Tag: preCOVID
Hajj to return to pre-COVID numbers, Saudi Arabia officials say
Islam’s annual Hajj pilgrimage will return to pre-pandemic levels this year after restrictions saw the annual religious commemoration curtailed over coronavirus concerns, Saudi authorities say. The Hajj, required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life, represents one of the world’s largest gatherings of people. Before the pandemic, the pilgrimage drew millions each year to Islam’s holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, home to…
Cathay Pacific operating at 12% pre-COVID capacity
Many of the world’s airlines were only just taking their first steps towards economic recovery when the Omicron variant was identified in November. Since then, flight bans and tougher testing rules have dealt another huge blow. One of the airlines facing enormous challenges is the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific. And questions are now being asked about its ability to survive. Al Jazeera’s Britt Clennett reports…