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Beirut Readies for a Historic Papal Mass

More than 120,000 people are expected to attend Pope Leo XIV's mass in Beirut on Tuesday, the final day of his Lebanon visit and a chance to pay his respects at the site of the huge 2020 port explosion. The pontiff arrived from Turkey on Sunday on his inaugural visit abroad as pope and brought a message of hope, particularly to young people in ...

Israeli Minister Calls for Abbas’s Arrest if UN Vote Endorses Palestinian State

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to arrest Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas if the UN Security Council votes in favor of Palestinian statehood. "If they accelerate the recognition of this fabricated state, if the UN recognizes this, you, Mr. Prime Minister, must ...

Basketball – 2027 World Cup: Lebanon Starts Its Engines

Ranked 30th in the FIBA standings, Lebanon enters Window 1 ahead of Saudi Arabia (64th), India (76th) and Qatar (83rd). The objective is clear: secure a second consecutive World Cup qualification, reach a fifth appearance on the global stage, and turn this theoretical advantage into real points from the very first games. Their last official ...

'El Sueño': Frida Kahlo Sets Historic Auction Record With Iconic Painting

A self-portrait by legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo sold for $54.66 million in New York on Thursday, setting a new record for the price of a painting by a woman, the auction house Sotheby's said. The sale of Kahlo's 1940 artwork, titled El sueño (La cama) — which translates to The Dream (The Bed) — breaks the previous record in this ...

Leo XIV in Lebanon: A Rich and Symbolic Program

Lebanon welcomes Pope Leo XIV for his first apostolic visit since his election. Described by the Vatican as “a message of peace and resilience,” this visit comes at a time when the country continues to face severe economic, political, and social challenges. Over the course of three days, November 30 to December 2, the program ...

‘Peter Hujar’s Day’ Leads Spirit Awards Nominations

Biopic Peter Hujar's Day on Wednesday topped the nominations for the Spirit Awards, which also saw singer SZA given a nod for her debut film role. The awards honor lower budget movies and are among the first significant pre-Oscars galas to unveil their shortlists. Peter Hujar's Day, which premiered at Sundance this year, bagged five nods, ...

Israel Defense Minister Vows 'No Calm' in Lebanon Without Security for Israel

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday warned there would be "no calm" in Lebanon if Israel's security was not guaranteed, as Israeli forces intensify operations despite a year-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. "We will not allow any threats against the inhabitants of the north, and maximum enforcement will continue and even ...

From Porcelain to Tweed, EU Opens Protected Label to Crafts

Traditional crafts, from French Limoges porcelain to Irish Donegal tweed, became entitled to EU protected status as of Monday, placing them on par with agricultural products such as Champagne and Parma ham. Europe’s glassblowers, potters, jewellers, and other artisans will now be able to register their product names under the bloc’s new ...

Asterix in Germany: France’s Irrepressible Gaul to Conquer Neighbor

A theme park based on the beloved French comic strip series Asterix is to open in Germany, the first time the adventures of the pugnacious Gaul are to be the focus of an attraction outside France, its operator said on Tuesday. An existing theme park called Belantis outside the east German city of Leipzig is to morph into an Asterix theme park by ...

Ornella Vanoni, a Timeless Voice who Shaped Six Decades of Italian Music

Before becoming a singer, Vanoni was an actress. Trained at Milan’s Piccolo Teatro, she made her debut in 1960 under the direction of Giorgio Strehler, her mentor and companion, performing in Brecht’s plays. It was there she developed her mastery of text, nuance and emotional presence, foundations of her future musical identity. Her early ...

Iran Announces Discovery of Major Gold Deposit

Iran has announced the discovery of a major gold deposit at one of the country's biggest mines for the precious metal, local media reported Monday. The new vein structure was found at the privately owned Shadan gold mine in the eastern province of South Khorasan, which Fars news agency described as "among the country's most important." The ...

Lebanon Files UN Complaint Over Israeli Concrete Wall

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry filed a formal complaint through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on Friday, protesting against Israel’s construction of two T-shaped concrete barrier walls inside internationally recognized Lebanese territory near the southern town of Yaroun. In a press release, the Foreign Ministry described ...

US Museums Reopen as Tourists Celebrate Washington’s Cultural Revival

Nick Adams couldn't help but smile as he showed his son the planes hanging in Washington's Air and Space Museum, which reopened Friday after a month closed due to the US government shutdown. "We had been planning this trip for a little while and were nervous with everything shut down, but were excited to see everything open up again," said the ...

Rome Exposes Sexist Paradigms with a 'Patriarchy' Exhibition

A temporary exhibition on patriarchy in Rome showcases sexist paradigms in Italy’s male-dominated and macho society, where gender equality “is a distant prospect.” It is the year 2148 and women and men are equal: Rome’s temporary “Museum of the Patriarchy” looks back from the future to highlight the gender gap. Pink and blue payslips ...

Bulgaria Court Refuses to Extradite Beirut Blast Shipowner

A Sofia court on Wednesday refused to extradite a shipowner wanted by Lebanon over the devastating 2020 Beirut port blast, one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions that destroyed swathes of the Lebanese capital, killed more than 220 people, and injured more than 6,500. Lebanon wants Bulgaria to extradite Igor Grechushkin, a ...

Body of One of Last Three Hostages Held in Gaza Identified

Israel announced Wednesday that a body handed over by Gaza militants was that of Dror Or, one of the last three deceased hostages held in the Palestinian territory. The Islamic Jihad militant group located the body on Monday in the central Gaza Strip and on Tuesday transferred it to the Red Cross, acting as a neutral intermediary. The coffin was ...

Saudi AI Firm Humain Inks Nvidia Deal as US Allows Chip Sales

Saudi Arabia's state-backed artificial intelligence firm Humain has announced a new partnership with Nvidia, as US officials cleared the way for the sale of advanced microchips to the Gulf kingdom. The announcement came as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Washington this week, where the heir to the Saudi throne secured a deal to purchase ...

82nd Anniversary of Lebanon’s Independence: Army Commander Calls for National Unity

On the occasion of the 82nd anniversary of Lebanon’s independence, Army Commander General Rodolphe Haikal reaffirmed that the military’s deployment plan in the South is “progressing as scheduled,” despite what he described as “exceptional circumstances” requiring “prudence, restraint, and professionalism.” He noted that since the ...

Tom Cruise Receives an Honorary Oscar for His Body of Work

Often nominated but never awarded, American actor Tom Cruise received an Honorary Oscar on Sunday night—the first golden statuette of his long and decorated career—before a hall full of Hollywood’s biggest names at the Governors Awards. To the sound of the iconic Mission Impossible score, a defining element of the 63-year-old actor’s ...

Pope Decries Lack of Political will on Climate Change

Pope Leo XIV on Monday urged "concrete actions" on climate change and complained that some leaders lacked the will to act, as he addressed religious dignitaries on the sidelines of the COP30 summit. The Vatican released the American pope's address to churches of the southern hemisphere assembled on the sidelines of the UN climate talks in Belem, ...

UNIFIL Begins Withdrawal as Europe Weighs Replacement Force

No one can predict what southern Lebanon will look like after UNIFIL withdraws at the end of 2026. Will Lebanon have succeeded in disarming Hezbollah? Will it be able to fully control the south, particularly the area south of the Litani River? And what role will the international presence play in the region? UNIFIL has already begun reducing its ...

Iran Says No Access to Bombed Nuclear Sites Without IAEA Deal

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the UN's nuclear watchdog would not be given access to Iranian nuclear sites attacked during its recent war with Israel without a concrete deal being agreed. "The facilities that were attacked have their own story, and until a decision is made and a conclusion is reached between us, the IAEA and ...

Pope Leo XIV Honors the Dedication of the Sisters of the Cross and Hospital Staff

During his visit to the Sisters of the Cross Hospital, Pope Leo XIV expressed his joy at being there: “Jesus dwells here: in you who are sick and in you who care for the sick – the sisters, the doctors, and all staff.”  He thanked everyone for their dedication and reminded them: “You are a tangible sign of Christ’s merciful ...

Financial Restructuring: Fadi Khalaf Cautions Against a “Partial” Approach

The Secretary-General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), Dr. Fadi Khalaf, has cautioned that any financial restructuring confined to the banking sector is likely to fail unless accompanied by comprehensive state reform. In his editorial for the ABL’s November report, published Monday, Khalaf emphasized that Lebanon’s ...

EU Weighs Boosting Lebanon’s ISF to Free Army for Hezbollah Disarmament

The European Union is examining ways to reinforce Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF) so the Lebanese army can focus on disarming Hezbollah, according to an EU diplomatic document seen by Reuters. The confidential paper, circulated among the 27 EU member states, outlines consultations with Lebanese authorities and a scoping mission ...

Israel Says It Destroyed a Hezbollah Tunnel and Weapons Depot in South Lebanon

The Israeli army announced Sunday that it destroyed “a tunnel opening” and “a weapons storage site” attributed to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, according to a statement posted on X by its Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee. According to Adraee, forces from the 601st Battalion, under the command of the 769th ...

Iran Says New Framework Needed to Access Bombed Nuclear Sites

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a new approach should be taken for the monitoring of the country's nuclear sites attacked in a recent war with Israel. Tehran is under pressure from Western powers to allow inspectors from the UN's nuclear watchdog into the facilities. "We need a method or a framework for how to inspect ...

Jordan Tells Russia to Stop Recruiting its Citizens After Two Killed

Jordan on Thursday asked Russia to stop recruiting its citizens for its armed forces after two of them were killed fighting for Moscow. In a statement, the foreign ministry called the recruitment "a violation of Jordanian law and international law" that "exposes citizens to serious danger". Spokesman for the ministry Fuad al-Majali called on ...

US Ambassador: Israel Differentiates Between Lebanon Talks and Hezbollah Conflict

Israel makes a clear distinction between its negotiations with the Lebanese government and its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa said following a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by Edward Gabriel, chairman of the American Task Force for Lebanon ...