It's one of the largest religious gatherings in the world: the Hajj pilgrimage is underway this week in Saudi Arabia, with some 2 million Muslims converging in Mecca and at Mount Arafat. This year's Hajj could be the largest on record, according to officials, after several quieter years during the Covid-19 pandemic. We take a closer look.
Meanwhile, despite the violence in Syria, this year, neighbouring Lebanon has deported hundreds of refugees back to Syria. Officially, over 1 million Syrians live in Lebanon, a tiny country with a population of about five million itself. Amid a devastating economic crisis in Lebanon, anger towards the Syrian population has soared. Our correspondents report.
Finally, hundreds of Turkish activists held a Gay Pride march in Istabul on Sunday, in defiance of a government ban. At least 50 people were detained by the police. Homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, but hostility is widespread and police crackdowns on Pride parades have become tougher in recent years.
