Crane topples in Mecca, kills 107
Strong winds caused a crane to topple in the holy city of Mecca on Friday, Sept. 11. Officials reported that a thunderstorm caused extremely high winds to roar through the holiest site in Islam, resulting in the death of 107 pilgrims and injuring approximately 238 more.
“The speed of the wind was not normal,” said Suleiman bin Abdullah al-Amro, Mecca’s director general of civil defence, in an interview with Al-Arabiya. “There was no way for people to know that the crane was about to collapse for them to scramble.”
The crane smashed into the Masjid al-Haram—literally “the sacred mosque”—the largest mosque in the world, and the structure that surrounds the Kaaba, a black cuboid building that is central to the Muslim faith.
One of the Five Pillars of Islam requires all able-bodied Muslims to embark on a pilgrimage—the hajj—to Mecca to visit the sacred mosque. According to official estimations, approximately 910,000 Muslims are expected to embark on a hajj pilgrimage to Mecca this year.
The crane was in place due to an expansion project.
Queen Elizabeth officially Britain’s longest-reigning monarch
After serving as Britain’s monarch for 63 years and seven months, Queen Elizabeth II is now the longest-reigning monarch in British history, surpassing Queen Victoria. The Queen spoke to a crowd gathered in the Scottish Borders on Sept. 9.
“Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones—my own is no exception—but I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages of great kindness,” said Queen Elizabeth.
A number of dignitaries from around the world sent their congratulations, including Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as well as British and Australian Prime Ministers David Cameron and Toby Abbott, and American President Barack Obama.
Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952.
-Compiled by Sameer Chhabra