Preparations concluded for Eid Al Adha, Saudi Arabia says

Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here

Saudi Arabia has completed slaughterhouse preparations ahead of Eid Al Adha, which begins on Wednesday.

Authorities have secured all ports of access and entry into the holy city of Makkah, and are prepared to begin the careful examination of livestock.

The Ministry of Environment on Monday said that 2.3 million “heads of cattle were cleared” this week.

Saudi authorities are ensuring cattle are free from disease to preserve the health of residents and pilgrims.

Muslims around the world celebrate the first day of Eid Al Adha with animal sacrifices, most commonly sheep, to honour the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son to God.

Ghaleb Al Saedi, director general of the Waqa Centre Branch in Makkah Region, explained that seven ports have been equipped with emergency teams and a squad to monitor markets and slaughterhouses in the holy city.

Operations at slaughterhouses are overseen by teams from by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture who work to examine livestock, monitor breaches of the agriculture and animal welfare systems, and verify health certificates.

Sixteen teams are working under plans from the National Centre for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases in Makkah for this year's Hajj season.

Officials said strong health measures are in place to control any outbreak and to reduce airborne diseases by monitoring imported livestock to reduce the risk of disease.

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Makkah has also approved the work plan for slaughterhouses in Jeddah.

Authorities have been monitoring the development of slaughterhouse facilities, including technical and health requirements, the distribution of labour and butchers, work schedules, equipment, and waste disposal methods.

The ministry has aimed to provide the best services by setting up the Jeddah slaughterhouse to the east of the main motorway and in the south of the governorate.

Only approved slaughterhouses will be able to receive sacrifices during the days of Eid Al Adha and will operate regularly from after fajr prayer until 8pm.

Jeddah slaughterhouses employ nine veterinarians, three veterinary assistants, four supervisors and observers, 275 butchers and 344 other workers.

Licensed kitchens will also be able to slaughter only during the days of Eid Al Adha, provided they have the necessary permits and are in accordance with specific requirements.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the capacity of Jeddah slaughterhouses is 5,000 head per shift.

For those who would prefer not to view the process of live slaughter, the national platform Adahi is available for residents' sacrificial needs.

The project is managed by the Islamic Development Bank and streamlines pilgrims' performance of the Eid Al Adha sacrifice rituals. It also oversees the distribution of the meat to those in need.

The project was launched in 1983 and is supervised by government agencies.

International pilgrims can also use the website to make their sacrifices.

Adahi joined forces with the electronic portal of Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Al Rajhi Bank, the Ehsan platform, Saudi Post, Al Bilad Bank and the Haji and Mutamer’s Gift Association to allow pilgrims as well as Muslims all over the world to make their sacrifices.

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre

In%20the%20Land%20of%20Saints%20and%20Sinners

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERobert%20Lorenz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Liam%20Neeson%2C%20Kerry%20Condon%2C%20Jack%20Gleeson%2C%20Ciaran%20Hinds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR

US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.

KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.

Mobile phone packages comparison

Dubai World Cup factbox

Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)

Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)

Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)

Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)

The biog

Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi

Age: 23

How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them

Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need

Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman

Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs

Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing

Anti-semitic attacks

The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.

It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.

The report detailed the convictions of a number of people for anti-Semitic crimes, including one man who was jailed for setting up a neo-Nazi group which had encouraged “the eradication of Jewish people” and another who had posted anti-Semitic homemade videos on social media.

If you go

The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.

The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.

Scoreline

Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan

Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’

More from Con Coughlin

The thorn in the side of Biden's foreign policy team

more from Janine di Giovanni

My son and I were lucky to access the best of US health care

US election: the roots of a dirty 2020 campaign stretch deep into American political history

This is America, a dystopian city on a hill

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: ARDH Collective

Based: Dubai

Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi

Sector: Sustainability

Total funding: Self funded

Number of employees: 4

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Teaching in coronavirus times

Coronavirus: 10 top e-learning platforms for kids and adults

Coronavirus: parents and pupils reflect on first week of digital learning

Coronavirus: UAE bans private tutoring amid Covid-19 outbreak

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

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

More from Mohammed Alardhi

One year after Sultan Qaboos, Oman is witnessing continuity and change

Mentoring the young is one way Oman is preparing for the future

How Japan takes care of its elderly (and what the GCC can learn from it)

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Scores:

Day 4

England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)

Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining

The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books