Highlights 1 Haj pilgrimage begins under close supervision in Saudi Arabia. Nearly two million Muslim pilgrims performed a symbolic stoning of the devil on Monday, the riskiest part of the annual haj pilgrimage, a year after the ritual's worst disaster in decades. CLOSE SUPERVISIONThat is less than previous years, when up to 3 million pilgrims attended. But another 60-year-old pilgrim, who identified himself as Mohammed, said "more work was needed, especially to ensure comfort for older pilgrims". Instead, Saudi media said the imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Sudais, delivered the sermon.

Source: India Today September 12, 2016 10:41 UTC