Authorities in Saudi Arabia said anyone caught contravening coronavirus restrictions on this year’s Hajj will be hit with a 10,000-riyal (Dh9,780) fine.
The penalty applies to those who attend Hajj, which is expected to begin on July 28, without a state-allocated permit.
An interior ministry official told Saudi Arabia’s official news agency that anyone apprehended without a permit at Mina, Muzdalifah or Arafat, the main Hajj stations, would be fined, and the amount would double for repeat offenders.
Security forces will seal off the areas and patrol the grounds to prevent “violations, monitor entry and mete punishment to all the violators”.
Last week, the government announced that only 1,000 people would be allowed to perform Hajj this year, as coronavirus cases in the kingdom continue to surge.
Attendance has been restricted to people already living in the kingdom and those present at Hajj will comprise 70 per cent residents and 30 per cent citizens, with healthcare employees given priority.
Under new Hajj measures unveiled this week, everyone from workers to worshippers will be required to wear masks.
Mass prayers will take place in compliance with social-distancing rules, and those suspected of being infected with the virus will be isolated but allowed to finish the ritual.
The latest official data on Sunday showed that 42 more people died of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia, bringing tally of deaths to 2,223.
The official number of people who have been infected in Saudi Arabia stood at 232,259. Among them were 2,779 cases confirmed on Sunday.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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5.45pm: Raging Torrent
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7pm: Flood Zone
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