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Mina (AFP) – Pilgrims perform the last major ritual of the hajj — the ‘stoning of the devil’ —  as Muslims around the globe celebrate the beginning of the Eid al-Adha holiday. Many of the 1.6 million pilgrims headed to the site just outside the holy city of Mecca before daybreak to avoid the searing temperatures and to begin throwing seven stones at each of the three concrete walls. The ritual commemorates Abraham’s stoning of the devil at the three spots where it is said Satan tried to dissuade him from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son. AERIAL IMAGES

Washington (AFP) – US President Donald Trump has signed a travel ban on 12 mostly Middle Eastern and African countries, reviving a controversial measure from his first term expected to trigger a fresh wave of legal challenges. The move bans all travel to the United States by nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, according to the White House. Trump also imposed a partial ban on travelers from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

Mumbai (AFP) – India’s central bank cuts interest rates more than expected, citing muted inflation and a need to kickstart economic growth as the impact of US tariffs weighs on the country’s outlook. The Reserve Bank of India lowers the benchmark repo rate, the level at which it lends to commercial banks, by 50 basis points to 5.5 percent.

Pak Chong (AFP) – A wild elephant, known as ‘Plai Biang Lek’, is caught on a surveillance camera casually strolling into a convenience store in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province, about three hours northeast of the capital, Bangkok.

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Japan’s Princess Kako of Akishino, the niece of Emperor Naruhito, visits the Japanese Pavilion at Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo during an official visit to Brazil. IMAGES

Escuintla (Guatemala) (AFP) – Images of smoke rising from the crater of the Fuego Volcano in Guatemala as it erupts. At least 330 people were evacuated following the eruption of the volcano, located 35 km from the capital, according to the civil protection agency, which declared an orange alert. IMAGES

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Japan’s Princess Kako, the niece of Emperor Naruhito, arrives at Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo during her official visit to Brazil. IMAGES

Saint-Claude (France) (AFP) – Jeremy Nicollin, a 34-year-old professional cliff jumper, leaps from a 22-metre-high waterfall near his home in eastern France. The former athlete has been living off his passion for a year by making videos of his jumps shared on social media. His next goal is to break the world record by jumping from a height of 60 metres.

Hanoï (AFP) – “Having children should match one’s financial situation, and allow time for personal well-being,” says 18-year-old Hanoi resident Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, after Vietnam’s communist government scrapped its long-standing two-child policy in an effort to reverse the decline in the birth rate.

La Havane (AFP) – It’s never too late to make a splash at a historic swimming club in Havana as dozens of dedicated swimmers over 70 dive into the Caribbean Sea, finding a powerful way to “rejuvenate” and “lift their spirits.”

Oualata (Mauritanie) (AFP) – More than a thousand kilometres from the Mauritanian capital, the medieval town of Oualata has been devastated by the encroaching desert and recent heavy rains attributed to climate change. Many have left the crumbling town, leaving those who remain to try and preserve its historic buildings as well as its store of valuable manuscripts.

Kiev (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is only holding talks on ending the war to try to convince US President Donald Trump to delay fresh sanctions over its invasion. “They did it to demonstrate to the United States of America that they are constructive,” Zelensky tells reporters in Kyiv after both countries held direct talks in Turkey.