A Jehovah's Witness arrested in Russia two years ago for extremism is to hear the verdict next week, supporters said Wednesday, as he could spend more than six years in jail.

Politicians have been assassinated, European countries threatened with nuclear annihilation and students lynched, all in the name of combating blasphemy in Pakistan, where the legal punishment for insulting the Prophet Mohammed is death.

A Kuwaiti court on Monday sentenced an opposition politician to seven years in jail for failing to tell his wife he divorced her and continuing to have sexual relations with her, her lawyer said.

Pope Francis said Monday celibacy for priests was a "gift to the Church" and not "optional", nixing the prospect of married men being ordained.

Baguette in hand, beret tilted jauntily, the Parisian looks down at the rowdy, pasta-scoffing Roman: they may be stereotypes, but perceived French smugness is again being blamed for a falling out with Italy.

At the tender age of 19, Bilal Hassani is already being held up as an inspiration to LGBT teenagers -- and now he's got his sights on winning the Eurovision Song Contest.

A member of Thailand's most popular all-girl band has apologized for wearing a shirt with a Nazi flag featuring a swastika, after her TV appearance drew "shock and dismay" from the Israeli embassy Saturday.

The Greek parliament on Friday approved the new name "Republic of North Macedonia" for its northern neighbor, two weeks after a similar vote by Macedonian lawmakers.

Flashlight beams pierce the darkness and reveal an archaeological gem in underground Jerusalem few have had the chance to glimpse in recent years.

Tunisian divorcee Latifa counts herself lucky -- she has a modest home that boasts a neat vegetable garden, a fig tree, and a pomegranate tree, along with a panoramic view of neighbouring farmland.