WHO Welcomes Saudi Decision to Limit Hajj

A customer gets his temperature checked at a cafe in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A customer gets his temperature checked at a cafe in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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WHO Welcomes Saudi Decision to Limit Hajj

A customer gets his temperature checked at a cafe in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A customer gets his temperature checked at a cafe in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to greatly limit the number of Hajj pilgrims this year over the coronavirus pandemic.

“As some countries start to reopen their societies and economies, the question about how to hold gatherings of large numbers of people safely has become increasingly important,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanum, said Wednesday. “This is especially true of one of the world’s largest mass gatherings, the annual Hajj pilgrimage.”

The Kingdom said Monday that a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents would be able to perform the pilgrimage this year.

Speaking in Geneva during the daily coronavirus press conference, Adhanum said the organization supported Saudi Arabia’s decision, adding that all countries must make difficult decisions to put public health at the forefront.

The Saudi Health Ministry said in a daily briefing on the outbreak on Wednesday that failure to adhere to social distancing measures has led to the infection of five families.

A few of the relatives were in critical care, it said.

It said 3,123 virus cases were registered on Wednesday, taking the Kingdom’s tally to 167,267.

Recoveries reached 112,797 after 2,912 more people were declared virus-free.

Forty-one fatalities were reported, taking the toll to 1,387.



Saudi Arabia Praises Jordan for Thwarting Plots to Undermine its Security

Jordanian Government spokesperson Mohammad Al Momani speaks during a press conference in Amman, Jordan, April 15, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a handout video. (JTV/Handout via Reuters)
Jordanian Government spokesperson Mohammad Al Momani speaks during a press conference in Amman, Jordan, April 15, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a handout video. (JTV/Handout via Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Praises Jordan for Thwarting Plots to Undermine its Security

Jordanian Government spokesperson Mohammad Al Momani speaks during a press conference in Amman, Jordan, April 15, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a handout video. (JTV/Handout via Reuters)
Jordanian Government spokesperson Mohammad Al Momani speaks during a press conference in Amman, Jordan, April 15, 2025, in this screen grab taken from a handout video. (JTV/Handout via Reuters)

The Saudi Foreign Ministry praised on Wednesday the measures Jordan has taken to thwart plots aimed at undermining its security.

The Kingdom expressed its support for the steps the Jordanian government will take to consolidate its security.

Saudi Arabia stands in solidarity with Jordan against anything that may harm its security and stability, added the ministry.

Jordan arrested 16 members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood who were trained and financed in Lebanon and had plotted attacks on targets inside the kingdom involving rockets and drones, authorities said on Tuesday.

The authorities said at least one rocket was ready to be launched as part of an operation that had been under surveillance by security forces since 2021.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm in Jordan the Islamic Action Front became the largest political grouping in the parliament after last September's parliamentary elections, although most seats are still held by government supporters.

Security forces found a rocket manufacturing facility alongside a drone factory, according to a statement by the General Intelligence Department released on state media.

"The plot aimed at harming national security, sowing chaos and causing material destruction inside the kingdom," the statement said.

The suspects were referred to the state security court for trial.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told his Jordanian counterpart in a phone call his country was ready to cooperate with Jordanian authorities, shortly after suspects shown in a video aired by Amman said they had been trained in Lebanon.