穆斯林开始一年一度的麦加朝圣
来自世界各地大约2百万穆斯林已经在伊斯兰最神圣的地点、沙特阿拉伯的麦加开始一年一度的朝圣活动。
朝圣者星期天围绕着麦加大寺院中心的方型圣堂逆时针行走，开始了今年为期5天的朝圣活动。穆斯林人认为，先知亚卜拉欣在那里修建了他的第一座寺院。
世界各地的穆斯林会面朝麦加圣堂每天做5次祷告。
在朝圣期间，虔诚的穆斯林人会举行一系列的宗教仪式。除了围绕圣堂行走外，他们还会喝被认为具有治愈效果的、来自渗渗泉的碱水,并举行向恶魔投石的象征性仪式。
麦加朝圣是伊斯兰信仰五大支柱之一，所有力所能及的穆斯林人一生中应至少一次参与朝圣。
沙特阿拉伯主管相关事务的部门敦促朝圣者注意安全，以免发生往年出现过的致命踩踏事件。据美联社报道，2015年，米纳市在举行朝圣活动时发生的踩踏事件导致2400多人死亡。
沙特有关部门星期天敦促“兄弟姐妹朝圣者”注意各项仪式的时间，以免出现过于拥挤的危险。
Muslims Begin Annual Hajj Rituals at Mecca
Nearly 2 million Muslims from around the world have begun the yearly hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia at Mecca, Islam's holiest site.
The faithful started the annual five-day ritual Sunday with walking counterclockwise around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure at the center of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, which Muslims believe is the spot where the Prophet Abraham built his first temple.
Observant Muslims around the world face toward the Kaaba during their five daily prayers.
During the hajj, devoted Muslims perform a series of religious rituals. In addition to walking around the Kaaba, they also drink the alkaline water from the Well of Zamzam, believed to have healing qualities. They also perform a symbolic stoning of the devil.
The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so are expected to take part in the hajj at least once in their lifetimes.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has urged pilgrims to think of their safety in hopes of preventing stampedes that in previous years have led to deaths. During the 2015 hajj, a stampede among pilgrims in the city of Mina, where some of the deadliest incidents have occurred, killed at least 2,426 people, according to the Associated Press.
The ministry on Sunday urged "brother and sister pilgrims" to pay attention to scheduling of rituals to avoid the dangers of overcrowding.
韩朝战后离散家属准备在朝鲜旅游胜地团聚
几十名年迈的韩国人星期天（2018年8月19日）聚集在朝韩边界，准备与居住在朝鲜的家庭成员团聚。这是三年多来朝韩首轮家庭团聚的一部分。
超过5万7千名韩国人已经登记希望与居住在朝鲜的亲人会面，但是只有93人被选中参与星期一开始在朝鲜旅游胜地金刚山举行的最新一轮短暂家庭团聚。朝鲜方面只有88人被允许参加这次团聚。
在未来三天内，亲属们将在朝鲜当局人员的注视下举行6次面对面的团聚。
自从2000年以来，双方只安排了20次亲人团聚活动。上一次团聚是在2015年的10月。
数以百万计的朝鲜家庭被1950年至1953年的朝鲜战争拆散。分开50多年后，许多等待与亲人团聚的人已经去世，依然在世的许多人已经年过80岁。
一些韩裔美国人也在最渴望与家人团聚的人之列，但他们从来没有被纳入团聚的计划当中。
韩国官员曾试图将韩裔美国家庭纳入星期一开始的韩朝家庭团聚计划，但被平壤当局拒绝。
Korean Families Prepare to Reunite at North Korean Resort
Dozens of elderly Koreans gathered Sunday at the South Korean border with North Korea to be reunited with family members from the North as part of the first round of reunions in more than three years.
More than 57,000 South Koreans had registered for a chance to meet relatives in North Korea, but only 93 were chosen for the latest round of brief meetings, which are set to begin Monday in North Korea's Mount Kumgang tourist resort. Only 88 North Koreans have been allowed to participate.
Over three days, the participants will have six face-to-face meetings with their North Korean relatives -- under the watchful eyes of North Korean agents.
There have been just 20 reunions since 2000, the last one took place in October 2015.
Millions of Korean families were divided by the 1950-53 Korean War. After more than 50 years of separation, many of those waiting to be reunited with their loved ones have died. Most of those surviving are over 80 years of age.
Among those most desperate to reconnect with family are Korean-Americans who have never been included in the reunion process.
South Korean officials tried to have Korean-American families included in Monday's reunion, but Pyongyang rejected the notion.
