Up to two million pilgrims from across the world are travelling to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage, which begins on Monday June 26. AP
Up to two million pilgrims from across the world are travelling to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage, which begins on Monday June 26. AP
Up to two million pilgrims from across the world are travelling to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage, which begins on Monday June 26. AP
Up to two million pilgrims from across the world are travelling to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage, which begins on Monday June 26. AP

Hajj 2023: Etihad Airways to provide extra flights for pilgrims


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Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here

Etihad Airways is to provide extra flights to ensure thousands of travellers can complete their journey to Makkah to perform Hajj.

The UAE's national airline told state news agency Wam on Saturday that it has increased its service by offering additional non-scheduled flights for pilgrims.

Shuaib Al Najjar, general manager of Etihad Airways Operations, said the move is to serve pilgrims travelling from Far Eastern destinations such as Jakarta, Islamabad, Karachi and Mumbai.

The airline did not say how many flights would be added to its schedule.

Etihad Airways has regular scheduled flights to three destinations in Saudi Arabia, including Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) using its Boeing B787, in addition to its operating flights.

The airline also has dedicated staff and check-in counters at Abu Dhabi for pilgrims.

For those returning from Jeddah, Etihad Airways will permit Hajj pilgrims to carry a five-litre container of Zamzam water free of charge and will provide extra care for its handling.

Up to two million pilgrims from across the world are travelling to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage, which begins on Monday June 26, followed by Arafat Day, with Eid Al Adha celebrations beginning on Wednesday June 28.

Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court had called on Muslims in the kingdom to sight the crescent moon on Sunday evening. An official committee was set up to sight the moon at sunset.

Retail gloom

Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.

It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.

The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.

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Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
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Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

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Paatal Lok season two

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Rating: 4.5/5

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

ELIO

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Key facilities
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  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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heading

Iran has sent five planeloads of food to Qatar, which is suffering shortages amid a regional blockade.

A number of nations, including Iran's major rival Saudi Arabia, last week cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism, charges it denies.

The land border with Saudi Arabia, through which 40% of Qatar's food comes, has been closed.

Meanwhile, mediators Kuwait said that Qatar was ready to listen to the "qualms" of its neighbours.

Updated: June 26, 2023, 8:27 AM`