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Lebanon awaits pope's visit amid instability and ongoing strikes

Pope Leo XIV has said his first foreign trip, to Turkey and Lebanon next month, would provide a historic opportunity to promote Christian unity while bringing a message of peace and hope to Lebanon's long-suffering people and the broader Middle East.

Leo outlined the trip, announced by the Vatican Tuesday on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel, during an encounter with reporters as he left the papal country estate south of Rome.

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UK court drops charges against rapper who displayed Hezbollah flag

A UK court on Friday threw out a terrorism charge against a Northern Irish singer from the punk rap group Kneecap which had provoked an outcry among their fans.

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Salam orders ban of unauthorized use of touristic sites after Raouche Rock uproar

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Monday that he ordered the relevant authorities to prohibit the unauthorized use of the country’s touristic sites, after Hezbollah sparked controversy by announcing that it would briefly illuminate Lebanon’s iconic Raouche Rock with the images of slain leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.

“Today, I issued a circular to all public administrations and institutions, municipalities, their unions, and all relevant agencies, regarding commitment to enforcing the laws governing the use of public land and sea properties, archaeological and touristic sites, official buildings, and landmarks that carry a unifying national symbolism,” Salam said in a post on X.

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Harris stops biting her tongue in book about last year's campaign against Trump

When it was all over, Kamala Harris couldn't believe it. "I could barely breathe," she writes in her new book about learning she had lost the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump.

One of her aides peeled "Madame President" off celebratory cupcakes before serving them to crushed staffers. Harris kept asking, "My God, my God, what will happen to our country?"

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Efforts to punish Israel over Gaza grow in sports and cultural arenas

A major cycling race in Spain was disrupted by protests against an Israeli team. A basketball game in Poland was preceded by fans booing the Israeli national anthem. And several European countries are threatening to boycott a signature entertainment event if Israel takes part.

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Trump, sex abuse scandals, LGBTQ+ welcome and China in Pope Leo's first interview

Pope Leo XIV said in his first interview as history's first American pope that he has no intention of getting involved in U.S. politics but will raise his voice on issues of concern to the Catholic Church, including on immigration.

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Rushed rescue saves Gaza archeological items before Israeli strike on warehouse

Nine hours of frantic negotiation with the Israeli military. A last-minute scramble to find trucks in a devastated Gaza Strip, where fuel is in short supply. Six hours of frantic packing, carefully stacking cardboard boxes on open flatbed trucks.

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Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations make adjustments in current political climate

Each year during Hispanic Heritage Month, huge celebrations can be expected across the U.S. to showcase the diversity and culture of Hispanic people.

This year, the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns, a federally led English-only initiative and an anti-diversity, equity and inclusion push have changed the national climate in which these celebrations occur. Organizers across the country, from Massachusetts and North Carolina to California and Washington state, have postponed or canceled heritage month festivals altogether.

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Lebanese dancer defies extremist threats and social norms with his sold-out performances

Alexandre Paulikevitch put on his white dress and wig and danced his way to center stage, knowing that the extremist groups who had threatened him before his controversial recital might be waiting for him outside the theater.

The Lebanese dancer's sold-out performance to a cheering crowd at a popular Beirut venue had angered fundamentalist movements ranging from the right-wing Christian Soldiers of God to Sunni Islamists.

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Belgian festival axes German orchestra over Israeli conductor

A Belgian festival said Thursday it stood by its decision to axe a leading German orchestra's performance over concerns about its Israeli conductor -- despite furious protests from Israel and Berlin.

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