Should selfies be allowed on the pilgrimage to Mecca?

Muslims try, at least once in their lives, to make the hajj — a spiritual journey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. And, unsurprisingly, many are now taking selfies during this important Islamic practice.

Until a few years ago, pilgrims making the hajj were prohibited from taking cell phones with them. But a series of emergencies, some deadly, led spiritual leaders to relax that rule. 

Quartz collected some of the selfies and Arab News talked to a few religious leaders who say pilgrims need to cut it out immediately. They say pilgrims documenting their every move during their hajj will limit their ability to make a true spiritual connection. 

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Canada's mounties can't ditch their fur hats

Much of Canada can get really, really cold. That we know. But you might not have known that Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers were outfitted with special muskrat hats to keep their heads and ears warm on the coldest of Canadian days.

Recently, the RCMP decided to switch from muskrat hats to wool toques for the new officers, bowing to pressure from environmentalists. That decision didn't go over well with Canada's fur trading lobby. PRI's The World talked to animal rights activists and to a pro-fur member of parliament about the controversial move, and why each thinks it's either right, or wrong. 

Activists argue it is not only wrong to kill the animals, but that fur trapping is painful and inhumane. The politician, on the other hand, said putting the mounties in wool toques would threaten the livelihoods of the country's trappers — many of whom, he says, have no other employment options. Ultimately, the Canadian government overruled the mounties and said the muskrat hats will continue.

What it's like when Russia invites you to visit for a week

Journalists get invited to go on press trips all the time. There's usually an agenda — some organization or government hopes to win journalists over and get some free, and positive, media coverage. But when a mysterious Russian organization invited a Vice reporter to spend a week in Russia, it wasn't clear what they were hoping to gain. 

London-based Vice reporter Holly Baxter had been to Russia six years ago and found it to be much like any other European country. But this time, just weeks after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, she found a country mentally prepared for war. No one would openly question anything about the government or the country. The nation's McDonald's, once hailed as the country's windows on the West, were shutting down.

And the press tour? It mostly consisted of listening to the Kremlin's favorite media leaders complain about Western media bias and its false portrayal of Russia. Vice describes what Russia has become in the years since President Vladimir Putin re-asserted his power.

Why it was a poor choice to hold an LGBT festival in Russia

The International Queer Culture Festival is being held in Russia this year — perhaps a surprising move, given how homophobic Russia has become in the past year. First, the organizers had to scramble at the last minute to move the festival to a new location after they lost their original location. But that was only the start of their troubles.

The UK's Pink News reports that thugs entered the venue and "sprayed guests with a green substance and some sort of putrid gas." Some people were reportedly taken to the hospital. And the harassment didn't stop. Attendees were assaulted as they tried to enter the venue. Several other venues shut their doors. And the police tried to shut down a press conference about, ironically, who was trying to shut down the festival. 

When Jews fast and Muslims feast, Israeli officials worry

It's an important weekend for the world's Jews and Muslims. Each will be celebrating one of their religions' most important holidays — Yom Kippur for the Jews and Eid al-Adha for the Muslims. While the holidays may fall on the same weekend this year, they're honored in distinctly different ways, with Jews fasting during Yom Kippur and Muslims feasting during Eid al-Adha.

And that disconnect has some Israeli leaders worrying violence could break out. A few years ago, the city of Akko had an incident where a Muslim man drove through town during Yom Kippur, enraging some Jews, who traditionally do not drive during the holiday. PRI's The World reports that this year, Israeli officials expect many Muslims will be out driving to celebrate their holiday. The city has been taking measures to help the different cultures understand each other, and they're hopeful the holidays will go smoothly.

What we're seeing on social

Weather around the world

Climate change is pushing thousands of Arctic walruses to haul themselves out of their normal ocean homes and onto islands in Alaska in numbers never previously seen. According to Mother Nature News, rising temperatures have driven water temperatures up some five degrees Fahrenheit above average — to the highest level ever recorded. And sea ice levels have fallen to the sixth-lowest level since recordkeeping began. The US government is imposing a no-fly zone over the creatures out of concern loud noises could cause a stampede that could kill scores of the beached creatures.