Iraq pilgrims defy coronavirus protocols as case numbers rise

Thousands of pilgrims clad in black walked the streets of Baghdad on Wednesday, as part of a week-long procession to a revered shrine, bypassing barbed wire set up by security forces and spurring fears of another wave of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the heels of the papal visit. Crowds of men and women defied the tight security measures set up by Iraqi authorities to contain the spread of the virus during the annual pilgrimage, expected to reach its peak number of worshippers on Wednesday to commemorate the death of Imam al-Kadhim, a revered figure in Shiite Islam.