Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah authorities have completed all arrangements for international pilgrims arriving into the kingdom ahead of Hajj this year, authorities at Jeddah's Hajj terminal have told The National.
Pilgrims from abroad faced technical difficulties as millions of Muslims across the world tried to register for Hajj.
Saudi Arabia transitioned to the Nusuk app in 2022, for pilgrims to fill out their applications.
“Millions of applications were coming in and a lot of people were trying to register multiple times,” said Abbas Ihsan, a Hajj operator in Jeddah.
“Other times, the app would not work, so we had a lot of delays in pilgrims registering from the USA and UK,”
“Because it's a new booking system for Muslims all over the world the applications were delayed, but we worked closely with authorities to sort out the technicalities and have successfully confirmed all official applications through Nusuk and our pilgrims have started coming in,” he told The National.
The Saudi Public Security Forces on Thursday warned pilgrims against scammers and fake services regarding services and facilities related to the performance of Hajj rituals.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced plans for pilgrims to apply from outside the kingdom. In May, Saudi authorities released a list of Hajj packages for international Hajj pilgrims.
The “individual pilgrims” service is part of a series introduced by the Saudi authorities to streamline and improve the way people apply for the pilgrimage.
The service issues permits for Umrah and praying in the Prophet's Mosque, or the Rawdah Sharif, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed is located.
Saudi Arabia is the first country to allow visa applicants to register their requests using a smartphone via the Nusuk app.
Nusuk offers more than 121 services to assist pilgrims from all over the world.
Authorities called on Saudi citizens and residents to ignore fake advertisements on social media about performing Hajj “on behalf of others,” as well as those advertising securing and distributing Adahi coupons for pilgrims - for which there is an official website provided by the government.
They also warned about websites claiming to sell Hajj bracelets, which will be provided by government agencies.
“Exploiting the pilgrimage to collect donations is considered as one of the major crimes that warrant an arrest if these practices involve the use of any fraudulent methods to illegally seize the money of others,” the prosecutors said.
To avoid fraudulent activities, the Indian Hajj ministry advised pilgrims to “not pay any amount to any private individual, agency, or association for arrangements related to Hajj 2023.”
Authorities have called on citizens and residents to abide by the Hajj regulations and instructions and to report any violations by calling the allocated emergency hotline in their city or region.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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 one: how cars came to the UAE
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Company profile
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Sector: Education technology
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Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
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Results
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Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
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Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
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Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
