Taif - Every spring, roses bloom in the western Saudi city of Taif, turning pockets of the kingdom's vast desert landscape a vivid and fragrant pink.

Mecca - Pilgrims immunised against Covid-19 circled Islam's holiest site in Saudi Arabia's Mecca city Tuesday as they performed the year-round umrah pilgrimage on the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Jeddah - Saudi Arabia is accelerating trials of so-called dissidents, including a high-profile Saudi-American doctor, who fear becoming bargaining tools in a potential early showdown with Joe Biden's incoming administration.

Tabouk - Gulf leaders signed a "solidarity and stability" deal Tuesday after the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar publicly embraced, bringing Doha back into the regional fold after a three-year rift.

Tabouk - Gulf leaders flew to Saudi Arabia Tuesday for a summit that could yield more breakthroughs in a regional crisis, after Riyadh re-opened its borders to Doha despite lingering enmity between the neighbours.

Jeddah - A bomb blast struck a World War I commemoration attended by Western diplomats in the Saudi city of Jeddah Wednesday, leaving at least two people wounded in the second assault on diplomatic missions in recent weeks, officials said.

Jeddah - A Saudi citizen wounded a guard in a knife attack Thursday at the French consulate in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, officials said, as France faces growing anger over satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

Mecca - Mask-clad Muslims circled Islam's holiest site along socially distanced paths on Sunday, as Saudi authorities partially resumed the year-round umrah pilgrimage with extensive health precautions adopted after a seven-month coronavirus hiatus.

Mecca - Mask-clad Muslims circled Islam's holiest site along socially distanced paths on Sunday, as Saudi authorities partially resumed the year-round umrah pilgrimage amid extensive health precautions after seven-month coronavirus hiatus.

Riyadh - A former Saudi intelligence czar's lawsuit in the US courts makes a host of incendiary claims, including that the powerful crown prince tried to have him killed, and threatens to spill more royal secrets.

Saudi-led airstrikes targeting northern Yemen killed at least ten civilians while wounding another 12 on this Thursday. The attacks hit a number of residential areas in al-Jawf.

Mena - Muslim pilgrims cast sanitised pebbles Friday as they "stoned the devil" in the last major ritual of the hajj, which the Saudi king acknowledged had been tough to organise amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Khobar - Faridah Bakti Yahra travelled alone to Mecca when she won the lottery of a lifetime to join this year's hajj, the smallest in living memory, but her family is relishing the experience virtually.

Mena - Masked pilgrims scaled Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat Thursday to pray and repent in the climax of this year's hajj, the smallest in modern times after massive crowds in previous years.

Mena - Muslim pilgrims converged Thursday on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat for the climax of this year's hajj, the smallest in modern times and a sharp contrast to the massive crowds of previous years.

Mecca - This year's downsized hajj may prove to be the safest ever despite the ever-present threat posed by the novel coronavirus.

Mecca - Mask-clad Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday began the annual hajj, dramatically downsized this year as the Saudi hosts strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

Mecca - Pilgrims were quarantined Tuesday in the Muslim holy city of Mecca ahead of the dramatically downsized hajj as Saudi authorities strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

Mecca - Saudi Arabia on Wednesday begins hosting the annual hajj pilgrimage, dramatically downscaled due to the coronavirus pandemic that has barred millions of international pilgrims for the first time in modern history.

Saudi-led airstrikes in northern Yemen continued to hit civilian areas rather than military targets with the latest attacks hitting a residential area in Jawf Province, killing at least 25 civilians and destroying three houses.