Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here
Organisers of Saudi Arabia's Hajj are embracing environmental issues in preparation for the annual pilgrimage to Makkah this year.
Officials are encouraging pilgrims to avoid food waste, to use reusable water bottles, and to separate rubbish and recyclables.
“There is no waste, since pilgrims are not allowed to bring their own foodstuff or things related to cooking or other materials that can be wasted and harm the environment, (so that we) keep Hajj pollutant and waste-free this year,” Khalid, a Saudi Hajj guide, tells The National.
“In Islam, cleanliness is part of our faith and we prioritise hygiene and cleanliness, which in itself helps us take care of ourselves and our environment. There is a huge number of staff designated to ensure cleanliness of each tent, and room throughout the five days of Hajj.
“We have distributed eco-friendly waste containers in different parts throughout the holy sites."
Saudi Arabia has said its successful Covid-19 vaccination campaign has allowed authorities to provide a safe environment for pilgrims. Only those with three doses of the vaccine will be allowed to perform Hajj this year.
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Volunteer Abdulrahman al Maani distributes watermelon slices to Hajj pilgrims leaving for Makkah, in Maan, Jordan. Reuters -

A boy offers sweets to Hajj pilgrims leaving for Makkah, in Maan, Jordan. Reuters -

Tunisian Muslims travel to participate in Hajj in Makkah. EPA -

This year’s quota for Tunisians for the pilgrimage is 4,792, the country’s Minister of Religious Affairs Ibrahim Chaibi said. EPA -

Tunisian President Kais Saied greets some of those heading for Makkah. EPA -

A Palestinian Muslim pilgrim receives a Covid-19 vaccine dose at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt as they head to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. AFP -

A bus carrying Palestinian Muslim pilgrims arrives at the Rafah border crossing. The Hajj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world. AFP -

The Hajj pilgrimage is an Islamic religious duty that must be carried out at least once in the lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. AFP -

Millions of Muslims travel every year to Saudi Arabia to participate in the Hajj, although this was not the case over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. AFP -

This pilgrim receives best wishes from her loved one before embarking on the journey to Makkah. AFP -

Muslims devotees bound to Makkah for the Hajj pilgrimage arrive at the airport in Ahmedabad, India. AFP -

An Iraqi pilgrim at Jdeidet Arar port in northern Saudi Arabia. The port provides services to those performing Hajj. SPA -

Members of the third group of Iraqi pilgrims arrive at the port. SPA -

More than 4,000 pilgrims from Iraq have passed through the port. SPA -

A Syrian pilgrim prepares to board a bus at the Bab Al Hawa border crossing with Turkey. AFP -

Syrians gather at the border crossing as they prepare to travel to Makkah. AFP -

All Muslims who are able to must perform Hajj during their lives. AFP -

Hajj pilgrims begin their journey from the Bab Al Hawa crossing to Saudi Arabia. AFP -

More than 10,000 Syrians will perform the pilgrimage this year. AFP
The Grand Mosque will continuously be sterilised throughout the day and night, highlighting the measures taken by the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques to maintain a safe and clean environment for all.
The Agency for Services, Field Affairs and Environmental Prevention held a meeting earlier this month entitled 'The Environment of the Haram is our responsibility' in conjunction with World Environment Day, state media reported.
The meeting raised a number of areas of improvement and development for businesses and services for environmental protection in the Grand Mosque, in accordance with Saudi Arabia's local and international efforts and its Vision 2030.
The head of the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais, said that authorities are ensuring the Two Holy Mosques are environmentally friendly.
He urged people to adhere to environmental protocols, as “dealing with the environment is the responsibility of the human being and Islam, as a religion, has always been concerned about the environment, quality, health, safety, security and stability."
Eid Al Adha livestock measures
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (Mewa) announced last week that it is ensuring veterinary teams are working to inspect the sheep that are to be sacrificed. The teams are checking any breaches of animal welfare, before Eid Al Adha, with more than 880,000 sheep expected to arrive in the kingdom next week.
The ministry said the process involves lab tests to ensure the livestock is disease-free and ensures the health and safety of the animal through round-the-clock inspections.
As part of precautionary measures for Covid-19 taken by Saudi authorities, Mewa has also started introducing measures to prevent camels from entering the holy sites during Hajj season.
While you're here
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
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Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Results
MATCH INFO
Osasuna 1 Real Madrid 4
Osasuna: García (14')
Real Madrid: Isco (33'), Ramos (38'), Vázquez (84'), Jovic (90' 2)
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
DSC Eagles 23 Dubai Hurricanes 36
Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3
Hurricanes
Tries: Knight 2, Lewis, Finck, Powell, Perry
Cons: Powell 3
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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Six pitfalls to avoid when trading company stocks
Following fashion
Investing is cyclical, buying last year's winners often means holding this year's losers.
Losing your balance
You end up with too much exposure to an individual company or sector that has taken your fancy.
Being over active
If you chop and change your portfolio too often, dealing charges will eat up your gains.
Running your losers
Investors hate admitting mistakes and hold onto bad stocks hoping they will come good.
Selling in a panic
If you sell up when the market drops, you have locked yourself out of the recovery.
Timing the market
Even the best investor in the world cannot consistently call market movements.
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
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Hend Al Otaiba: A year ago, Covid-19 forced us apart – now, vaccines can bring us back together
National Editorial: Iata travel pass – 'digital passports' will get the world moving again
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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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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
While you're here
While you're here...
While you're here
National Editorial: Nobel for WFP is a well-deserved honour
Callum Patton: Medicine Prize awarded to US-British team for Hepatitis C discovery
Naser Al Wasmi: Women should be playing a bigger part in environmental science
Rym Ghazal: We must be focusing on women’s achievements, not their looks
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
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- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
World politics
Sholto Byrnes: How liberals in the West forgot what liberalism is
Rashmee Roshan Lall: Donald Trump will disrupt US democracy
Sholto Byrnes: Populists are the product of failed political parties





































































