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The US-Iran war has sent the cost of Hajj 2026 soaring Lina Jaradat

Hajj 2026 could be the costliest season on record

Pilgrims continue to stream into Mecca despite rising travel costs and regional tensions following war in the Gulf.

Amer Ziab Al-Tamimi 26 May 2026
Installation "The Black Arch" by Saudi sisters Raja and Shadia Alem is seen at the pavilion of Saudi Arabia taking part in the Venice Biennale for the first time on 2 June 2011, in Venice, Italy. Marco Secchi / Getty

Shadia Alem and the art of sacred continuity

From Mecca to the global stage, Saudi artist Shadia Alem's work unfolds as a continuous practice shaped by memory, spirituality, and place

Mimoza Al-Arrawi 18 March 2026
Lady Evelyn Cobbold, a Scottish aristocrat who converted to Islam and performed the Hajj in 1933, becoming the first British Muslim woman to do so. Getty Images

The Orientalists who entered Mecca in disguise

For centuries, Mecca was the pinnacle of exploration for Western travellers. Shrouded in mystery, it captured the imagination of a small but daring group of European Orientalists

Abdullah Al-Rashid 06 June 2025
Lina Jaradat

The world's first coffeehouse was in Mecca

In 1511, there were places in Mecca specifically designated for selling and drinking coffee, known as coffee houses. Decades later, the first café opened in Istanbul.

Abdullah Al-Rashid 15 November 2024
  • Popular
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Sara Padovan
Politics

A landslide for Democrats. A rebuke to Donald Trump

04, Nov 2026

Republicans face a tumultuous new era

The Economist
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Rwanda's Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva during a welcoming ceremony for participants of the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Russia, on 28 October 2026. Igor Ivanko/REUTERS
Business & Economy

Russia-Africa summit: ambitions and challenges

29, Oct 2026

Amid competition for influence and resources, Russia knows that Africa is a market with potential. For African states, Russian companies are still of interest, but the value equation needs to change

Rana Freifer
Pete Reynolds
Politics

Israel election: musical chairs for parties, not policies

29, Oct 2026

Whoever forms the next government, Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure and effect have been such that, on the key issues, there will be little to no diversion from his policy path

Majed Kayali
Vasya Kolotusha
Science & Technology

Humanoid robots: the industry set to reshape our lives

02, Nov 2026

Engineering and mechanics have helped these products of the future move. Now AI is helping with understanding and autonomous action. Big developments are unfolding across the world

Marco Mossad
QatarEnergy headquarters in the capital, Doha, on 8 November 2022.
 AFP
Business & Economy

Can China's $3bn loan to QatarEnergy revive LNG exports?

03, Nov 2026

While the financing does not mean Beijing has bought Doha's political loyalty, it demonstrates the growing interdependence between the two countries

Abdel-Rahman Ayas

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OPINIONS

Trump's midterm flop

Fares Garabet
Fares Garabet

A landslide for Democrats. A rebuke to Donald Trump

The Economist
The Economist

Airstrikes reveal fragile Jordan-Syria security partnership

Haid Haid
Haid Haid

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