The low oil prices and the corona pandemic are exacerbating the financial crisis in Saudi Arabia. Due to the slowdown in the global economy, the relevant oil price fell from around $ 60 to less than $ 20 per barrel and has not recovered completely since then. The annual average price is around $ 40. For a balanced national budget, however, Saudi Arabia needed an oil price almost twice as high.
In addition to oil exports, pilgrimage tourism to the holy sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina also brings a lot of money into the conservative kingdom every year. The income of more than $ 20 billion corresponds to almost 3% of the annual national income. But because of the Corona crisis, Riyadh closed the borders to foreign pilgrims for seven months. Since November, travel to Mecca has been possible again with restrictions. Continue reading Saudi Arabia needs to diversify
Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Clergy Community, declared on Saturday December 19 in Pakistan:
With one voice the Iraqi parliament decided Christmas will now also be a national holiday in Iraq.
While Jews in Dubai and the UAE can wear their kippah openly without fear, they dare to do it less and less in Europe.
In March, Francis wants to be the first Pope to visit Iraq. He knows Muslims must be won if religious minorities can have a future. He is of course aware of the afflictions and persecution that Christians under the Muslim world face, not at least in Iraq. At the same time, however, he wants to help strengthen that delicate plant of Islamic self-reflection that is currently sprouting.