35 foreigners dead in Saudi bus crash: state media
Riyadh: Thirty-five foreigners were killed and four others injured when a bus collided with another heavy vehicle near the Muslim holy city of Madinah, Saudi state media said on Thursday.
The accident on Wednesday involved a collision between "a private chartered bus... with a heavy vehicle (loader)" near the western Saudi Arabian city, a spokesman for Madinah police said, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.
Those involved were Arab and Asian pilgrims, according to local media, who carried pictures of the bus engulfed in flames and with its windows blown out.
The injured have been transferred to Al-Hamna Hospital, SPA added, and authorities have launched an investigation. The accident comes after four British pilgrims were killed and 12 others injured in Saudi Arabia when their bus collided with a fuel tanker in April 2018. They were on their way to the holy city of Makkah.
In January 2017, six Britons, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in a minibus on their way to Medina after making a pilgrimage to Makkah.
As part of efforts to diversify its oil-dependent economy, the ultra-conservative kingdom wants to foster a year-round religious tourism sector that includes millions of pilgrims.
Up until last month, the country only issued visas to Muslim pilgrims, foreign workers and recently to spectators at sporting or cultural events, but tourists are now allowed to visit as part of the drive to prepare the biggest Arab economy for a post-oil era.
In September 2015, a stampede killed up to 2,300 worshippers -- including hundreds of Iranians -- in the worst disaster ever to strike the Hajj annual pilgrimage.
Earlier that month, 100 people were killed when a construction crane toppled into a courtyard of Makkah's Grand Mosque.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Urgent cases to be mentioned only before CJI-led bench: SC
New Delhi (PTI): In a significant procedural directive, the Supreme Court has said that "exceptionally urgent matters" that cannot wait for the listing process have to be mentioned only before the Chief Justice of India, even if he is busy presiding over a constitution bench.
According to the usual practice, urgent matters are mentioned for listing and hearing before the seniormost judge of the apex court if the CJI is either unavailable or busy heading a constitution bench.
In a circular issued on April 6, the top court said, "Mentioning of exceptionally urgent matters, which cannot await listing before the Hon'ble Court as per circular dated November 29, 2025, is permitted before Court No 1, even when the Hon'ble Chief Justice is presiding over a constitution bench."
The circular said that the mentioning of such matters is not permitted before any other bench.
