Being in Mecca has been nothing short of blissful for Hassan Qadiri, where participating in the festivities of the hajj pilgrimage is a welcome relief after weeks of devastating war back home in Iran.
The Swiss will vote next month on an initiative to cap the population at 10 million -- an anti-immigration proposal that is fracturing public opinion in the wealthy Alpine nation.
India's ruling Hindu-nationalist party has ordered detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in West Bengal state, sparking fear among minorities that it could lead to arbitrary expulsions.
- Oil falls, stocks climb on hopes of US-Iran Hormuz deal
- Swimmer Gkolomeev 'beats' record at drug-fueled Enhanced Games
Sports
Veteran batting great Virat Kohli and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be in the spotlight as the T20 Indian Premier League spans the generations in the playoffs beginning on Tuesday.
May 25, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Oil prices fell and Asian stocks climbed on Monday over hopes a deal between the United States and Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz could be brokered.
May 25, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Victor Wembanyama scored 33 points and the San Antonio Spurs routed Oklahoma City 103-82 on Sunday to level the NBA Western Conference finals at two games each.
May 25, 2026
Former chairman of Seven & i Holdings Toshifumi Suzuki, credited for the global success of 7-Eleven convenience stores, has died at the age of 93, the company said Monday.
May 25, 2026
Activists displayed images of some of Mexico's "disappeared" people near its main football stadium on Sunday, hoping to raise awareness as the country prepares to co-host the World Cup next month.
May 25, 2026
Culture
A high-profile alleged sexual abuse case within a wealthy Thai beer brewing family has prompted a wave of painful accounts from survivors of unconnected abuse in the conservative country.
May 25, 2026
RECENT NEWS
The death toll rose to three Monday in the collapse of a building under construction near the Philippine capital, with 17 people still believed missing, authorities said.
Lionel Messi was at the center of an injury scare just weeks before the start of the World Cup on Sunday after abruptly exiting Inter Miami's Major League Soccer clash against the Philadelphia Union.
Andrew Abdo has quit as chief executive of the National Rugby League and will take up a new role as head of Tennis Australia, according to media reports Monday.
Juiced-up athletes narrowly failed to "beat" world records in early contests at the first-ever Enhanced Games on Sunday in Las Vegas, despite using performance-enhancing drugs that have sparked health concerns.
May 25, 2026
Boulevard
Pope Leo XIV will release on Monday his long-awaited manifesto on artificial intelligence (AI), a bid to address ethical and social challenges as the technology rapidly develops worldwide.
May 25, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Singapore's economy grew six percent year-on-year in the first quarter as demand skyrockets for artificial intelligence chips, balancing the fallout from the Middle East war, the government said Monday.
Lionel Messi exited Inter Miami's Major League Soccer match against Philadelphia Union with an apparent leg injury on Sunday just weeks before the start of the World Cup.
Mikel Arteta had barely wiped away the tears of joy that followed Arsenal's Premier League trophy presentation before he challenged his players to make more history by winning the Champions League.
Quiet and unassuming off the pitch, Jonathan David is already one of Canada's greatest footballers at just 26. Now, as the co‑hosts prepare for the World Cup, the forward hopes to make plenty of noise on the global stage.
May 25, 2026
- With ice cream and giant fans, hajj pilgrims battle searing heat
- 'Spider-Noir' brings a mature superhero to the small screen
- Stifling heat, storm delays: weather extremes could impact World Cup
- 'He's tiny! It's blue!': Scientists find new deep-sea octopus
- Drug-fueled Enhanced Games not beating world marks early
- Deadly Israeli strikes pound south, east Lebanon
- Wemby makes first All-NBA first team but not unanimously
- Drug-fueled Enhanced Games begin in Las Vegas