New York mayor boycotts Saudi summit

DUBAI: New York city’s mayor has pulled out of a Saudi summit over human rights concerns, amid calls for a boycott of the event that coincides with the anniversary of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

Bill de Blasio, who announced his decision on Thursday, withdrew from the Urban 20 (U20) mayors’ conference that starts next Wednesday. The virtual event ends next Friday, the second anniversary of the brutal killing and dismembering of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

“The global Covid-19 pandemic has shown just how crucial it is for cities across the world to work together while standing up for what’s right,” De Blasio said in a statement. “We cannot lead the world without speaking out against injustices.