Muslim pilgrims wrap up Hajj with final symbolic stoning of the devil and circling of Kaaba

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims have wrapped up the Hajj, or pilgrimage, in the deadly summer heat on Tuesday with the third day of the symbolic stoning of the devil, and the last circumambulation around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, in the city of Mecca. The three-day...

Brooklyn preacher who boasted of ties to NYC mayor gets 9 years in prison for multiyear fraud

NEW YORK (AP) — A flashy Brooklyn preacher who has played up connections to New York City’s mayor was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison for multiple frauds. Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, of Paramus, New Jersey, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Lorna G....

AI could help spread false and misleading information on Holocaust, UNESCO report warns

WASHINGTON (AP) — A United Nations agency is warning that developments in artificial intelligence could spawn a new surge in Holocaust denial. A report published Tuesday by UNESCO concludes that AI could result in false and misleading claims about the Holocaust spreading online,...

Muslim pilgrims resume symbolic stoning of the devil as they wrap up Hajj pilgrimage in deadly heat

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims used the early morning hours Monday to perform the second day of the symbolic stoning of the devil, hoping to escape the noontime summer heat that caused heatstroke and sunburns among thousands wrapping up the Hajj pilgrimage. The final...

Muslims in Asia celebrate Eid al-Adha with sacrifice festival and traditional feast

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Muslims in Asia on Monday celebrated Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, with food and prayers for people in Gaza suffering from the Israel-Hamas war. One of the biggest Islamic holidays, the occasion commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s test of faith...

Through connection to their land, Tarahumara runners are among Mexico's most beloved champions

CHIHUAHUA, México (AP) — Miguel Lara was born to run. It’s in his blood, his people’s history and tied to the land he calls “home.” “That’s what we do,” said the 34-year-old ultramarathoner near his cabin in Porochi, an Indigenous community in the remote Tarahumara...

Pilgrims commence the final rites of Hajj as Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Masses of pilgrims on Sunday embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia under the soaring summer heat. The ritual marks the final days of the Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world. ...

Longtime Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler, who was accused of sexual abuse, dies at 94

HOUSTON (AP) — Paul Pressler, a leading figure of the Southern Baptist Convention who was accused of sexually abusing boys and young men and later settled a lawsuit over the allegations, has died. He was 94. Pressler’s death, which happened on June 7, was announced in an obituary...

Jordan says 14 Jordanian pilgrims have died from sunstroke during the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

Pakistani Taliban announce a 3-day cease-fire with security forces on Eid al-Adha holiday

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A key Pakistani militant group behind scores of gun and bomb attacks on Sunday announced a rare cease-fire with security forces during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in Pakistan on Monday amid a surge in violence. ...