The coronavirus pandemic has curtailed the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, limiting the number of people and barring people from outside the kingdom.
Tag: Saudi Arabia
Strange Bedfellows: Iran’s Ex-President Woos Saudi Crown Prince as Pen Pal
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, known in the West for his Holocaust denial and disputed re-election in 2009, writes a warm letter to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, calling him a man of peace.
A Saudi Spy Chief Hid Abroad. With Appeals and Threats, M.B.S. Tried to Bring Him Back
To try to force a former Saudi intelligence officer to return to the kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked for his help, targeted his family and sought to have him arrested abroad.
Saudi King Is Said to Have Successful Gallbladder Surgery
Days after King Salman was hospitalized, renewing rumors about his health, the royal court announced that the 84-year-old monarch had undergone an operation.
Laid Off and Locked Up: Virus Traps Domestic Workers in Arab States
The pandemic and economic crises have caused many workers to lose their jobs. Some have been detained, abused, deprived of wages and stranded far from home with nowhere to turn for help.
Trial of 20 Saudis in Jamal Khashoggi Killing Opens in Turkey
Supporters of the slain journalist expressed hope that the proceedings would offer a chance for justice. The defendants are to be tried in absentia.
African Migrants in Yemen Scapegoated for Coronavirus Outbreak
Migrants say Houthi militias that control northern Yemen are brutally forcing them out of their territory and into dangerous situations.
The Hajj Pilgrimage Is Canceled, and Grief Rocks the Muslim World
The coronavirus pandemic upended the plans of millions of Muslims, for whom the once-in-a-lifetime trip is a sacred milestone.
Saudi Arabia Drastically Limits Hajj Pilgrimage to Prevent Viral Spread
Saudi Arabia said only “very limited numbers” of pilgrims could perform the hajj this year, with only Saudis and foreign nationals already in the kingdom allowed to take part.
U.N. Removes Saudi-Led Coalition From Child-Killer Blacklist
The coalition was first added to the list several years ago for killing and injuring children in Yemen — including 222 last year, despite its being delisted Monday.