Hajj, relations with US lead the conversation on Saudi in the global press

The lead story on Saudi in the foreign press this morning and over the course of the Eid break is Hajj, primarily the death toll during the pilgrimage as a result of the severe heat (BBC | CNN | Wall Street Journal | AP | NYT | CNBC). The majority of the deaths were among Egyptian pilgrims, leading the Egyptian government to rescind the licenses of 16 tourism companies for failing to provide the travelers with appropriate accommodation and medical care, according to a statement. The final death toll looks set to be in the hundreds.

Saudi-US relations also captured the foreign press’ imagination: The Atlantic Council and Business Insider each came out with a piece on “the end of the petrodollar” following unsubstantiated social media reports that the Kingdom is planning to start selling oil in currencies other than USD. Meanwhile, the Financial Times ’ Big Read last week looked at the development of the relationship between Washington and Riyadh over the course of US President Joe Biden’s tenure.

Also getting ink: Saudi women gaining a stronger foothold in the Saudi job market, with 31% of Saudi women finding employment, writes Foreign Affairs.