Coronavirus: Muslims in Saudi Arabia begin scaled-back hajj

Coronavirus shutdowns are ending across Africa. Officials don't view severe curbs as a suitable tool for containing the spread. Vaccinations alone won't cut it. Now, Africans are seeking a way to live with the virus.

Health officials are worried the sheer number of new infections will once again overwhelm the Himalayan country's fragile health care system.

Which COVID-19 vaccines work longest? And what are their advantages and drawbacks?

The fate of Muslims, women and the media are just three of the issues under the spotlight in India's regional elections. The state of Uttar Pradesh perhaps best sums up what's at stake. It has been ruled by PM Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP for the past five years but today, there's increasing concern for the rights of Muslims in particular. Our guests discuss what's at stake in these elections.

Saudi Arabia steps up its green ambitions by planting thousands of trees in the world's largest saxaul botanical garden, winning itself a Guinness record.

The tennis star is prepared to miss the French Open, Wimbledon and any tournament if they require jabs. He told the BBC that he is not against vaccines but wants "the freedom to choose what you put into your body."

Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Elizabeth has tested positive for COVID-19

More than 6 million people around the world have died from COVID-related causes, according to the US Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, Hong Kong is struggling with a surge in cases.

The coalition fighting in Yemen said Houthi hit several economic facilities in Saudi Arabia. This comes days after the rebels rejected a GCC invitation for talks on the conflict.

The omicron variant is driving case numbers in parts of China to levels not seen since coronavirus first emerged. But keeping case numbers at near zero means continued disruptions and lockdowns.

Chechen warlord and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov boasted of his soldiers' part in Russia's war in Ukraine. But many Chechen and Tatar Muslims are defending Ukraine and settling scores with the rulers of their homelands.

A recent high-profile strike on an oil depot in Jeddah by Houthi rebels has underlined Saudi Arabia's military defense vulnerability — and threatens its reputation as a global investment location.