Africa’s cynical master of power politics

SummaryNearly two million Muslim pilgrims began casting stones at the Jamarat pillars on the first day of Eid al-Adha, marking a key ritual of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia. Following the stoning of Jamarat Al-Aqaba, they will perform animal sacrifices and continue stoning rituals over the three days of Tashreeq. The Saudi General Authority for Statistics reported 1,673,230 Hajj pilgrims this year, with the pilgrimage being a fundamental Islamic practice that commemorates the...

The Lebanese army has threatened to withdraw cooperation with the ceasefire committee monitoring the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire due to Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, which they claim undermine their role. The warning follows Israeli strikes on Hezbollah's drone facilities just before the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, prompting international condemnation, including from France, which called for Israel to withdraw and urged all parties to adhere to the ceasefire. The Lebanese army indicated it would cease cooperation...

Israel's military reported the deaths of four soldiers in Gaza, raising the total to 429 since late October 2023, as it seeks to bolster its forces by 10,000 troops amid a growing crisis over ultra-Orthodox conscription within Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition. On the same day, Gaza's civil defense agency noted 38 Palestinian deaths from Israeli strikes as residents faced severe shortages during Eid al-Adha, with emotional accounts of loss surfacing, including a mother's lament over...

The United States has imposed new sanctions on 10 individuals and 27 entities tied to a "Shadow Banking Network" that facilitates money laundering for Iran, as detailed by the US Treasury Department. This network has allegedly laundered billions through front companies in the UAE and Hong Kong, aiding Iran in generating revenue from petroleum sales and potentially supporting nuclear weapons development. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated a forthcoming response to US proposals, amidst...

Jacqueline Rivault, the grandmother of two French children killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, filed a legal complaint in France accusing Israeli authorities of genocide and crimes against humanity. The complaint, submitted through her lawyer, pertains to the deaths of 6-year-old Janna and 9-year-old Abderrahim Abudaher, who were killed on October 24, 2023, during an attack allegedly by an Israeli F-16. The case highlights increasing international scrutiny on Israel amid a military campaign...

During the hajj pilgrimage near Mecca, men in white robes line up for haircuts, a significant ritual marking the end of their spiritual journey. The barbershop near the Jamarat complex, which opens exclusively for hajj, services about 6,000 customers on the last day, coinciding with Eid al-Adha, charging 60 riyals ($13) per haircut. Despite the rush, barbers express joy in their work, as pilgrims like Hani Abdel Samih eagerly await the chance to change out...