Egypt to prosecute companies for organizing illegal Hajj trips after hundreds die

The Egyptian death toll from the Hajj pilgrimage has risen to 672, with a crisis unit investigating the situation suspending licenses of 16 tourism companies involved in making illegal pilgrimages to Mecca. The decision was made after a report highlighted the dubious nature of how some tourism companies operate. The Hajj pilgrimage has been marred by extreme heat, with over 1,000 people reported dead.