Saudi Arabia stops 269,678 Muslims without Hajj permits from entering Mecca
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia has stopped more than 269,000 people without permits for the annual Hajj pilgrimage from entering Mecca, officials said Sunday, as authorities crack down on illegal journeys into the city.
The government blames overcrowding at the Hajj on unauthorized participants. It also says they made up large numbers of those who died in last year's searing summer heat.
The number of expulsions highlights the scale of unauthorized pilgrimages — as well as the demand to perform the Hajj. There are currently 1.4 million Muslims in Mecca officially, with more expected to arrive in the days to come.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
There are fines of up to $5,000 and other punitive measures, like deportation, for anyone performing the Hajj without a permit. The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency.
At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city. According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round.
Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies.
Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Omari told the media: 'The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.'
The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It's a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it.
But it has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors in peak daylight hours.
Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. These can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as extinguishing fires.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
All international travelers should get measles vaccinations, CDC says
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have changed their advice to international travelers about measles, saying that Americans should be vaccinated against the virus no matter where they're going. U.S. residents are recommended to get measles-mumps-rubella shots, anyway. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously emphasized the importance of vaccination for travelers going to countries with outbreaks.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Spanish government says housing market is not a ‘free for all' after recent crackdown on Airbnb
MADRID (AP) — Spain's government wanted to send a message last month with its crackdown on Airbnb: that the Spanish economy and its housing market, in particular, are not a 'free for all' that value profits over the rule of law, a minister said on Tuesday. The Spanish government ordered Airbnb to remove almost 66,000 holiday rentals from the platform which it said had violated local rules by failing to list license numbers, listing the wrong license number or not specifying who the apartment's owner was. Airbnb is appealing the move. Spain is one of the world's most visited countries. Last year, the Southern European nation of 49 million received a record 94 million international visitors. Tourism has surged to unprecedented levels in recent years. But a housing affordability problem in Spain that is particularly acute in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona has led to growing antagonism against short-term holiday rentals, of which Airbnb is perhaps the best-known and most visible actor. The Spanish government says the two are related: the rise of Airbnb and other short-term rental companies, and rising rents and housing costs. 'Obviously there is a correlation between these two facts,' Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told The Associated Press. 'It's not a linear relation, it's not the only factor affecting it, there are many others, but it is obviously one of the elements that is contributing.' A recent Bank of Spain report said the country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes. In the tourist hot spots of the Canary and Balearic Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodations or are properties owned by nonresidents, the report said. 'Tourism is for sure a vital part of the Spanish economy. It's a strategic and very important sector. But as in every other economic activity, it must be conducted in a sustainable way,' Bustinduy said. 'It cannot jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people. Their right to housing, but also their right to well-being.' The country has seen several large protests that have drawn tens of thousands of people to demand more government action on housing. Homemade signs including one that read 'Get Airbnb out of our neighborhoods' at a recent march in Madrid point to the growing ire against short-term online rental platforms. Airbnb said that while its appeal goes through the courts, no holiday rentals would be immediately taken down from the site. 'A balance must be found between the constitutional rights of the Spanish people and economic activities in general,' Bustinduy said. Regional governments in Spain are also tackling the issue. Last year, Barcelona announced a plan to close down all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028 to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents. In response to Spain's recent order, Airbnb has said that the platform connects property owners with renters, but that it doesn't have oversight obligations, even though it requires hosts to show that they are compliant with local laws. Bustinduy said that Spain's recent action reflects a desire in Spain, but also elsewhere, to hold tech companies like Airbnb to account. 'There is a battle going on about accountability and about responsibility,' Bustinduy said. 'The digital nature of these extraordinarily powerful multinational corporations must not be an excuse to fail to comply with democratically established regulations.' Bustinduy, who belongs to the governing coalition's left-wing Sumar party, also took a shot at low-cost airlines. Spain has pushed against allowing low-cost airlines to charge passengers for hand baggage. Last year, it fined five budget airlines, including RyanAir and easyJet, a total of $179 million for charging for hand luggage. 'The principle behind these actions is always the same: preserving consumer rights,' Bustinduy said. 'Powerful corporations, no matter how large, have to adapt their business models to existing regulations.' Bustinduy dismissed the idea that the Spanish government's action toward Airbnb could discourage some tourists from visiting. 'It will encourage longer stays, it will encourage responsible tourism and it will preserve everything that we have in this wonderful country which is the reason why so many people want to come here,' he said. ___ Joseph Wilson contributed to this report from Barcelona, Spain.
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sara Errani to play padel event in Rome following French Open tennis
ROME (AP) — Former French Open finalist Sara Errani is going to trade in her tennis racket for a padel immediately after Roland-Garros. Errani was granted a wild card on Tuesday to play in Premier Padel's Italy Major at the Foro Italico next week. The 38-year-old Errani will pair with 20-year-old Giulia Dal Pozzo. Errani has advanced to the semifinals in both women's doubles (with Jasmine Paolini) and mixed doubles (with Andrea Vavasssori) in Paris. She and Paolini also won gold in doubles at the Paris Olympics and have won two consecutive titles at the Italian Open, which is also contested at the Foro Italico. Errani has said she plans to move full time into padel when her tennis career is finished. When she lost in qualifying at the French Open, she said that was her final singles match in tennis. But she plans to continue playing doubles with Paolini. Errani lost the 2012 French Open singles final to Maria Sharapova. Errani also took part in two pro padel events this year in Melbourne, Australia, and Dubai. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP tennis:
