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UN rights council takes a stand against intersex discrimination

The U.N. Human Rights Council passed a resolution Thursday on tackling discrimination against intersex persons, despite opposition from several countries to the terminology used.

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A blend of Lebanese creativity and Brazilian inspiration at Tripoli's Fair

In the context of the designation of Tripoli as the Arab Capital of Culture in 2024, and the enlisting of the Tripoli Fair as World Heritage in Danger by UNESCO in 2023, the Embassy of Brazil in Beirut, Instituto Guimarães Rosa Beirut and Marsah invite you to the opening of the exhibition "Tripoli Fair: The Way I See It" Art Prize - Selected Works on April 12 from 6 to 9 pm at the Marsah space located behind the Municipality of El Mina in Tripoli.

The exhibition brings the 20 best artworks selected by the "Tripoli Fair: The Way I See It" Art Prize, promoted by the Embassy of Brazil in 2023 to raise awareness about the importance of conserving and thinking about the future of the fair, one of the most important modernist projects in the Arab World, designed by renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

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Morocco hosts one of Africa's first exhibitions of Cuban art

When Morocco 's King Mohamed VI visited Havana in 2017, Cuban-American gallery owner Alberto Magnan impressed him with a "full immersion" in the Caribbean island's art and culture, drawing a line between the cultural and historical themes tackled by Cuban artists and those from across Africa.

Seven years after that encounter, one of the first exhibitions of Cuban art at an African museum is showing at Morocco's Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

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Pope denounces 'madness of war' in Gaza, Ukraine

Pope Francis led thousands of people in a moment of silence Wednesday to pray for the aid workers killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza and a young Ukrainian soldier named Oleksandre who was killed in "this madness of war."

Francis appealed anew for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken from Israel on Oct. 7 by Hamas. Praying for the families of the seven World Central Kitchen workers killed, he called for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza's people and for all efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading.

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AUB and UNIDO: Empowering Lebanon's transition to a circular economy

In a significant stride towards advancing sustainable practices in Lebanon's food industry, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the American University of Beirut (AUB) embarked on a pioneering collaboration, marked by the launch of the Private Sector Transition to Green and Circular Economy in Lebanon project.

"This underscores a shared commitment to fostering resource efficiency, cleaner production, and ultimately, a circular economy in Lebanon," the American University of Beirut said in a statement.

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Blessing of rain dampens Holy Week in drought-stricken Spain

Some much needed rain was not going to ruin Holy Week for Alfonso del Río Martínez and his fellow Christians in the southern Spanish village of Quesada.

So when there was a break in the wet weather, they completed their annual act of spiritual devotion by parading a float bearing Christ and the Virgen through the streets of their town of some 5,000 people.

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Trump, Republicans slam Biden 'assault' on Christianity

Donald Trump and fellow Republicans assailed President Joe Biden on Saturday for what they called an assault on Christianity, after the US leader highlighted the Transgender Day of Visibility that this year coincides with Easter.

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Christian nun in Lebanon prays for Shiite fighters of Hezbollah. A furor ensues

The nun stood in front of a group of young students at a Lebanese Christian school and asked them to pray for the "men of the resistance" in southern Lebanon who she said were defending the country.

The men to whom nun Maya Ziadeh was referring are members of the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which has been clashing with Israel across a volatile border for nearly six months, becoming a critical regional player as the Israel-Hamas war persists in Gaza.

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Pope issues lengthy marching orders to priests during Holy Thursday Mass

Pope Francis urged his priests Thursday to avoid "clerical hypocrisy" and treat their flocks with mercy as he delivered a lengthy set of marching orders to Rome-based priests at the start of a busy few days leading to Easter.

A strong-looking Francis presided over a Holy Thursday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica during which the oils for church services are blessed. Later in the afternoon, he travels to Rome's main women's prison for the annual Holy Week ritual in which he washes the feet of inmates in a symbol of humility and service.

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US changes how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity for first time in 27 years

For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, an effort that federal officials believe will more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage.

The revisions to the minimum categories on race and ethnicity, announced Thursday by the Office of Management and Budget, are the latest effort to label and define the people of the United States. This evolving process often reflects changes in social attitudes and immigration, as well as a wish for people in an increasingly diverse society to see themselves in the numbers produced by the federal government.

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