Millions of Filipinos marked the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, while peace talks between Ukraine and Russia concluded abruptly in Geneva, and the holy month of Ramadan began in Cairo, transforming the city with lights and decorations, according to multiple news sources.
In the Philippines, millions of Filipinos observed Ash Wednesday by receiving an ash cross on their foreheads, marking the beginning of the 40-day Lenten season, as reported by Euronews. The ritual, often held in packed churches and open spaces, involves a priest, minister, or lay worker tracing the sign of the cross with consecrated ash from palm branches blessed the previous Palm Sunday.
Meanwhile, in Geneva, peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials ended abruptly Wednesday morning after just two hours of discussions, as stated by Time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously noted the difficult first day of negotiations, accusing Russia of stalling progress. "We can state that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage," Zelensky said, according to Time. After the talks, Zelensky reported that "progress has been made, but for now, positions differ because the negotiations are continuing."
Simultaneously, the holy month of Ramadan began this week in Cairo, where Muslims adorned their homes with lights and decorations featuring arabesque patterns, according to NPR News and NPR Politics. Lanterns called fawanees have become a symbol of Ramadan and are an almost-mandatory home decoration for the month in Egypt. The neighborhoods of Cairo, such as al-Darb al-Ahmar, bustled with shoppers preparing for the holiday, buying decorations and gifts.
In other news, a quick video was created by Rachel Laycock and colleagues discussing the future of software development, as reported by Hacker News. A detailed summary of the event's discussions, broken down into eight major themes, was also published.
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