Death And Taxes

Each year Saudi Arabian border guards monitor transports carrying Muslim pilgrims back from Mecca. The purpose is to discourage any of the 2 million or so visitors from staying on illegally; a fine of 1,604 riyal (about $430) is levied for each person recorded as entering the country who does not appear on a checklist of those leaving. This year companies bearing the Turkish faithful home have so far been forced to pay some 200,000 riyal ($54,000) for no-shows. The trouble is, almost all of them were probably among the 1,426 killed in the July 2 tunnel disaster. The Turkish government...

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