Day: July 8, 2022

Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and head of Jordanian Hajj mission Mahmoud Al Khalaileh said the Jordanian and the 48-Arab pilgrims started ascending the Mount Arafat on Friday’s morning, the climax of the Hajj season.

Touring Jordanian and Palestinian pilgrims tents in holy city of Mecca, the minister added that converging the pilgrims has taken place within a plan to guarantee their safety and avoid crowded areas.

The crowds, capped at 1 million including 850,000 from abroad, are the biggest at the Hajj since 2019 after two COVID-hit years when only tens of thousands were allowed to take part.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe died at the age of 67 on Friday after being shot in the city of Nara, local media reported.

Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Abe was shot at around 11.30 am (local time). Earlier in the day, Abe was taken to a hospital bleeding as he collapsed after the attack while delivering a speech, local media reported.

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida had said Abe was in “severe condition”, adding that he hoped Abe would survive.”(It) is a despicable act of barbarity that occurred when an election, which is the basis of democracy, is being held and is totally unacceptable,” Kishida said.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Normal summer weather is forecast in hilly areas and plains on Friday, while it will be hot in the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and the port city of Aqaba, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in its daily update.

Winds will be northwesterly moderate, picking up at times, the JMD added.

Temperatures in the capital Amman will range between a high of 31 degrees Celsius and a low of 20 degrees Celsius at night.

Highs in the port city of Aqaba will hike up to 41 degrees during the day, sliding to 28 degrees at night.

Source: Jordan News Agency