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ROME (AP) — Pope Francis said on Thursday that he hopes to travel to Turkey next year to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. The visit to Nicaea, today located in İznik on a lake southeast of Istanbul, would come during Francis’ big Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration

Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Russian human rights group says a court in Russia convicted a prominent lawyer and sentenced him to seven years in prison for speaking out against the war in Ukraine on social media. The verdict in the case of Dmitry Talantov, who once chaired a regional association of lawyers

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — France’s minority government may be on its last legs as opposition lawmakers move this week toward a no-confidence vote. In a last-ditch effort to save themselves, Cabinet members warned of domestic and international turmoil if the government is toppled. Prime Minister Michel Barnier, a conservative allied with French President Emmanuel

LONDON (AP) — A trial in London has heard claims that three Bulgarian nationals passed secrets to Russia for nearly three years after carrying out surveillance across Europe on individuals and places of interest to Moscow. Prosecutors at the trial at the Central Criminal Court said Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov

For more than 60 days, Lebanese have watched stunned as Israeli strikes smashed into buildings, raising giant explosions and palls of smoke in the heart of the capital and other cities. Now, after a ceasefire was reached this week between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, Lebanese are returning to their homes and viewing the

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — As the holiday season kicks off, the journey home could also mean that those who are more tech-savvy will be called on to provide a backlog of tech support to parents, grandparents and other family. Tips on how to manage your tech encounters this holiday season include making sure

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s parliament has renewed the term of army chief Joseph Aoun, who is seen as a potential presidential candidate in next year’s vote. Thursday’s session is the first since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday which has left the Lebanese military responsible for ensuring Hezbollah militants leave the country’s south

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — The bells of Notre Dame are chiming again, but scaffolding still clinging to the cathedral’s exterior is puzzling some Parisians, who question whether its grand post-blaze reopening is more symbolic than substantive. When French President Emmanuel Macron inspects the rebuilding work on Friday, in his final tour of the construction

Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court has asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election. The Constitutional Court in Bucharest voted unanimously in favor of the recount, and said the decision is final. The Central Election Bureau

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Vaping is coming before the Supreme Court next week as federal regulators ask the high court to uphold its block on sweet, flavored products following a spike in youth e-cigarette use. The Food and Drug Administration has denied more than a million marketing applications for candy- or fruit-flavored products that

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — With artificial intelligence at a pivotal moment of development, the federal government is about to transition from one that prioritized AI safeguards to one more focused on eliminating red tape. That’s a promising prospect for some investors but creates uncertainty about the future of any guardrails on the technology, especially

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — With artificial intelligence at a pivotal moment of development, the federal government is about to transition from one that prioritized AI safeguards to one more focused on eliminating red tape. That’s a promising prospect for some investors but creates uncertainty about the future of any guardrails on the technology, especially

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Parliament on Friday in a world-first law. The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children

Politicians, writers and activists have condemned the arrest of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal. The 75-year-old author has not been heard from by friends, family or his French publisher since leaving Paris for Algiers earlier this month. Algeria’s state news service confirmed his arrest last week. Sansal is among a long list of political prisoners in

Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani police have levelled multiple charges against imprisoned former premier Imran Khan, his wife and others for inciting people to violence, officials said Thursday, following days of protests and clashes in which at least six people were killed and scores more were injured. Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi led thousands of

AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — After weeks of plugging increasingly inviting discounts, retailers in the United States and several other countries are preparing for prime time: Black Friday, the bargain bonanza that still reigns as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. Department stores, shopping malls

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain’s biggest police force has launched an investigation into more than five people who may have assisted former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed carry out more than 100 alleged acts of sexual abuse. In an update on its investigation, London’s Metropolitan Police said it is looking at individuals who could

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no easy way to bridge the political divides that have created rifts in communities, families and friendships. But workplace morale and productivity can take a hit when ideological differences are left to fester, affecting teamwork and feelings of mutual respect. Finding a safe space to process emotions while