Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated in Saudi Arabia, UAE, neighbouring countries

Agencies

June 15, 2018

Jeddah/Dubai, Jun 15: Muslims in most of the middle eastern countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates on Friday celebrated the Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Saudi King offers prayers in Makkah

King Salman performed the Eid Al-Fitr prayer in Makkah’s Grand Mosque. He also received Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri; the commander of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, Gen. Raheel Sharif; and princes, scholars, sheikhs, and senior civilian and military officials at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. They came to congratulate him on Eid Al-Fitr.

The monarch also received congratulatory phone calls from Bahrain’s King Hamad, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Kuwait’s heir-apparent Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

King Salman thanked them, wished them a happy Eid, and appealed to Allah to make the Muslim world more united, coherent and strong.

He also greeted the Saudi people and Muslims everywhere, thanking Allah because “we have successfully and comfortably completed our fasting and worshipping during the holy month of Ramadan.”

The monarch said: “Eid is a day of happiness and joy following strict worshipping, embodying the significance and meaning of communication, cohesion, solidarity, tolerance and cooperation.”

He thanked Allah for having “honored the leadership, people and government” of Saudi Arabia with the task of serving the Two Holy Mosques and their worshippers, “which the Kingdom will spare no effort to achieve.”

King Salman also thanked Allah for having helped Saudi Arabia “remain adherent to Islamic Shariah law.”

The monarch later arrived in Jeddah after spending the last 10 days of Ramadan in Makkah. He was seen off by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Interior Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif, and a number of senior officials.

UAE leaders offer prayers

Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the United Arab Emirates performed Eid Al Fitr prayers nationwide on Friday.

In Dubai, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, offered Eid Al Fitr prayers at Zabeel Mosque.

Performing the prayer alongside Shaikh Mohammad were Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, Shaikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chief Executive of Emirates Group Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, a number of Shaikhs, officials and a group of worshipers.

In Abu Dhabi, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, performed the Eid Al Fitr prayer this morning alongside worshipers at the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Performing prayers by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad's side were Shaikh Saif Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, Shaikh Surour Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Shaikh Saeed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative, Shaikh Isa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, Lt. General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Shaikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Shaikh Omar Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, Shaikh Khalid Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs, Shaikh Theyab Bin Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi, Shaikh Zayed Bin Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance

A number of Shaikhs, senior officials, diplomats, citizens and residents also offered prayers along with them.

The sermon, delivered by Dr. Mohammad Mattar Salem Al Kaabi, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, highlighted the joyous holiday, stressing its timing to promote love and peace, which Al Kaabi said are the main goals of Islam, expressing hope for it to be achieved around the world.

Dr. Al Kaabi, pointed out that the Eid is an occasion to strengthen communication with family, creating love and affection between relatives.

Following the prayers, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed exchanged greetings with worshipers.

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Why Mangaluru Could Become India’s Next Offshore Wind Energy Hub

News Network

February 3,2026

Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta has urged the Centre to give high priority to offshore wind energy generation along the Mangaluru coast, citing its strategic importance to India’s green energy and port-led development goals.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, Chowta said studies by the National Institute of Oceanography have identified the Mangaluru coastline as part of India’s promising offshore wind ‘Zone-2’, covering nearly 6,490 sq km. He noted that the region’s relatively low exposure to cyclones and earthquakes makes it suitable for long-term offshore wind projects and called for its development as a dedicated offshore wind energy zone.

Highlighting the role of New Mangalore Port, Chowta said its modern infrastructure, multiple berths and heavy cargo-handling capacity position it well as a logistics hub for transporting and assembling large wind energy equipment.

He also pointed to the presence of major industrial units such as MRPL, OMPL, UPCL and the Mangaluru SEZ, which could serve as direct buyers of green power through power purchase agreements, improving project viability and speeding up execution.

With Karnataka’s peak power demand crossing 18,000 MW in early 2025, Chowta stressed the need to diversify renewable energy sources. He added that offshore wind projects in the Arabian Sea are strategically safer compared to the cyclone-prone Bay of Bengal.

Calling the project vital to India’s target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, Chowta urged the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to initiate resource assessments, pilot projects and stakeholder consultations at the earliest.

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‘Nothing for Karnataka’: DKS slams Union Budget, flags Bengaluru neglect

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, claiming it offered no tangible benefit to the state.

Though he said he was yet to study the budget in detail, Shivakumar asserted that Karnataka had gained little from it. “There is no benefit for our state from the central budget. I was observing it. They have now named a programme after Mahatma Gandhi, after repealing the MGNREGA Act that was named after him,” he said.

Speaking to reporters here, the Deputy Chief Minister demanded the restoration of MGNREGA, and made it clear that the newly enacted rural employment scheme — VB-G RAM G — which proposes a 60:40 fund-sharing formula between the Centre and the states, would not be implemented in Karnataka.

“I don’t see any major share for our state in this budget,” he added.

Shivakumar, who also holds charge of Bengaluru development, said there were high expectations for the city from the Union Budget. “The Prime Minister calls Bengaluru a ‘global city’, but what has the Centre done for it?” he asked.

He also drew attention to the problems faced by sugar factories, particularly those in the cooperative sector, alleging a lack of timely decisions and support from the central government.

Noting that the Centre has the authority to fix the minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce, Shivakumar said the Union government must take concrete steps to protect farmers’ interests.

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