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Hajj disasters: stampedes, infernos and a bloody siege

It is Islam's holiest pilgrimage, but the hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia has in recent decades been plagued by deadly disasters, from stampedes to militant attacks.

Yet the last time the pilgrimage was cancelled outright was in 1798, when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt.

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Millions head to Mecca for huge hajj in Saudi heat

Enormous crowds of worshippers thronged Mecca, Islam's holiest city, on Friday for the biggest hajj pilgrimage in years, with more than two million expected to brave the scorching Saudi Arabian heat.

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Pope short of breath, still feeling effects of anesthesia 2 weeks after surgery

Pope Francis said Thursday he was short of breath and still feeling the effects of anesthesia from abdominal surgery two weeks ago.

Francis made the comments to explain why he chose not to deliver a prepared speech to visiting charity workers for Eastern rite churches. Instead, the speech was handed out.

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Saudi plans to ramp up Hajj could face challenges from climate change

Saudi Arabia has ambitious plans to welcome millions more pilgrims to Islam's holiest sites. But as climate change heats up an already scorching region, the annual Hajj pilgrimage — much of which takes place outdoors in the desert — could prove even more daunting.

The increased number of pilgrims, with the associated surge in international air travel and infrastructure expansion, also raises sustainability concerns, even as the oil giant pursues the goal of getting half its energy from renewable resources by 2030.

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Antlers and fancy dress: Stonehenge welcomes 8,000 visitors for summer solstice

All hail the rising sun.

Around 8,000 revellers gathered around a prehistoric stone circle on a plain in southern England to express their devotion to the sun, or to have some communal fun.

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Indian PM Modi showcases yoga, country's cultural diplomacy on UN lawn

Paying tribute at a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined a crowd of diplomats and dignitaries for a morning yoga session Wednesday at the United Nations, kicking off the public portion of his U.S. visit by calmly flexing India's cultural reach.

With a checkerboard of made-in-India yoga mats covering the U.N. headquarters' spacious north lawn, Modi stopped and bowed at a statue of the assassinated Indian independence leader. Then Modi took a seat on the rostrum as a cloud-filtered sun glinted off the adjacent East River and the flags of the world body's member nations rippled in the breeze.

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UNESCO site Battir could be in danger from planned Israeli settlement

Generations of Palestinians have worked the terraced hillsides of this West Bank farming village southwest of Jerusalem, growing olives, fruits, beans and exquisite eggplants renowned across the region in a valley linked to the biblical King David.

But residents fear their ancient way of life could soon be in danger as Israel's far-right government moves ahead with a settlement project on a nearby hilltop. Environmental groups say the construction could devastate already strained water sources supplying the agricultural terraces and cause extensive damage to an already precarious ecosystem.

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Vatican document highlights need for concrete steps for women, 'radical inclusion' of LGBTQ+

An unprecedented global canvassing of Catholics has called for the church to take concrete steps to promote women to decision-making roles, for a "radical inclusion" of the LGBTQ+ community and for new accountability measures to check how bishops exercise authority.

The Vatican on Tuesday released the synthesis of a two-year consultation process, publishing a working document that will form the basis of discussion for a big meeting of bishops and laypeople in October. The synod, as it is known, is a key priority of Pope Francis, reflecting his vision of a church that is more about the faithful rank-and-file than its priests.

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After bans, American women turn to an abortion hotline

The phone has been ringing nonstop for a year. Linda Prine, a New York doctor, repeats her advice on a loop: "Make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids;" "Take some ibuprofen;" "Everything's fine, you can relax."

The Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline, which Prine co-founded, is now staffed by around 70 health care professionals on a voluntary rotational basis, providing advice and fielding questions from American women seeking to end their pregnancies.

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Salman Rushdie awarded prestigious German prize for his literary work and resolve

Writer Salman Rushdie has been awarded a prestigious German prize for his literary work and for his resolve and positive attitude in the face of constant danger, the prize organizers said Monday.

The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade said the British-American author would receive the award in Frankfurt on Oct. 22.

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