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Haitham el-Tabei

A Muslim pilgrim drinks water as he walks towards the Grand Mosque during the annual hajj pilgrimage at the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
May 25, 2026, 10:04 am
Hajj pilgrims brave sweltering Mecca heat with ice cream and giant fans
Millions of Muslims from around the world flock to Saudi Arabia’s holy city, though summer scorcher raises heatstroke risk as authorities look to cool down the massive crowds
By Haitham el-Tabei
Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
May 24, 2026, 9:32 am
Pilgrims from the West flock to hajj in Mecca despite uncertainty in war with Iran
Many Muslims from the West say they feel a sense of safety during the religious pilgrimage to the holy city in Saudi Arabia, even as countries issued travel warnings
By Haitham el-Tabei
Ambulances donated by Saudi Arabia arrive in Damascus on September 7, 2025, as part of the Saudi aid campaign to Syria (Haitham EL-TABEI / AFP)
September 21, 2025, 11:23 am
With cash, doctors and bulldozers, Saudi Arabia pursues soft power push in Syria
Riyadh pledges rebuilding program and Saudi medical teams perform open-heart surgeries and cochlear implant operations across Syria, as Qatar and Turkey also vie for influence
By Haitham el-Tabei
This handout picture provided by the media office of Syria's transitional government shows Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) during his meeting with Syrian interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Riyadh on February 2, 2025. (Syria's Transitional Government / AFP)
February 3, 2025, 9:10 am
In Riyadh, Syria’s interim leader says Saudis want to help rebuild war-torn country
During first official visit to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed al-Sharaa says Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman showed ‘genuine desire’ to help Damascus build a stable future
By Haitham el-Tabei
File: Brazilian forward Neymar (L) poses for a picture with Hilal President Fahad bin Nafel in Paris, France, on August 15, 2023. (Saudi Pro League/AFP)
August 24, 2023, 6:30 pm
Saudi Arabia’s billion-dollar soccer binge part of race against looming oil decline
World’s biggest oil producer is building tourism, entertainment, and sports sectors, before global consumption of commodity expected to peak in 2040
By Talek HARRIS and Haitham el-Tabei
Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) vies for the ball with Shorta's forward Alaa al-Azzawi during the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup semi-final football match between Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr and Iraq's Al-Shorta at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Abha on August 9, 2023. (Abdullah Mahdi / AFP)
August 10, 2023, 7:43 am
Saudi soccer league kicks off, hoping world is watching
Oil-rich nation’s clubs have made big-buck purchases of international stars, but critics see ‘sportswashing’ of shoddy human rights record
By Haitham el-Tabei
Muslim pilgrims pray around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, June 25, 2023. (AP/ Amr Nabil)
June 25, 2023, 9:50 pm
Massive crowds converge at Mecca’s Grand Mosque as annual hajj begins in Saudi heat
Islam’s holiest site to host more than 2 million worshipers from 160 countries, in what Saudi authorities expect to be the largest pilgrimage in history
By Haitham el-Tabei
A Saudi family distributes free tea to pilgrims, as Muslims from around the world arrive to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in the holy Saudi city of Mecca on June 23, 2023. (Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
June 25, 2023, 11:24 am
‘God’s guests’: Saudis safeguard hajj hospitality tradition
Residents of Mecca sustain annual pilgrim multitudes with food and water, a custom they maintain even in an era of luxury accommodation for tourists
By Haitham el-Tabei
In this photo provided by the Saudi Press Agency, SPA, leaders of Arab countries pose for a group picture ahead of the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 19, 2023. (Saudi Press Agency via AP)
May 19, 2023, 10:07 pm
‘A new phase of solidarity’: Assad caps return to Arab fold at Saudi-hosted summit
Zelensky appearance demonstrates host Riyadh’s growing diplomatic clout, as it seeks concrete commitments from Syria on issues including war refugees
By Haitham el-Tabei
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji, right, meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, upon his arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2023. (SANA via AP)
April 13, 2023, 3:38 pm
Saudis set to host Arab nation talks on Syria as Mideast diplomacy shifts
Diplomats to discuss divisive issue of possible end to Syria’s 2011 suspension from Arab League over regime’s actions during civil war
By Haitham el-Tabei
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, speaks during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 14, 2021. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP, File)
March 25, 2023, 5:41 am
‘Sea change’: Disruptive Saudi prince shows new pragmatism with Iran
Some analysts believe deal with Tehran signals maturation and realism in Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regional approach
By Robbie COREY-BOULET and Haitham el-Tabei
A picture taken early January 3, 2023 in Riyhad, shows a billboard welcoming the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo to Arabia's Al Nassr club. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)
January 3, 2023, 6:37 am
Jubilant Saudis celebrate arrival of soccer star Ronaldo
Portuguese player to earn 200 million euros to play for Al Nassr, helping lift cachet of Saudi soccer and breathing new life into slumping forward after Manchester United blowup
By Haitham el-Tabei
Samer Haj-Yehia (screen), chairman of Israel's Bank Leumi, attends a panel on the third day of the annual Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on October 27, 2022. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)
October 27, 2022, 8:57 pm
At Riyadh investor forum, top Israeli banker hails Saudi economy’s prospects
Bank Leumi chairman Samer Haj-Yehia says ‘opportunities are amazing and fintech industry on the rise,’ in a rare public appearance by an Israeli in the Gulf kingdom
By Haitham el-Tabei
In this March 7, 2020, file photo, a man walks past a banner showing Saudi King Salman, right, and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, outside a mall in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
August 31, 2022, 6:51 am
2nd Saudi woman jailed for decades for social media posts — rights group
Nourah al-Qahtani receives 45-year term after being convicted of ‘using internet to tear country’s social fabric’ and ‘violating public order,’ Khashoggi-founded NGO says
By Haitham el-Tabei
Football fans stand beneath a large banner depicting Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (C) and his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) as they attend the World Cup 2022 Asian qualifying match between Palestine and Saudi Arabia in the town of al-Ram in the West Bank on October 15, 2019. (Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP / File)
June 27, 2022, 11:48 pm
Do signs point to an emerging Israel-Saudi normalization deal?
In recent months, Saudis have taken to social media — which is tightly controlled in the kingdom — to express their support for peace
By Haitham el-Tabei
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