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Eid Al-Adha celebrations

Muslims in many countries around the world are celebrating Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice that marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The exact date of Eid al-Adha depends on lunar sightings and varies by country. Thousands of Palestinians performed the eid prayers at al-Aqsa mosque in al-Quds. Afghans also celebrated the occasion with prayers in mosques nationwide. Muslims in other regional countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Oman, Kazakhstan and Turkey, have celebrated the event, too. Slaughtering a sacrificial animal is part of the ceremonies to mark Eid al-Adha. That’s done in remembrance of the Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Iran and many countries elsewhere in the world, including in Asia and Africa, will mark Eid al-Adha on Sunday.

Sri Lanka in turmoil 

Crisis remains at boiling point in Sri Lanka. The prime minister is willing to resign to make way for an inclusive government. Ranil Wickremesinghe made the remarks after an emergency cabinet meeting was held. The prime minister said he was willing to step down to make space for unity in a new government, stressing he wanted to ensure public safety. The prime minister would have been next in line of succession if President Gotabaya Raja-baksa resigns. Earlier, thousands of protesters stormed the president’s house and offices, sending him fleeing from his home. This after months of mounting public anger over the worst economic crisis the country has witnessed in decades.

Battle for Donbas region 

Moving on to the war in Ukraine where Russian troops are seeking to push deeper into the eastern Donbas region, the current focal point of the battle. Ukrainian authorities say several parts of Donetsk are now under Russian shelling. They say five people have lost their lives over the past day. The city of Sloviansk is being shelled, too. Meanwhile Washington says it is sending 400-million dollars in additional military supplies to Kiev. The US and its allies have already sent millions of dollars in weapons packages to Ukraine. They have also imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that continued bans could lead to catastrophic energy price rises in Europe. Russia’s foreign minister has also accused the West of preventing Kiev from seeking a peace deal. Addressing a G20 meeting, Lavrov scolded Western powers for wasting an opportunity to tackle global economic issues. 

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