The UN agency said there is an 81% chance of a very strong El Niño, with Pacific Ocean temperatures reaching their highest levels since at least 1982. If forecasts hold, it could become the strongest El Niño event since 1950. El Niño is a natural climate pattern that disrupts global weather, often bringing drought to Southern Africa, delayed monsoons in Asia, and extreme rainfall and flooding in other regions. “These are events that have historically triggered large-scale hunger,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, Director of WFP’s Food Security and Nutrition Ana...

A man in the United Kingdom has been arrested after allegedly causing alarm by standing outside a hospital dressed as the "Grim Reaper" while silently watching patients and medical staff. According to reports, the individual wore a black hooded robe and carried a scythe-like prop, remaining outside the hospital for an extended period without speaking. His unsettling appearance prompted concern among patients, visitors, and healthcare workers, leading to a police response. Officers arrived at the scene and arrested the man on suspicion of causing public nuisance and distress. Authorities later confirmed that the prop was not a real weapon, but said the incident had understandably frightened people at the hospital. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding t...