After two years of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mumbai, India’s financial capital, is celebrating the traditional festival of the elephant god Ganesh, or Ganapati. The festival usually begins on Ganesh Chaturthi, the fourth day of Bhadrapad or the sixth month of the Hindu calendar, which commemorates Lord Ganesh’s birth, with the installation of clay idols of Ganesh at home and in public places. The elephant-headed god is traditionally worshiped in India before any major enterprise and is revered throughout Hindu religious society.

The city has welcomed the tallest Ganesh idol in India’s western state of Maharashtra, standing about 11.6 meters tall.

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Türkiye’s Fidan Calls for Leaders’ Summit on Ukraine War

On May 30, 2025

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the recent peace talks in Istanbul have brought a new dimension to diplomatic efforts on Ukraine and proposed a leaders’ summit hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “A summit with leaders from Russia, Ukraine, and the US could help achieve a long-term ceasefire,” he said.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Fidan emphasized Türkiye’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, stating that President Erdoğan has been working actively since the war began. He added that talks in Istanbul on May 16 led to concrete results, including a prisoner swap.

Fidan shared insights from his prior visit to Moscow and said Russia is open to further talks on June 2. He stressed the importance of continuing momentum and involving international actors to build common ground for peace.

Fidan is also scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Andriy Yermak, Rustem Umerov, and representatives of the Crimean Tatar and Gagauz Turkish communities.

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Elephant God Festival in India’s Mumbai

Türkiye’s Fidan Calls for Leaders’ Summit on Ukraine War