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16 Potential Successors to Pope Francis

With no official campaigning or list of candidates and the election process shrouded in secrecy, speculation about who will succeed Pope Francis after the conclave beginning this week remains just that -- speculation. But here are 15 cardinals who are among the potential favourites to succeed Pope Francis -- so-called "papabili" -- divided by ...

‘To Exist Is to Be Different:’ The Challenge of Loving Without Losing Oneself

When differentiation hasn’t occurred during key developmental stages, it eventually resurfaces as an existential crisis. Whether in adulthood, through burnout, sudden depression or emotional turmoil at a life crossroads, it often reflects a deep need to become something other than what one has turned into. Far from being solely negative, these ...

Pope Leo Says Church Must Illuminate 'Dark Nights of This World' in First Mass

Leo XIV urged the Catholic Church to "desperately" counter a lack of faith in his first homily as pope Friday, a day after the modest cardinal largely unknown to the world become the first US head of the 2,000-year institution. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost on Thursday became the 267th pope, spiritual leader of the world's 1.4 billion ...

‘To Exist Is to Be Different:’ The Birth of Individuality

“To exist is to not be confused with the surrounding environment, it is to be heterogeneous, it is to be different. Each color is only itself through the contrast with the color that faces it. It only has value in opposition.” This quote from biologist Albert Jacquard illustrates how a subject’s true identity is formed through otherness, ...

What Trump’s 'Good News' Could Mean for the Middle East

Don't listen to what he says if you want to understand how foreign policy works under Donald Trump in 2025. Watch who gets fired, what trip doesn’t happen, and where the “very good news” is going to land. Because when President Trump teased an “earth-shattering” announcement ahead of his May 13 Middle East visit—skipping Israel in ...

When The Virgin "Turns," The Whole World Turns With Her!

The month of May has, for centuries, been dedicated to Mary. In Lebanon, the feast of Our Lady of Lebanon is celebrated on the first Sunday of May. On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, entrusting them with messages—once considered "secrets"—that, though now revealed, continue to stir the conscience ...

Black Smoke: Cardinals Fail to Elect New Pope on First Try

Thick black smoke emerged Wednesday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals had failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church in their first conclave vote. Tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square to await the smoke, which came around three hours and 15 minutes after the 133 cardinals were closed ...

Tripoli’s Municipal Battle: Power Gaps and Fractured Alliances

Tripoli district is gearing up for pivotal municipal elections on May 11, with 359 candidates competing across Tripoli city, al-Mina and Beddawi. In Tripoli municipality, 187 candidates are vying for 24 council seats in what observers call the city’s most fragmented and unpredictable race in decades. Al-Mina sees 69 candidates competing for 21 ...

Batroun at the Ballot: Power Struggles, Family Loyalties and Political Shifts

Following a smooth first round of municipal elections on Sunday, May 4, electors in Batroun and across North Lebanon will head to the polls on Sunday, May 11, to elect municipal councils and mukhtars. In a governorate comprising 31 municipalities, Batroun-city holds particular attention as the second-largest municipality after Tannourine, with 15 ...

The Healing Power of Tears: Nature’s Own Painkiller

Crying. This universal gesture, so often confined to the private sphere or burdened with shame, is in fact one of the most powerful signals the human body can send. We cry in response to pain, loss, injustice or overwhelming emotion – not only to express what words cannot, but also, biologically, to find relief. Emotional tears – distinct ...

India Launches Strikes on Pakistan, Islamabad vows to 'Settle the Score'

India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery along their contested frontier on Wednesday, after New Delhi launched deadly missile strikes on its arch-rival in the worst violence between the  nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades. Islamabad reported 34 civilians killed by the Indian strikes and firing along the border, while New Delhi said ...

Pakistan and India Accuse Each Other of Waves of Drone Attacks

India and Pakistan accused each other Thursday of carrying out waves of drone attacks, as deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed foes drew global calls for calm. The fighting comes two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied. On Thursday, ...

Prevost becomes first US pope as Leo XIV

Robert Francis Prevost became the first pope from the United States on Thursday, picking the papal name Leo XIV after cardinals from around the world elected him leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Tens of thousands of people packed in St Peter's Square cheered as Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, waving with both ...

Lebanon Races Against May Deadline to Bring Heavy Weapons Under State Control

Lebanon’s top three political leaders — President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam — appear to have reached a general consensus on the core elements of a national settlement, including reforms and the consolidation of weapons under the sole authority of the state. However, some differences remain ...

Juliette Binoche: The Free-Flowing Intensity of a Life in Cinema

There’s a unique energy that Juliette Binoche brings to her performances, a quiet force infused with enigma. On May 13, 2025, she’ll step into the spotlight once again, this time to lead the Cannes jury. Born in Paris in 1964 into a family of artists—her father a mime and sculptor, her mother an actress—Binoche’s path was almost ...

Washington Draws the Line: Iran Must Comply

Washington and Tehran are moving on starkly opposing trajectories in the Middle East. Under President Donald Trump, the United States has prioritized dismantling any armed presence operating outside the framework of state legitimacy and eradicating terrorism from the region. This approach is part of a broader strategy to prepare the ground for a ...

Two Days Before the Municipal Elections, Voters Weigh Civic Duty Against Deep Mistrust

The excitement of first-time voters stands in stark contrast with the deep-seated skepticism of older generations, many of whom have lost faith in the promise of democratic renewal. Yet, across this generational divide, a common refrain emerges: a yearning for an electoral system that is more inclusive, transparent and more attuned to the ...

Total Offensive in Gaza: Israel Prepares Final Assault, Diplomacy at a Standstill

As the war in Gaza enters what might be its final and most intense phase, Israel is ramping up its military operations while also confronting a new “aerial” threat from the Houthis in Yemen. Amid this military surge, the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, as diplomatic efforts stall under the weight ...

Xi and Putin Present United Front Against West on Victory Day Eve

China's Xi Jinping was in Moscow on Thursday for a state visit ahead of the Kremlin's grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russia's army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce. More than 20 foreign leaders are in Russia to attend a vast military parade on Friday marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in ...

UN 'Alarmed' by US Strikes in Yemen That Huthis Say Killed 68 Migrants

The United Nations expressed deep alarm on Monday at reports that US strikes on Yemen killed scores of people at a migrant detention center in a stronghold of the Huthi rebels. The US military has hammered the Iran-backed Huthis with near-daily strikes since March 15 in an operation dubbed "Rough Rider", seeking to end their attacks on vessels in ...

Karim Souhaid: The Banking Reform Law Undermines the Independence of the Central Bank

Presenting a 33-page document containing substantial remarks on the banking reform bill submitted by the government, the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Karim Souhaid, attended a session of the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee held mid-week. The session was chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan and attended by 40 parliamentarians, along ...

Trump Tells India and Pakistan to 'Stop' Clashes 

US President Donald Trump called Wednesday for India and Pakistan to halt their fighting, the worst violence between the nuclear-armed countries in two decades. "I want to see them stop," Trump said at the White House, adding: "We get along with both countries very well, good relationships with both, and I want to see it stop. And ...

Multiple Sclerosis in Lebanon: A Crisis Beyond the Disease

MS is a chronic disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective layer around nerves, causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. This leads to symptoms like trouble walking, vision problems, numbness, bladder issues, fatigue, and sometimes ...

Louvre Abu Dhabi: Where Art Floats and Connects Civilizations

Just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, at the entrance to Saadiyat Island, a steel dome perforated with 7,850 geometric stars filters sunlight like a futuristic mashrabiya. Designed by Jean Nouvel, this architectural marvel shelters a museum unlike any other in the world: the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Born of an unprecedented partnership between France and the ...

Sun on the Horizon, Rough Skies Ahead: Summer 2025 Takes Off

As Lebanon gears up for the 2025 summer tourist season, it looks forward to sunny days but remains wary of potential challenges. With the return of expatriates, regional tensions, Israeli ceasefire violations and an economy seeking stability, the Lebanese tourism sector finds itself navigating turbulent waters. Yet, as the saying goes, “After ...

Knicks Rally Again to Take 2-0 Lead Over Celtics, Thunder Roar Back

The New York Knicks rallied again from 20 points down to snatch a 91-90 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday as the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back in historic style in the NBA playoffs. After erasing a 20-point deficit in a gritty overtime triumph in game one, the Knicks authored another epic comeback to take a 2-0 lead over the ...

Black Smoke from Sistine Chapel Chimney, Cardinals to Vote Again

Thick black smoke billowed Thursday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals again failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church. Among the thousands of Catholics and curious tourists massed in St. Peter's Square, there was applause but also sighs at the result, which came after the second and third ballots. The ...