More than 266,000 pilgrims arrive in Madinah for Hajj 2022


Mona Farag
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Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here

More than 266,000 pilgrims have already arrived in the holy city of Madinah in Saudi Arabia in preparation for this year's Hajj, figures published by the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday showed.

A total of 215,580 people have landed at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah since Hajj flights started to arrive, while 17,774 pilgrims are thought to have arrived in Saudi Arabia having travelled over land.

Bangladeshi pilgrims have so far comprised the largest number of pilgrims from one country in Madinah as of Sunday, SPA said.

So far, 171,606 pilgrims have left Madinah during the past few days on their way to Makkah, while 95,194 have remained in the holy city.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said authorities in Madinah were working around the clock to ensure visitors enjoy the experience.

The ministry said 448 visits had been carried out to assess pilgrims' accommodation in Madinah for this year's Hajj, 27 visits to check on pilgrims admitted to hospital during pre-pilgrimage season and 161 field visits to evaluate the level of provision for pilgrims in various service outlets.

On Saturday, the ministry announced that only Hajj pilgrims would be permitted to perform Umrah, with registration resuming on July 19th via the Eatmarna app.

Latest batch of pilgrim arrivals

This year's first group of Moroccan pilgrims landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Monday, as part of the Makkah Route Initiative. Morocco is the fifth country to participate in the project after Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Jeddah Islamic Port has received the last group of Sudanese pilgrims travelling by sea, the SPA said on Monday, having welcomed the first group coming by ship from Sudan on June 16.

A total of 1,183 pilgrims arrived on board the Amana have been received by senior port officials.

A group of about 190 UK pilgrims arrived on Saturday, among the first set of arrivals from Europe. Other pilgrims are expected from the US and Australia this year.

Hajj preparations for various nationalities

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has allocated 100 scholars to answer questions from pilgrims and worshippers during their Hajj journey.

They can be found across 10 locations inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Last year, pilgrims who visited Makkah’s Grand Mosque received guidance from four-wheeled robot guides that spoke 11 languages.

With 21-inch touchscreen “faces”, the AI robots drove around the mosque, answered questions and offered guidance on the obligatory rituals worshippers have to perform.

Saudi Arabia's National Centre of Meteorology on Sunday said it had issued an interactive electronic guide to inform pilgrims of the kingdom's weather forecast in four languages: Arabic, English, Urdu and French. The e-guide will provide the forecast for Makkah and Madinah during the Hajj period, including data on rain, temperature, relative humidity and wind.

Saudi Arabia's Makkah Route, a government programme to help Hajj pilgrims from five countries with visa, customs and passport issues, has released a QR code for visitors to scan and upload information and updates.

Hajj is expected to begin on July 7, with Eid Al Adha likely to begin on July 9 in most Islamic countries.

Saudi Arabia is allowing up to 1 million people to perform Hajj this year, welcoming foreign pilgrims for the first time since 2019, after Covid-19 restrictions meant it was limited to the kingdom's residents only.

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
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Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Motori Profile

Date started: March 2020

Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa

Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi

Sector: Insurance Sector

Size: 50 full-time employees (Inside and Outside UAE)

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Safe City Group

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This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.

From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.

The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: From Dh1 million

On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022 

Saturday's results

West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley

Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm 

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

2019 Asian Cup final

Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi

BRIEF SCORES:

Toss: Nepal, chose to field

UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23

Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17

Result: UAE won by 21 runs

Series: UAE lead 1-0

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

Poacher
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Updated: July 06, 2022, 11:24 AM