The kingdom had taken the rare step in early March of suspending the smaller year-round "umrah" pilgrimage that draws millions from across the world, as the coronavirus morphed into a global pandemic and prompted countries to impose lockdowns and curfews to slow down transmission.

Dozens of Western countries, including Canada, voiced concern at Saudi Arabia's continued detention of women activists and called for those behind the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to be brought to justice.

Saudi Arabia’s state television aired few details about the final verdicts issued by the Riyadh Criminal Court against the eight Saudi nationals.

The son-in-law of a former top Saudi intelligence officer living in Canada is allegedly being held by security forces in Saudi Arabia in an 'act of reprisal' over a lawsuit against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi crown prince sent team used in Jamal Khashoggi's killing to hunt former intel boss in Toronto.

Loujain al-Hathloul has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia since 2018 for defying a ban on women driving. Since then, she’s reportedly been violently tortured and sexually harassed.

The 84-year-old ruler's health is closely watched by observers because of the absolute powers he holds presiding over one of the world's top producers of oil.

In recent months, the crown prince has increased pressure on relatives of Saad al-Jabri, including detaining his adult children, to try to force his return to the kingdom from exile in Canada, the former intelligence official’s family say.

The decision comes after weeks of speculation over whether Saudi Arabia would cancel the pilgrimage altogether or allow the hajj to be held in symbolic numbers

The agreement aims to close the rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, nominal allies in a war against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.