2 Million Hajj Pilgrims Ascend Mount Arafat

Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)
Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)
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2 Million Hajj Pilgrims Ascend Mount Arafat

Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)
Two million pilgrims will stand at Arafat on Saturday. (SPA)

The Hajj pilgrims ascended Mount Arafat on Saturday, one of the holiest days of the annual rituals that kicked off on Friday.

The General Authority for Statistics announced Saturday that 2,096,023 pilgrims from inside and outside Saudi Arabia had arrived in the holy city of Makkah to perform the Hajj.

Governor of the Makkah region Prince Khalid al-Faisal said Friday that the Kingdom was spending billions of dollars on projects that will better serve the pilgrims.

The Kingdom does not care so much about costs as it does about the comfort of its guests, he stressed during a press conference in Mina.

He revealed that more than 350,000 military and civilian personnel and 4,000 volunteers have been deployed to serve the pilgrims.

On plans to develop the holy sites, he said that preliminary studies of projects have been referred to the Makkah Region Development Authority, which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

The projects have all received approval and finishing touches are being set for their execution, said Prince Khalid.

The goal is to develop Makkah into a modern and smart city with all advanced amenities demanded by this age and generations to come, he explained.

Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said that the first phase of the Hajj was completed on Friday with the transfer of pilgrims to the Mina area.

Hajj is a top priority for Saudi Arabia and it is working tirelessly to ensure that pilgrims have a smooth experience, he added.

Security forces spokesman Sami al-Shweirekh said that all plans to organize the crowds are being executed without incident.

He revealed that 256 illegal Hajj operators have been busted and 16,903 people were returned to their homes for seeking to perform the pilgrimage without a permit.



UAE: US Companies Sanctioned Over Sudan Do Not Operate in the Emirates

The Emirati Justice Ministry logo
The Emirati Justice Ministry logo
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UAE: US Companies Sanctioned Over Sudan Do Not Operate in the Emirates

The Emirati Justice Ministry logo
The Emirati Justice Ministry logo

The Emirati Justice Ministry on Friday said that the seven companies based in the United Arab Emirates and sanctioned by the US over Sudan do not own valid business licenses or operate locally.

The US has designated seven entities based in the Emirates under its Sudan sanctions program.

These entities include Capital Tap Holding LLC, Capital Tap Management Consultancies LLC, Capital Tap General Trading LLC, Creative Python LLC, Al Zumoroud and Al Yaqoot Gold & Jewellers LLC, Al Jil Al Qadem General Trading LLC, and Horizon Advanced Solutions General Trading LLC.

“Upon notice of the sanctions designations, the UAE initiated its own investigation into the entities and related individuals, seeking additional information from US authorities to support these investigations,” the Ministry said in a statement

It also confirmed that none of the seven entities hold an active business license in the UAE, nor are they currently operating in the UAE.

Relevant UAE authorities continue to monitor any potential suspicious activity in accordance with applicable UAE laws, the Ministry added.