International

EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas warned Thursday that Europeans risk walking into a Russian “trap” by getting bogged down over who should represent them in any Ukraine peace talks with Moscow. “It’s a trap that Russia wants us to walk into, that we discuss who talks to them, and they are already picking who is suitable, who is not. Let’s ...

The holy Eid-ul-Azha is being celebrated on Wednesday (27 May), with religious solemnity and festive enthusiasm in Saudi Arabia, UK, USA and other Middle Eastern countries. Devout Muslims are observing one of the largest religious festivals in the Muslim world through Eid prayers, animal sacrifices, and Hajj rituals. The Eid-ul-Azha celebrations in the Middle East officially began after the completion ...

Huge numbers of Muslims prayed on Mount Arafat on Tuesday at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, as a punishing desert sun sent temperatures soaring towards 40C. From daybreak, thousands of white-robed worshippers recited Quranic verses on the 70-metre (230 feet) rocky hill near Mecca, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his last sermon. Volunteers handed out ...

More than 1.6 million (16 lakh) pilgrims gathered Tuesday on the Plain of Arafat for the most sacred and spiritually defining stage of the Hajj pilgrimage, in scenes of intense devotion and prayer reported by the Saudi Press Agency. From dawn on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims streamed into Arafat, where they will spend the day in worship, Qur’an ...

At least 28 individuals were killed and two others went missing after an illegally operated gold mine collapsed in Agola, authorities said on Sunday. The victims, aged between 18 and 40, included 13 from the same family and were buried in the landslide in Bengo province, northeast of Luanda, the capital, police said in a statement,reports Anadolu Agency. Police spokesman ...

To avoid the punishing sun, Inas Gamal abandoned her ambitious plan of spending the days ahead of the hajj praying in Makkah’s Grand Mosque and retreated to the comfort of an air-conditioned hotel room to perform her daytime prayers. Despite travelling all the way from Egypt for the annual pilgrimage, Gamal said it was just too hot to spend much ...

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman joined a joint phone call on Saturday with US President Donald Trump and several regional leaders to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The call included Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Jordan’s King Abdullah ...

The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque announced that this year’s Arafat sermon will be translated into 35 languages and broadcast via its digital platforms and affiliated channels. These efforts aim to convey the sermon’s message to Muslims worldwide and promote Islam’s message of moderation, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head ...

By Hamshika Krishnamoorthy:   Calls for Accountability Echo Through Westminster The remembrance was not only about mourning the dead but also about demanding justice. On 18 May 2026, Tamils gathered at Parliament Square, London SW1P 3JX, near Westminster Station, before marching toward 10 Downing Street in remembrance for the Silence Condemn Procession in remembrance of the hundreds of thousands of ...

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the “unyielding relationship” between China and Russia as he began talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, state media reported. “We have been able to continuously deepen our political mutual trust and strategic coordination with a resilience that remains unyielding despite trials and tribulations,” Xi told Putin, according to Xinhua news ...