Keyword "REL" - List of latest news (1 366 results)

12:35 Forget the film: Vatican is preparing for the real 'Conclave'

As the Vatican prepares for the secret meeting of cardinals who will pick a successor to Pope Francis, forget - to some extent - what you may have learned from "Conclave", last year's hit movie depicting high-level power games and backstabbing among the red-robed clerics.

12:31 As Pope Francis lies in state, Catholics gather in Rome to say goodbye

Maria Pia Caruso travelled to Rome from her hometown in northern Italy after she learned Pope Francis had died at age 88, to say a final goodbye to a pontiff she believes brought important changes to the global Catholic Church.

10:22 Who will be the next pope? Some hints to watch for

No one knows who the world's Catholic cardinals will choose to succeed Pope Francis as the new leader of the global Catholic Church. But for those watching attentively, there are sometimes hints about who might emerge as the next pontiff.

08:59 Italy's Serie A fixtures rescheduled due to Pope Francis' funeral

Italy's top-flight Serie A soccer league has postponed Saturday's three fixtures until Sunday due to Pope Francis' funeral being held that day in Rome, it said on Tuesday.

03:43 Pope Francis' body lies in state at St Peter's ahead of funeral

Pope Francis' body will be moved to St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday to allow Catholic faithful to pay their final respects ahead of a funeral expected to bring U.S. President Donald Trump and dozens of other world leaders to Rome.

22:56 Israel shares, then deletes, condolences over pope's death

The Israeli government shared and then deleted a social media post offering condolences over the death of Pope Francis, without saying why, though an Israeli newspaper linked the decision to the late pontiff's criticism of the war in Gaza.

22:56 Abuse victims say they saw progress under Pope Francis, just not enough

When Pope Francis sat with his head in his hands and listened to accounts of clerical sexual abuse for an hour longer than scheduled during a trip to Dublin in 2018, many of those present were deeply moved.

16:43 Africans root for first Black pope in modern history

Africans are hoping one of their own could become the first Black pope in modern history and build on Francis's legacy of championing the developing world, though the chances of that happening appear slim.

22/04 US Supreme Court to weigh objections to elementary school LGBT storybooks

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider on Tuesday a bid by Christian and Muslim parents in Maryland to keep their elementary school children out of certain classes when storybooks with LGBT characters are read in the latest case involving the intersection of religion and LGBT rights.

22/04 For US Catholics, Pope Francis' tenure defined by growing divisions

When Pope Francis visited the United States in 2015, cheering crowds of Catholics and non-Catholics turned out in New York, Washington and Philadelphia to greet him, lifting hopes that the U.S. church was about to enter a new, vibrant era.

22/04 Pope Francis broke with tradition in choosing St. Mary Major for burial

Pope Francis, who visited more than 60 countries during his papacy, will make his final journey along the road from Vatican City to the Esquiline, one of the seven hills of Rome, where he wanted to be buried in a last break from tradition.

22/04 Two papal deaths 20 years apart, one expected, the other a surprise

When Pope John Paul II died on the evening of April 2, 2005, the whole world knew it would be coming at any moment.

22/04 Cardinals to meet after death of Pope Francis, plan for funeral

Cardinals were due to meet on Tuesday to plan Pope Francis' funeral, which leaders from around the world will attend ahead of a conclave next month to elect a new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

21/04 Argentina cancels games after death of fan Pope Francis

Argentina's football association postponed all fixtures on Monday to mourn Pope Francis, an ardent fan of the game and supporter of Buenos Aires' San Lorenzo team.

21/04 Pope Francis gave women Vatican roles, but held back on wider changes

One of the most long-lasting impacts of Pope Francis' pontificate may be his appointment of more women than ever before to top Vatican positions.

21/04 Pope Francis spent final day working, despite doctors' orders

After spending more than five weeks in hospital for a bout of double pneumonia, doctors told Pope Francis he needed two months' rest - but the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics kept working right to the end.

21/04 Who might succeed Pope Francis? Nine possible candidates

Predict who the next pope will be at your peril.

21/04 Vatican suspends Acutis ceremony after pope's death but Jubilee continues

The canonisation of the first saint of the millennial generation, Carlo Acutis, has been suspended due to Pope Francis' death, the Vatican said in a statement on Monday.

21/04 Pope Francis, the Argentine pontiff, never returned home

Argentines long waited for Pope Francis to visit the homeland he left in 2013 to become the head of the Roman Catholic Church. With his death on Monday at the age of 88 after a long illness, those hopes for his return end unrealized.

21/04 Putin praises Pope Francis, sends his condolences

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, the Kremlin said on Monday.

21/04  Pope Francis: timeline of the pontiff's life and career

Following are some of the major events of the life and ministry of Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88.

21/04 Pope Francis: His pontificate in numbers 

Here are some statistics about Pope Francis, whose death at the age of 88 was announced by the Vatican on Monday.

21/04 After Pope Francis' death, focus turns to cardinals who will elect next pontiff

With the death of Pope Francis, announced by the Vatican on Monday, Roman Catholics around the globe will start speculating on who among the red-robed cardinals will succeed him.

21/04 Pope Francis: memorable quotes and sayings

Below are some memorable quotes from Pope Francis, whose death at the age of 88 was announced by the Vatican on Monday. The quotes are arranged according to subjects that cropped up during his papacy, in chronological order within each theme.

21/04 Pope Francis death: what happens next?

Here is what happens next in the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis, which was announced by the Vatican on Monday. The rituals mark the end of one papacy and the start of the next:

21/04 Reactions to the death of Pope Francis

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday. He was 88, and had recently suffered a serious bout of double pneumonia.

21/04 Pope Francis death: the steps to choose a successor

With the death of Pope Francis, announced by the Vatican on Monday, the Roman Catholic Church will begin elaborate rituals steeped in tradition that mark the end of one papacy and lead to the start of the next.

21/04 Pope Francis: Key moments from his life

Here are some facts about Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88.

21/04 Pope Francis obituary: a pontiff who shook up the Catholic Church

Pope Francis changed the face of the modern papacy more than any predecessor.

21/04 Pope Francis has died, Vatican says

Francis' death comes a day after he had made his first prolonged public appearance.

20/04 King Charles and Queen Camilla greet crowds after Easter service

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla briefly greeted onlookers after an Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, an important fixture in the calendar of the monarch, who is supreme governor of the Church of England.

20/04 Pope Francis, a Trump critic, meets US VP Vance on Easter morning

Pope Francis held a private meeting at the Vatican on Sunday morning with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the Vatican said in a statement.

20/04 Pope Francis greets cheering Easter crowds from popemobile as he recovers from pneumonia

Pope Francis entered St. Peter's Square on Sunday in an open-air popemobile for the first time since surviving double pneumonia, greeting tens of thousands of Catholics after the Vatican's celebration of Easter Mass.

20/04 Putin attends Orthodox Easter service after declaring ceasefire in Ukraine

The Orthodox faith is central to Putin's world view and he attends services during major church holidays.

20/04 First Shockwaves of Trump’s Tariffs Are About to Hit the World Economy

Three weeks after US President Donald Trump effectively declared a trade war with the whole world, new economic forecasts and surveys will point to the initial fallout.

19/04 Russia's Putin declares unilateral Easter ceasefire in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin said he assumed Ukraine would follow Russia's example.

19/04 Pakistani Christian man to appeal death sentence for blasphemy

A Christian man accused of blasphemy in the eastern Pakistani town of Jaranwala will appeal against a death sentence handed down by an anti-terrorism court, his lawyer said on Saturday.

19/04 Vance meets Vatican officials, critical of Trump policies, on Easter trip

U.S. Vice President JD Vance went to the Vatican on Saturday to meet senior Catholic Church officials who have been sharply critical of his administration's policies, in the first such in-person talks of the second Trump presidency.

18/04 Pope Francis, still recovering, skips Rome's annual Good Friday procession

Pope Francis, still recovering from double pneumonia, did not attend an annual procession on Friday at Rome's Colosseum with thousands of Catholic faithful for the third year in a row.

18/04 Russian drone hits bakery preparing Easter cakes, killing one, Kyiv says

A Russian drone strike early on Friday hit a bakery in northern Ukraine where traditional Easter cakes were being prepared, killing one man, Ukrainian officials said.

17/04 Trump administration says Harvard may lose ability to enroll foreign students

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Harvard University will lose its ability to enroll foreign students if it does not meet demands from the Trump administration in the government's latest escalation against the educational institution.

16/04 Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican

Pope Francis on Wednesday thanked members of the medical team who saved his life during a five-week hospital stay for a serious case of double pneumonia, speaking softly but breathing without oxygen at the meeting in the Vatican.

16/04 Trump Signs Executive Orders on Federal Purchasing, Office Space

President Donald Trump has signed orders overhauling where and how the federal government spends taxpayer money, encouraging agencies to move out of downtown districts and requiring agencies to buy more off-the-shelf products.

16/04 US pastor kidnapped in South Africa rescued unharmed after police shootout

South African police have rescued a kidnapped American pastor "miraculously unharmed" following a deadly shootout, authorities said on Wednesday.

15/04 Italian teen set to be first millennial saint was 'ordinary child', says mother

Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian boy who built websites to spread his faith, will be proclaimed the Catholic Church's first saint of the millennial generation this month, elevating him to the same level as Mother Teresa and Francis of Assisi.

14/04 Pope puts Sagrada Familia architect Gaudi on path to sainthood

Pope Francis has approved the first step towards sainthood for Antoni Gaudi, the modernist architect behind Barcelona's "Sagrada Familia" basilica, the Vatican said on Monday.

13/04 Pope Francis makes brief appearance after Palm Sunday service

Unlike last Sunday, he was not receiving oxygen via a small hose under his nose.

12/04 Harvard professors sue over Trump's review of $9 billion in funding

Harvard University professors are suing to block the Trump administration's review of nearly $9 billion in federal contracts and grants awarded to the Ivy League school as part of a crackdown on what it says is antisemitism on college campuses.

11/04 US judge will not curb immigration enforcement in places of worship

A federal judge on Friday refused to limit the Trump administration's immigration enforcement activities in places of worship, ruling against a group of 27 religious organizations that had sued the administration over its decision to drop a previous policy against enforcement in sensitive locations.

11/04 US immigration judge to decide whether Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported

A U.S. immigration judge will rule on Friday whether the government can deport Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil, a month after he was arrested at his Columbia University apartment building and transferred to a Louisiana jail.

11/04 Pope Francis wears black pants, not papal attire, in surprise visit to St. Peter's

Pope Francis, who is taking two months' rest as he recovers from double pneumonia, made an unannounced visit to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Thursday dressed in black pants rather than his usual, traditional white papal attire.

10/04 US to screen social media of immigrants, rights advocates raise concerns

The U.S. government said on Wednesday it will begin screening the social media of immigrants and visa applicants for what it called antisemitic activity, leading to swift condemnations from rights advocates, including some Jewish ones, who raised free speech and surveillance concerns.

10/04 Catholics prepare for an unusual Easter, with Pope Francis out of view

The Catholic Church starts its busiest week of the year on Sunday with the countdown to Easter, but Pope Francis remains out of public view after surviving double pneumonia and it is unclear whether he will take any part in the celebrations.

09/04 Britain's King Charles makes surprise visit to Pope Francis at Vatican

Pope Francis had a previously unannounced meeting at the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon with Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla, during their state visit to Italy, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican announced.

09/04 US freezes funding for Cornell, Northwestern University in latest crackdown

The Trump administration has frozen over $1 billion in funding for Cornell University and $790 million for Northwestern University while it investigates both schools over civil rights violations, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

08/04 India overhauls teaching in Himalayan Buddhist monasteries to counter China

India is preparing to roll out its first school curriculum for Buddhist monasteries this month, aiming to unify education programmes and foster patriotism in Himalayan religious centers near its border with China.

07/04 Frankfurt's orphan offices could be 20,000 apartments

A study commissioned by the LBBW subsidiary Berlin Hyp to convert office properties has resulted in a theoretical potential of 20,000 new apartments in Frankfurt. In all seven German A-cities-in addition to the Main metropolis also Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Cologne-there are even around 150,000 apartments.

07/04 Britain's King Charles, Queen Camilla arrive in Italy for state visit

King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla arrived in Italy on Monday for a four-day state visit during which the British monarch will address the Italian parliament in Rome.

03/04 Naples celebrates 2,500 years with massive Easter egg

In a sweet tribute to Naples, the city's famed 'Gay-Odin' chocolate factory has unveiled a giant Easter egg as part of the "Napoli Millenaria" cultural project marking 2,500 years of the southern Italian city.

02/04 Top cases before the US Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court's current term includes cases involving guns, gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, online pornography, religious rights, TikTok, preventive healthcare, Planned Parenthood funding, job discrimination, federal regulatory powers on nuclear waste storage and vape products, voting rights and more.

02/04 Princeton's US grants are frozen, follows Trump administration moves against other schools

Princeton University said on Tuesday the U.S. government froze several dozen research grants to the school, which became the latest academic institution targeted by the Trump administration.

31/03 UAE sentences killers of Israeli rabbi to death

The United Arab Emirates on Monday sentenced three people to death for the murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who was killed in November in the Gulf country, state news agency WAM reported.

31/03 Carney Vows to Revive Canada’s Wartime-Era Homebuilding Strategy

Liberal Leader Mark Carney promised his government would get back in the business of homebuilding with a plan he’s pitching as Canada’s most ambitious since World War II.

29/03 Myanmar quake struck mosques as minority Muslims gathered for Ramadan prayers

When Friday's powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar, Htet Min Oo was performing ritual ablutions before Ramadan prayers at a mosque next to his house in Mandalay.

29/03 Former Church of England leader says scale of abuse scandal was 'overwhelming'

Justin Welby, the former spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide, reiterated he had failed to ensure proper investigations into allegations of abuse within the Church of England, saying the scale of the issue was "overwhelming".

24/03 James Hardie Defends $8.75 Billion AZEK Deal as Stock Slumps

James Hardie Industries Plc Chief Executive Officer Aaron Erter defended the company’s $8.75 billion acquisition of home-decking provider AZEK Co. as the deal triggered a stock slump amid uncertainty about the health of the US economy.

23/03 Pope Francis leaves hospital after first public appearance in five weeks

Pope Francis left Rome's Gemelli hospital on Sunday following a five-week stay to be treated for pneumonia, making his first public appearance since February 14 by waving to well-wishers from a balcony moments before he was discharged.

23/03 Australia Treasurer Warns of ‘Seismic’ US Global Economic Shock

Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned the impact of the new US administration’s policies will have a “seismic” impact on the global economy, ahead of his fourth national budget due to be handed down on Tuesday.

22/03 Pope Francis must relearn to speak after oxygen therapy, cardinal says

He is slowly regaining his strength, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez said.

22/03 Pope Francis plans to appear in public on Sunday for first time in five weeks

Pope Francis plans to make his first appearance in more than five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from the window of his room at Rome's Gemelli Hospital as he battles double pneumonia, the Vatican said.

21/03 Canada’s Oldest Retailer, Hudson’s Bay, to Begin Liquidating Most Stores on Monday

Hudson’s Bay Co. ULC can begin liquidating all but six of its stores on Monday, an Ontario court decided on Friday, ending an era of department store dominance for Canada’s oldest company.

20/03 US seeks to deport pro-Palestinian Georgetown University student

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has detained an Indian man studying at Washington's Georgetown University and is seeking to deport him after deeming him a harm to U.S. foreign policy, the student's lawyer said on Wednesday.

20/03 That attacks against Google and Apple on offense against the Big Tech

The European Union warned Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., that it must adjust to the norms with respect to large technological ones or risk large fines, within the framework of a double climb against Silicon Valley that could further exacerbate the tensions with the president of the United States, Donald Trump.

19/03 Google, Apple Hit by Twin EU Rebuke Amid Big Tech Crackdown

Alphabet Inc.’s Google was warned to step in line with the European Union’s Big Tech rules or risk hefty fines as part of a two-pronged escalation against Silicon Valley that risks further inflaming tensions with US President Donald Trump.

19/03 Israel's multiple wars in the Middle East

Israel has been fighting wars on several fronts in the Middle East since the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked communities in the country in October 2023 and triggered a conflict in Gaza.

10/03 Pope Francis responding well to treatment, prognosis no longer guarded, Vatican says

Pope Francis is responding well to treatment in hospital and his doctors have decided his prognosis is no longer guarded, the Vatican said on Monday, in a sign of progress as the 88-year-old pontiff battles double pneumonia.

10/03 US Supreme Court to hear challenge to Colorado gay 'conversion therapy' ban

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a Christian therapist's challenge on free speech grounds to a Democratic-backed Colorado law banning "conversion therapy" intended to change a minor's sexual orientation or gender identity.

10/03 Damascus faces demands for accountability after civilian killings

Syria's Islamist-led government on Monday said it had completed a military operation against a nascent insurgency by Bashar al-Assad loyalists, as it faced Western demands for accountability over the reported killing of hundreds of civilians.

10/03 Fake plan to attack Australia synagogue fabricated by organised crime, police say

A fake plan to attack on a Sydney synagogue using a caravan of explosives was fabricated by an organised crime network in order to divert police resources, Australian police said on Monday.

09/03 Israel says it will let Syrian Druze workers cross into Golan Heights

Israel's Defence Ministry said on Sunday it would let Syrian Druze workers enter the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syrian territory, without saying when the government would start issuing permits.

09/03 Pope Francis, starting fourth week in hospital, showing improvement, Vatican says

Pope Francis is showing a "good response" to his treatment in hospital for double pneumonia and his overall condition is gradually improving, the Vatican said on Saturday.

07/03 Pope Francis, in stable condition, sends first audio message from hospital

A brief, two-line message recorded by Francis from Rome's Gemelli hospital was played during a nightly prayer service for the pope in St Peter's Square at the Vatican.

04/03 Trump Seeks to Put 443 Federal Properties Up for Sale

The government’s list of “non-core” assets totals almost 80 million square feet of commercial space across 47 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico.

28/02 Florida’s DeSantis Pushes Unusual Plan to Abolish Property Taxes

Florida has no income tax, and now Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing a plan to eliminate the state’s property levies as well.

26/02 San Francisco Mayor Orders Workers Back Four Days a Week

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is ordering city workers back in the office four days a week, following in the steps of major employers as he seeks to revive a downtown battered by remote work.

26/01 Charting the Global Economy: Bank of Japan Raises Interest Rates

The Bank of Japan raised its key policy rate to the highest level since 2008 and took a more bullish view on the strength of inflation.

25/01 Albania to create a Vatican-style, Bektashi state in Tirana

Albania will create a sovereign Muslim state in Tirana for the Bektashi religious order, along the lines of the Vatican in Rome, to preserve and promote religious tolerance, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Saturday.

25/01 Trump's Justice Department limits cases over blocked access to abortion clinics

The U.S. Justice Department's new leadership under President Donald Trump ordered cutbacks on Friday on federal prosecutions of people accused of blocking access to reproductive health centers and abortion clinics, calling such cases a "weaponization" of law enforcement.

24/01 Afghans stranded in Mexico under Trump immigration crackdown face bleak choices

Naser Zazai, 29, had planned to reunite with his mother and brother in the United States this week after fleeing Afghanistan, where he says he was threatened and attacked because his brother had once worked for the U.S. military.

23/01 UK teenager jailed for minimum of 52 years for 'harrowing' Southport girls' murders

A British teenager who killed three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event was jailed for at least 52 years on Thursday, for an attack Prime Minister Keir Starmer called one of the most harrowing moments in Britain's history.

23/01 Syria's new leaders turn to Islamic law in effort to rebuild Assad's police

Syria's new authorities are using Islamic teachings to train a fledgling police force, a move officers say aims to instil a sense of morality as they race to fill a security vacuum after dismantling ousted president Bashar al-Assad's notoriously corrupt and brutal security forces.

23/01 A tech-savvy Maha Kumbh: India aims for a safer religious festival

Inspired by stories of families separated among the millions celebrating the weeks-long Maha Kumbh Mela, old Bollywood films often featured plots in which siblings got lost at the Hindu festival and were only reunited decades later.

23/01 Rights groups warn Trump executive order would restore Muslim 'travel ban'

U.S. civil rights groups are warning that an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday lays the groundwork for reinstatement of a ban on travelers from predominantly Muslim or Arab countries.

22/01 Two killed in German park in stabbing attack; Afghan suspect arrested

A 28-year-old man from Afghanistan was arrested following a knife attack on Wednesday in a park in the German city of Aschaffenburg in which two people were killed, including a toddler, police and the state health minister said.

22/01 Turkey opposition leader to stand trial for inciting public hatred

A Turkish court late on Tuesday ordered far-right Victory Party leader Umit Ozdag be held in custody pending trial on charges of inciting public hatred through social media, prompting widespread condemnation from opposition leaders.

21/01 Trump attends prayer service, gets an earful on immigrants and LGBT youth

President Donald Trump began his first full day in office attending a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday and got a sermon he may not have been expecting: an appeal to protect immigrants and respect gay rights.

21/01 Harvard settles lawsuits over antisemitism on campus

Harvard University will provide additional protections for Jewish students under a settlement announced on Tuesday that resolves two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.

21/01 Germany's Scholz responds to Musk, saying freedom of speech must not back extreme-right

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday he does not support freedom of speech when it is used for extreme-right views, a day after a hand gesture by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk caused uproar during Donald Trump's inauguration festivities.

21/01 Childcare centre torched in latest antisemitic attack in Australia

A childcare centre in Sydney was set alight early morning on Tuesday and antisemitic graffiti was sprayed on the wall, authorities said, the latest in a spate of attacks in Australia targeting the Jewish community.

21/01 Musk's hand gesture during Trump inauguration festivities draws scrutiny

Billionaire Elon Musk's hand gesture while he spoke during a celebration of President Donald Trump's inauguration drew online comparisons to a Nazi salute on Monday, but a leading tracker of antisemitism said it appeared to represent a moment of enthusiasm instead.

21/01 Melania's big hat plays starring role in Trump's Inauguration Day

As President Donald Trump entered the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to be sworn into office on Monday, he moved to kiss the cheek of his wife Melania but was blocked by a wide-brimmed hat that the First Lady wore throughout the entirety of Inauguration Day.

20/01 Italian church probe reveals scores of abuse cases in a single diocese

Dozens of sex abuse cases committed by members of the clergy over six decades emerged on Monday from an independent report into a northern Italian diocese that considered a far longer timescale than others produced by the Italian Catholic Church.

20/01 British teenager goes on trial over girls' murders in UK's Southport

A British teenager will go on trial on Monday, accused of murdering three young girls in a knife attack in the northern English town of Southport last July, a crime that horrified the nation and was followed by days of nationwide rioting.

19/01 Pope Francis says Trump's immigration raids would be a 'disgrace'

Pope Francis on Sunday criticized President-elect Donald Trump's reported plan to sharply intensify immigration enforcement actions across the U.S. in the days after his inauguration.

19/01 Biden tries to lift Democrats' spirits on last full day in office

Biden alluded to bitter political disappointment following his withdrawal from the race, and suggested he intended to stay in the public eye after his term ends.

19/01 Negotiators zero in on potential deal to disarm Syria's last battleground

Negotiators are zeroing in on a potential deal to resolve one of the most explosive questions looming over Syria's future: the fate of Kurdish forces that the U.S. considers key allies against Islamic State but neighbouring Turkey regards as a national security threat.

17/01 Top cases now before the US Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court's current term includes cases involving TikTok, guns, gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, online pornography, religious rights, preventive healthcare, Planned Parenthood funding, job discrimination, federal regulatory powers on nuclear waste storage and vape products, voting rights and more.

17/01 Who's a very good boy? Madrid church douses pets with holy water

Dozens of dogs and cats, a few parrots and a chicken queued up alongside their owners outside a church in Madrid on Friday, waiting their turn to be blessed by a Catholic priest in a popular annual ritual.

17/01 Tens of thousands join student-led protests in Belgrade

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters in Belgrade on Friday stood in silence in front of the state television RTS building for 15 minutes to commemorate victims of a railway station roof collapse for which they blame Serbian authorities.

17/01 US Supreme Court to hear dispute over LGBT books in Maryland school district

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear a bid by religious parents to keep their children out of classes in a Maryland public school district when LGBT storybooks are read, the latest case to come to the justices involving the intersection between religion and LGBT rights.

17/01 'Bombed from the sky': Nigerians decry another deadly airstrike on civilians

When vigilantes in northwestern Nigeria's Tungar Kara town prepared to go after an armed gang in a nearby forest last Saturday, residents cheered and prayed for their safe return.

17/01 What are the cases against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi?

A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years imprisonment and his wife Bushra Bibi to seven years in a land corruption case, his legal team said.

17/01 Former home of Jewish leader vandalised, cars torched in Sydney

A home in Sydney previously owned by a senior Jewish community leader was vandalised on Friday morning and two cars were set on fire, with one spray painted with an antisemitic slur, Australian authorities said.

14/01 Sudan's army condemns ethnically-targeted killings of civilians in El Gezira

The Sudanese army on Tuesday condemned what it called "individual violations" in Sudan's El Gezira in recent days after rights groups blamed the army and its allies for ethnically-targeted attacks on civilians.

14/01 Benin festival seeks to dispel voodoo stereotypes

Modeste Zinsou, manager of Benin's Python Temple, gently drapes a live snake around a visitor's neck at the country's annual voodoo festival, as spectators learn about the reptiles' sacred connection to voodoo spirituality.

14/01 Pope Francis, in new book, downplays health issues: 'I am well'

Pope Francis, who turned 88 last month and asked an aide to read a major speech last week due to a cold, says in a new book that he feels healthy and has no plans to resign as leader of the global Catholic Church.

14/01 Earthquake shakes Tibetan monasteries, casualties among clergy unknown

At least two Tibetan Buddhism monastic centres were severely damaged in Tibet with an unknown number of monks and nuns hurt, according to the few state media reports on the damage to religious sites since last week's powerful earthquake.

14/01 India's Maha Kumbh marks first 'royal bath' with dreadlocked ascetics' holy dip

Scores of naked Hindu ascetics smeared in holy ash charged into the water of holy rivers in northern India on Tuesday, dreadlocks flying, during the first 'royal bath' of the Maha Kumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival.

14/01 Spain seeks 100% tax on foreigners who buy houses

Spain wants non-EU residents to pay up to 100% tax on home purchases in the country, in a bid to curb growing discontent over rising property prices.

13/01 Tens of thousands take holy dip in India as Maha Kumbh festival begins

Tens of thousands of Hindus seeking absolution of their sins immersed themselves on Monday in freezing waters at the confluence of sacred rivers, as India began a six-week festival expected to draw the world's largest gathering of humanity.

12/01 India set for Maha Kumbh Mela, the world's largest gathering of humanity

A six-week Maha Kumbh Mela or Great Pitcher Festival begins in India on Monday, a Hindu sacred event that will be the world's largest gathering of humanity as it showcases religion, spirituality, tourism and crowd management.

11/01 Sydney synagogue sprayed with antisemitic graffiti in latest attack on Australian Jews

A synagogue in Sydney was daubed in antisemitic graffiti, police said on Saturday, a day after the antisemitic vandalism of a separate synagogue in the New South Wales state capital.

09/01 Ramping up criticism of Israel, Pope calls situation in Gaza 'shameful'

In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza, where there is almost no electricity.

09/01 Philippines' Black Nazarene procession draws hundreds of thousands of devotees

Hundreds of thousands of barefoot devotees joined an annual procession in the Philippines of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ on Thursday in one of the world's grandest displays of Catholic devotion and expression of faith.

09/01 India's Tirupati temple stampede: Six dead as thousands gather for free pass

At least six people were killed and several others injured late on Wednesday in a stampede in southern India after thousands of devotees queued outside one of the most visited Hindu temples to collect tokens for a free visit to the deity.

08/01 Wealth managers flock to South American coastal getaway

South America's summer playground for the rich is becoming a new magnet for wealth management as Uruguay strengthens its reputation as an investor-friendly haven in a tumultuous region.

07/01 France commemorates victims of Charlie Hebdo attacks 10 years on

France on Tuesday commemorated the victims of the deadly assault on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine 10 years ago that began a spate of Islamist militant attacks on the country and stoked a debate on press freedoms that still rages today.

06/01 French weekly Charlie Hebdo marks 10th anniversary of attack with special edition

The French satirical newsweekly Charlie Hebdo will this week mark 10 years since 12 people died in an attack on its newsroom with a special edition of the magazine.

06/01 Pope Francis names Trump critic McElroy as Washington's new archbishop

Pope Francis on Monday named a Catholic cardinal who has criticized Donald Trump's political agenda as the new leader for the Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., days before Trump is set to be inaugurated as U.S. president.

06/01 Church of England faces uncharted waters as Welby's tenure ends

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will end his duties on Monday after quitting amid an abuse cover-up scandal, but his interim successor is facing scrutiny in a similar case, leaving the Church of England on uncertain ground.

04/01 Myanmar junta to free 5,864 prisoners under amnesty

Myanmar's military government will release 5,864 prisoners, including 180 foreigners, under an amnesty marking the Southeast Asian nation's independence day, state media said on Saturday.

03/01 New Orleans attack puts spotlight on Islamic State comeback bid

A U.S. Army veteran who flew a black Islamic State flag on a truck that he rammed into New Year's revelers in New Orleans shows how the extremist group still retains the ability to inspire violence despite suffering years of losses to a U.S.-led military coalition.

02/01 Cuba's Santeria priests urge followers to hunker down amid crisis

In their New Year predictions, high priests from Cuba's Afro-Cuban Santeria religion told followers on Thursday to watch their health and spending, care for their families, guard against crime and drink less alcohol amid a punishing economic crisis entering its sixth year.

02/01 World's oldest living gold medallist Agnes Keleti dies at 103

Five-time Olympic champion Hungarian gymnast Agnes Keleti, the world's oldest living Olympic gold medallist and a survivor of the persecution of Jews in World War Two, died at the age of 103 on Thursday, the Hungarian Olympic Committee said.

02/01 What is Islamic State, the group implicated in the New Orleans attack?

The radical Islamic State group, which once imposed a reign of terror over millions of people in Syria and Iraq, has been implicated in the truck attack on a New Orleans crowd, which killed 15 people and injured about 30.

02/01 Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Somalia's Puntland military base

The Islamic State group on Wednesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base in Somalia's northeastern region of Puntland a day earlier, the group posted on its Telegram channel.

31/12 World star Lionel Messi puts his real estate on the stock market

Soccer star Lionel Messi took his real estate holdings public, valuing the portfolio at €223 million (US$232 million).

31/12 Nepal's kung fu nuns kick off reopening of nunnery to public after five years

About a dozen nuns performed hand chops and high kicks, some of them wielding swords, as they showed off their martial art skills to hundreds of cheering wellwishers at the long-awaited reopening of their nunnery in Nepal.

30/12 US economy surprises again in 2024 despite elections and Fed

In recent years, the US economy has consistently defied expectations of a slowdown, and 2024 was no different.

30/12 US Economy Surprised Again in 2024 Despite Fed, Election Drama

Over the last few years, the US economy has consistently defied expectations for a slowdown, and 2024 was no different.

29/12 The words of former US President Jimmy Carter

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at age 100. Here are some of his quotes:

26/12 Israeli security minister enters Al-Aqsa mosque compound 'in prayer' for Gaza hostages

Israel's ultranationalist security minister ascended to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday for what he said was a "prayer" for hostages in Gaza, freshly challenging rules over one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East.

26/12 Pope opens special 'Holy Door' for Catholic Jubilee at Rome prison

Pope Francis made a visit on Thursday to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy, opening a special "Holy Door" for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, in what the Vatican said was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff.

26/12 Fourteen Syrian police killed in ambush as unrest spreads

Demonstrations and an overnight curfew elsewhere marked the most widespread unrest since Bashar al-Assad's removal more than two weeks ago.

25/12 On Christmas Day, Pope Francis calls for talks to end Ukraine war

Pope Francis in his Christmas message on Wednesday called for talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the war that followed Moscow's full-scale invasion two years ago and has killed tens of thousands.

25/12 Church of England must repent, leading cleric says at Christmas

The Church of England's second most senior cleric Stephen Cottrell will call in a Christmas sermon on Wednesday for repentance and change within an institution reeling from child abuse cover-up scandals.

24/12 Morocco proposes family law reforms to improve women's rights

Morocco aims to grant women more rights over child custody and guardianship as well as a veto over polygamous marriage, in the first review of its family code in 20 years, the justice and Islamic affairs ministers said on Tuesday.

24/12 On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis appeals for courage to better the world

Pope Francis said the story of Jesus' birth as a poor carpenter's son should instil hope that all people can make an impact on the world, as the pontiff on Tuesday led the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas.

24/12 Syrian ex-rebel factions agree to merge under defence ministry

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa reached an agreement with former rebel faction chiefs to dissolve all groups and consolidate them under the defence ministry.

23/12 Over 200 killed in Haiti's Cite Soleil massacre, UN report finds

At least 207 people were killed by members of the Wharf Jeremie gang in Haiti's portside neighborhood of Cite Soleil earlier this month, the United Nations said in a report on Monday, revising up a death toll it initially estimated at 187.

23/12 Syria's Christians fearful of new Islamist leaders as Christmas approaches

Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year, despite assurances from the Islamists who have just taken power that they are free to practise their religion.

23/12 Rome completes $88 million city overhaul project for 2025 Holy Year

Rome has completed the most ambitious of thousands of construction works that have disrupted daily life in the Eternal City in preparation for the millions of tourists expected during the 2025 Catholic Holy Year that starts this week

23/12 France extends Olympics security measures to Christmas market. Rights defenders cry foul

The first time French police informed the Chechen refugee that he was prohibited from leaving the northeastern city of Strasbourg and must check in with them daily, he did not think it worth contesting the order.

23/12 Senegal's toy makers thrive ahead of Christmas

Senegal's local toymakers are experiencing a boom in demand ahead of Christmas, with sellers hoping to win market share with high-quality products that reflect the country’s culture and values.

23/12 Dalai Lama seeks to allay health concerns as succession planning looms

When the Dalai Lama went to New York in June for knee surgery, his followers worried about his overall health and the future of Tibetan Buddhists without him. He told Reuters last week there was nothing much to worry about.

23/12 Pope calls Gaza airstrikes 'cruelty' after Israeli minister's criticism

Pope Francis on Saturday again condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, a day after an Israeli government minister publicly denounced the pontiff for suggesting the global community should study whether the military offensive there constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.

22/12 Rome's Trevi Fountain restored in time for Jubilee year

A restored Trevi Fountain was unveiled on Sunday after more than two months of cleaning and restoration, part of Rome's preparations for the 2025 Roman Catholic Holy Year.

22/12 Syria's de facto ruler reassures minorities, meets Lebanese Druze leader

Ahmed al-Sharaa said no sects would be excluded.

22/12 Spain's Christmas lottery spreads cash and seasonal joy to winners

Players with winning tickets in Spain's huge Christmas lottery draw on Sunday celebrated with sparkling wine, cheers and hugs in a 200-year-old tradition that marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

22/12 China takes steps against Canada institutions, individuals over Uyghurs, Tibet

China said on Sunday it was taking countermeasures against two Canadian institutions and 20 people involved in human issues concerning the Uyghurs and Tibet.

21/12 Guatemalan authorities rescue 160 children from Jewish Lev Tahor sect

Guatemalan authorities rescued 160 children and adolescents from the fundamentalist Jewish sect Lev Tahor in southeastern Guatemala on Friday following allegations of child abuse, including rape, prosecutors said.

21/12 Eight convicted in France over murder of teacher who showed Prophet caricature

A French court sentenced eight people to prison terms ranging from one to 16 years for their roles in a hate campaign that culminated in the murder of a teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad in class, local media reported.

21/12 Thai ceremony for the dead brings good karma and emotional closure

When two month old Bibeam died in November 2023, the temples in her district would not cremate her, considering her too young for such a ceremony.

20/12 Companies sell assets purchased in M&As for a bargain

Companies that spent billions on poorly planned acquisitions in recent years are now offloading those assets at extremely low prices.

19/12 Kite-making picks up in India's Gujarat as harvest festival nears

Huddled over piles of colourful paper, Mohammad Yunus is one among thousands of workers in India's western state of Gujarat who make kites by hand that are used during a major harvest festival.

19/12 Human Rights Watch says Israel's deprivation of water in Gaza is act of genocide 

Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that Israel has killed thousands of Palestinians in Gaza by denying them clean water which it says legally amounts to acts of genocide and extermination.

18/12 Ambipar rises 1,130% and raises questions from B3

An impressive 1,130% rally in shares of waste manager Ambipar caught the attention of the stock exchange operator.

18/12 Stampede in southwestern Nigerian city causes multiple deaths

A stampede at a religious event in Ibadan, the capital of Nigeria's southwest Oyo state, resulted in multiple deaths and injuries, Governor Seyi Makinde said on Wednesday.

17/12 Russian law paves way to recognise Taliban and potentially Syria's new leadership

Russia's parliament passed a law that would allow for the suspension of bans on groups that Moscow has designated as terrorist organisations on Tuesday - paving the way for it to normalise relations with the Afghan Taliban and potentially with the new rulers of Syria.

17/12 Russia's clampdown on Tajik migrants raises economic and security risks

When Abubakr Yusufi boarded a flight to Moscow in July, he thought he wouldn't be home for years.

17/12 SoftBank Pledges $100 Billion US Investment at Trump Event

President-elect Donald Trump announced that SoftBank Group Corp. planned to invest $100 billion in the US over the next four years during an event alongside Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son on Monday.

15/12 Pope Francis, in Corsica, warns against religion that stokes divisions

Pope Francis urged Catholic priests on Sunday to guard against spiritual groups that stoke political divisions, speaking during a one-day visit to Corsica, the first by a pontiff to the French Mediterranean island.

14/12 Syrian Shi'ites and other minorities flee to Lebanon, fearing Islamist rule

Tens of thousands of Syrians, mostly Shi'ite Muslims, have fled to Lebanon since Sunni Muslim Islamists toppled Bashar al-Assad, fearing persecution despite assurances from the new rulers in Damascus that they will be safe, a Lebanese official said.

14/12 US court rejects TikTok request to temporarily halt pending US ban

A U.S. appeals court on Friday rejected an emergency bid by TikTok to temporarily block a law that would require its Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest of the short-video app by Jan. 19 or face a ban on the app.

14/12 US Supreme Court will hear clash over religious exemptions from Wisconsin tax

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear a bid by an arm of a Catholic diocese in Wisconsin for a religious exemption from the state's unemployment insurance tax in a case with potential implications for constitutional religious rights.

13/12 Syrian clerics in former Assad stronghold call for national unity, democracy

Thousands gathered in northwestern Syria on Friday for weekly prayers and a rally where clerics in the port city of Latakia, a former stronghold of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, urged national unity under the country's new government.

13/12 Syrians explore Assad family's massive summer resort for first time

Syrian cyclist Bassel Soufi rode his bike 40 km (25 miles) from the northwestern city of Latakia on Friday to visit the Assad family's private coastal resort as local residents strolled around the compound for the first time in decades.

13/12 Michael Jordan Sells Suburban Chicago Mansion for 67% Cut

Basketball icon Michael Jordan has finally sold his sprawling Chicago-area mansion, settling for a significant price cut.

13/12 White House releases strategy to counter anti-Muslim, anti-Arab hate

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday released a long-awaited strategy for countering anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate, up sharply since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, calling for urgent, continued work to reduce discrimination and bias.

12/12 Amid ashes of Assad family's mausoleum, Syrian rebels vow to erase their legacy

Now covered in ashes and empty bullet casings, the grand mausoleum of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's family stood in the eyes of rebels as a symbol of the injustice Syrians endured under their long rule.

12/12 How Assad's army collapsed in Syria: demoralised conscripts, absent allies

Twenty-three-year-old Syrian military conscript Farhan al-Khouli was badly paid and demoralized. His army outpost in scrubland near the rebel-held city of Idlib should have had nine soldiers but it just had three, after some had bribed the commanding officers to escape serving, he said.

10/12 Scholz, Macron prepared to work with Syrian rebels after Assad ouster

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emannuel Macron are prepared to work with the Syrian rebel groups who ousted President Bashar al-Assad on certain conditions, a German government statement after a phone call between the two leaders.

09/12 Exclusive: In Assad's Alawite hometown, Syria rebels win statement of support

The Sunni-led Islamist rebels who toppled Syria's Bashar al-Assad met elders in the former president's Alawite hometown on Monday and received their support, in what residents said was an encouraging sign of tolerance from the country's new rulers.

09/12 US Supreme Court rejects school gender-identity policy challenge

The U.S. Supreme Court, turning away another case involving transgender issues, declined on Monday to hear a bid to revive a lawsuit against a public school district in Wisconsin over a policy to support gender identity of students that some parents challenged on religious rights and other grounds.

09/12 Assad's exit breaks Iran's sway in Syria but risks Islamist resurgence

The ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shattered Iran's network of influence in the Middle East but Israel, the United States and Arab powers must now deal with the risk of instability and extremism from the mosaic of forces that replaces him.

09/12 Australia police say synagogue arson attack likely terrorist incident

Australian police on Monday transferred an investigation into an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue to a joint counter-terrorism unit, saying the blaze was likely a terrorist attack.

08/12 How stars aligned for Syria's rebels to oust Assad

They sensed an opportunity about six months ago when they felt they received Turkey's tacit approval for a major offensive, two sources said.

08/12 Specter of Trump Spurs a Final Round of Interest-Rate Moves

Central banks on four continents will make a final flurry of changes to borrowing costs in the coming week, before Donald Trump’s return to the White House raises the prospect of global trade turmoil.

08/12 Australia PM says suspected synagogue arson appears to be terrorist act

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that suspected arson at a Melbourne synagogue appeared to be an act of terror, a day after his Israeli counterpart said the Labor government had motivated the crime with anti-Israel policies.

07/12 Australia defends action on antisemitism after Netanyahu criticism

Australia's government defended its record on curbing antisemitism on Saturday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused it of anti-Israel policies, following an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue.

07/12 Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens on Saturday, five years after fire

Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens its doors on Saturday, five-and-a-half years after it was ravaged by a devastating fire that destroyed its spire and roof and brought the entire Gothic masterpiece within minutes of collapsing.

06/12 Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens on Saturday. Here's what to know

Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens on Saturday, Dec. 7, five and a half years after fire destroyed its roof and spire and caused major damage throughout.

06/12 Syrian rebels restore services in Aleppo, seek to calm minorities

A week after Islamist rebels seized Syria's second-largest city, in a surprise advance deep into government-held territory, Aleppo is slowly coming back to life.

05/12 Muhammad was most popular boys' baby name in England and Wales in 2023

Muhammad was the most popular name given to baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, ousting Noah to take the top spot, official figures showed on Thursday.

05/12 Renters in Rome struggle as coming Holy Year dries up housing market

Apartment hunters across the Eternal City are worried their searches might also be eternal, with the long-term rental market in Rome drying up as landlords seek to cash in on short-term rentals for pilgrims during the 2025 Roman Catholic Holy Year.

05/12 Abu Mohammed al-Golani: the former al Qaeda chief who is Syria's leading rebel

Golani has gradually stepped into the limelight since severing ties to al Qaeda.

04/12 Vatican unveils Pope Francis' new popemobile, an all-electric Mercedes

The Vatican on Wednesday unveiled a new open-top popemobile, an all-electric Mercedes-Benz that Pope Francis will use when he greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square.

03/12 Brazil's Workers Party out of touch with society, says likely new leader

The likely next president of Brazil's ruling Workers Party (PT)says the party has to reconnect with its rank and file and the new working class if it wants to overcome recent setbacks and remain relevant in Brazilian politics.

01/12 Another bleak Christmas in Bethlehem as Christian families quit West Bank

For a second year running, there is no Christmas cheer in Bethlehem, with tourists shunning the Palestinian city and many residents seeking a way out as the Gaza war grinds on.

01/12 Death toll in Pakistan sectarian clashes now over 130, official says

Deadly sectarian clashes have continued in Pakistan's north-western Kurram district in spite of a tentative ceasefire struck late last week, local officials said, with the death toll now over 130 as authorities try to broker a solution.

29/11 Excitement, relief in Paris as Notre-Dame Cathedral prepares to reopen

Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral will reopen its doors next week to tourists and the Catholic faithful, five-and-a-half years after fire gutted the Gothic masterpiece, one of the French capital's most beloved and visited monuments.

28/11 Real estate unrealized gains amount to 25 trillion yen, interest in Japanese companies increases - investment funds target

Overseas hedge funds and private equity (PE, unlisted equity) funds are paying attention to Japanese companies, with their sights set on unrealized gains on real estate amounting to 25 trillion yen.

27/11 Pope's weekly audiences to be translated into Mandarin from December

Pope Francis said on Wednesday that his teachings at his weekly general audience at the Vatican would also be translated into Mandarin starting from next week.

27/11 Reactions to the ICC prosecutor's warrant request for Myanmar military leader

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday said he was seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing for crimes against humanity linked to the alleged persecution and deportations committed against the Rohingya.

27/11 International criminal court prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar military leader

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Wednesday he would seek an arrest warrant for Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing for crimes against humanity over the alleged persecution of the Rohingya, a mainly Muslim minority.

26/11 Why is Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan in jail?

Pakistan's capital Islamabad was gripped by violence on Tuesday as protesters demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan clashed with security forces near the parliament.

26/11 Vatican to consider classifying 'spiritual abuse' as new Catholic crime

Pope Francis has asked the Vatican to study whether the Catholic Church should classify "spiritual abuse" as a new crime in order to address cases where priests use purported mystical experiences as a pretext for harming others.

25/11 UAE says suspects arrested in alleged killing of Israeli rabbi are from Uzbekistan

Three suspects arrested in the United Arab Emirates and accused of murdering an Israeli rabbi in the UAE are citizens of Uzbekistan, the UAE ministry of interior said on Monday.

24/11 Pakistan strikes seven-day ceasefire deal between warring sectarian groups

Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims have engaged in rivalry for decades over a land dispute in Kurram district near the Afghanistan border.

24/11 Israel denounces murder of Israeli in UAE after body found

An Israeli man who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found murdered, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday, denouncing his death as a "heinous antisemitic terrorist act".

22/11 Nicaraguan lawmakers approve reform expanding Ortega's power

The Nicaraguan parliament, dominated by the ruling Sandinista Front, on Friday approved a constitutional reform that hands more power to President Daniel Ortega as well as the Central American nation's police and military.

22/11 Mixed martial arts star McGregor sexually assaulted woman in 2018, jury finds

Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor must pay nearly 250,000 euros ($259,950) in damages for sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin in 2018, a jury decided on Friday.

22/11 NYC’s One Vanderbilt Valued at $4.7 Billion in Stake Sale

SL Green Realty Corp. sold a stake in One Vanderbilt to Japanese firm Mori Building Co., in a deal that values the trophy office skyscraper near Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal at $4.7 billion.

22/11 Caravaggio portrait goes on public display for the first time in Rome

A portrait by baroque painter Caravaggio held in a private collection since it was discovered more than 60 years ago is being shown to the public for the first time in a museum in Rome.

21/11 Pope says Vatican's pension fund faces 'serious imbalance'

Pope Francis said on Thursday the Vatican's pension fund is facing a "serious imbalance" that may require changes to its operating structure, and appointed a senior cardinal to take over the fund's administration.

21/11 Malaysian man to be publicly caned at mosque for Islamic crime of close proximity

A 42-year-old father of five faces a public caning at a mosque in Malaysia after being convicted of the Islamic crime of 'khalwat', or close proximity between unmarried couples, for the third time, a state official and media reports said.

21/11 Eric Trump warns of UK revolt over Labour war on farmers - 'fight like hell'

Donald Trump's second son Eric has blasted Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and hinted at tariffs on the European Union as he sends a message to farmers

20/11 Pope Francis, avoiding pomp, asks to be buried in simple wooden casket

Pope Francis, who has shunned much of the pomp and privilege of leading the global Catholic Church, has decided that a simple wooden casket will suffice when the time comes for his funeral.

20/11 Pope to make late Italian millennial Carlo Acutis a saint in April

An Italian teenager who used his computer skills to spread the Catholic faith will become the first saint from the millennial generation when he is canonized next April.

19/11 Texas school officials advance Bible-infused elementary curriculum

Texas education officials voted narrowly to offer preliminary approval on Tuesday for a new curriculum that includes Bible lessons for children starting in kindergarten, part of a growing effort in the state and elsewhere to bring Christian principles to public schools.

19/11 Hamas attack on Israel stirs controversy among Gaza clerics

The Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war has stirred debate among the enclave's Palestinian clerics, with some saying it was not worth the heavy civilian death toll and others declaring the Oct. 7, 2023 assault was a Muslim duty.

19/11 El Salvador court calls ex-president to trial for 1989 murders of priests

A court in El Salvador on Monday ruled to bring a former president and retired military officials to trial for their alleged roles in the prominent murder of six Jesuit priests and two collaborators during the country's civil war 35 years ago.

19/11 US hits Israeli settler group with sanctions over West Bank violence

The United States imposed sanctions on Monday on Israeli settler group Amana, accusing the organization of helping perpetrate violence in the occupied West Bank, which has seen a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians.

17/11 Pope Francis suggests international study into possible genocide in Gaza

Israel has denied all accusations of genocide.

17/11 Israel sends draft orders to more ultra-Orthodox

The Israeli military issued call-up notices to more members of the ultra-Orthodox community on Sunday to bolster its forces as it fights on its southern and northern borders, a move that may further inflame tensions between religious and secular Israelis.

14/11 Nicaragua expels lead bishop in crackdown on Catholic Church

Nicaragua has expelled Bishop Carlos Herrera, the head of the country's episcopal conference, a lawyer tied to the Catholic Church told Reuters on Thursday, amid an extended state crackdown targeting the Church.

13/11 Church of England faces pressure over abuse scandal after Archbishop quits

The Church of England faced pressure on Wednesday to ensure people are held to account for systematically covering up allegations of abuse, one day after the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned over a church abuse scandal.

13/11 Ugandan Archbishop says Welby split global Anglican communion

The head of Uganda's Anglican Church said on Wednesday Justin Welby, who has resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury, had split the global Anglican communion.

13/11 Princess Kate returns to the fore with Christmas carol service

Kate, Britain's Princess of Wales, will make her most prominent return to royal engagements since having treatment for cancer next month when she hosts an annual Christmas carol service at London's Westminster Abbey.

12/11 How will the next leader of the Church of England be picked?

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, resigned over an abuse cover-up scandal on Tuesday, marking an unprecedented moment for the Church of England.

12/11 US judge declares Louisiana's Ten Commandments law unconstitutional

A federal judge on Tuesday declared unconstitutional a Louisiana law requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms in the Southern state.

12/11 Justin Welby: the self-critical Archbishop who led a divided Anglican communion

Welby's tenure was marked by struggles over enabling women bishops and blessing same-sex couples.

12/11 Justin Welby resigns as Archbishop of Canterbury over abuse scandal

Welby said he stepped down "in sorrow" after failing to ensure there was a proper investigation into allegations of abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps decades ago.

12/11 New Zealand offers national apology to people abused in care

New Zealand on Tuesday offered a rare national apology to victims and families of hundreds of thousands of young people and vulnerable adults who were subjected to institutional physical and sexual abuse over the last 70 years.

11/11 Defense industry threatens collateral damage: five topics of the day

Michael Nienaber on confrontation and cooperation — Subscribe to our newsletter Five Topics of the Day and receive the capital's whispers directly to your mailbox on Sundays.

11/11 Church of England leader Welby urged to quit over abuse cover-up

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the global Anglican church, faced mounting calls to resign on Monday over a report that his institution had covered up prolific abuse of boys and young men.

11/11 Vatican unveils AI services for St. Peter's Basilica ahead of Jubilee

The Vatican launched on Monday new Artificial Intelligence-enabled services for St Peter's Basilica, allowing virtual access to its Renaissance-era architectural treasures for all and enhanced tours for visitors.

11/11 Trial starts over rape, murder of junior doctor in India's Kolkata

A court in the eastern state of West Bengal began the trial on Monday of a police volunteer accused of raping and murdering a doctor at a government hospital in August, a case that has sparked outrage over the lack of safety for women in India.

09/11 Dutch government investigating possible missed warnings from Israel

At least five people were injured during the assaults on Thursday night.

09/11 China Unveils $1.4 Trillion Debt Swap, Saves Stimulus for Trump

China gave indebted local governments a 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) lifeline but stopped short of unleashing new stimulus, preserving room to respond to a potential trade war when Donald Trump takes office next year.

07/11 South Dakota Is Set to Pull Pipeline Law in Blow for US Ethanol

A proposed $8.9-billion carbon-capture pipeline that has polarized the US Corn Belt has hit another setback in the critical state of South Dakota.

06/11 Israel's rightist government celebrates Trump victory

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters hailed what a leader of the settler movement called an ally who would support them "unconditionally".

06/11 Afghan opium cultivation bounces and shifts two years after ban, UN says

Opium poppy production in Afghanistan, long the world's dominant supplier of the raw material for heroin, has risen by a fifth in the second full year since the Taliban banned it but remains a fraction of pre-ban levels, a U.N. report said on Wednesday.

04/11 Eight on trial in France over murder of teacher who showed Prophet caricature

The father of a French pupil whose account of the use of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on free speech led to the teacher's brutal murder went on trial on Monday, accused of association with a terrorist network.

02/11 India criticises Canada for linking minister to Sikh plots

India's foreign ministry said on Saturday it had lodged a protest with Canada for linking its home minister to alleged plots against Sikh separatists on Canadian soil.

01/11 Firecracker ban defiance makes New Delhi the world's most polluted city

New Delhi topped charts on Friday as the world's most polluted city after revellers defying a ban on firecrackers to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, helped drive air quality to hazardous levels.

31/10 Six dead as boat carrying nearly 100 Rohingya arrives in Indonesia

Six people have died as nearly 100 Rohingya landed by boat in Indonesia's Aceh province, a local fishing community said on Thursday, in the latest wave of arrivals to the Southeast Asian country in recent days.

30/10 UN urges probe of killings in Bangladesh protests, minority protection

A top UN official on Wednesday urged a probe into the killings in Bangladesh during protests that led to the downfall of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while also calling for minority protection and a national process of truth and healing.

30/10 Canada-India tensions could escalate cyber threats, hinder immigration

Canada's deepening dispute with India over its alleged campaign of violence against Sikhs in Canada could intensify Indian-based cyber espionage and hold back immigration, but analysts and experts see no immediate impact on trade.

30/10 Canada alleges Indian minister Amit Shah behind plot to target Sikh separatists

The Canadian government alleged on Tuesday that Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close ally of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was behind the plots to target Sikh separatists on Canadian soil.