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UK PM condemns 'death to the IDF' chants at Glastonbury Festival

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has added his voice to those condemning a British punk-rap group for anti-Israeli army remarks at the Glastonbury music festival, an incident that has already sparked a police inquiry.

Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of "Death, death to the IDF", a reference to the acronym for the Israeli military, during their set on Saturday.

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Vatican unveils last of restored Raphael Rooms

The Vatican Museums on Thursday unveiled the last and most important of the restored Raphael Rooms, the spectacularly frescoed reception rooms of the Apostolic Palace that in some ways rival the Sistine Chapel as the peak of high Renaissance artistry.

A decadelong project to clean and restore the largest of the four Raphael Rooms uncovered a novel mural painting technique that the superstar Renaissance painter and architect began but never completed. Raphael used oil paint directly on the wall, and arranged a grid of nails embedded in the walls to hold in place the resin surface onto which he painted.

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Pope appeals for unity within Catholic Church in Holy Year messages to priests

Pope Leo XIV doubled down on Friday on his appeal for unity in the polarized Catholic Church, urging priests to act in communion with their superiors and be models of reconciliation in a world driven by conflicts and divisions.

Leo appealed for unity in a triptych of messages to priests who are celebrating a special Holy Year week in Rome dedicated to clergy. He hosted a special meeting on Thursday afternoon, celebrated an ordination Mass on Friday morning and also delivered a written message to priests around the world.

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How ChatGPT and other AI tools are changing the teaching profession

For her 6th grade honors class, math teacher Ana Sepúlveda wanted to make geometry fun. She figured her students "who live and breathe soccer" would be interested to learn how mathematical concepts apply to the sport. She asked ChatGPT for help.

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Ancient theater in Greece opens for final season before 3-year restoration

For visitors to Athens, the ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the must-see theater at the foot of the Acropolis. Artists revere it for the majestic stage where legends have performed. And for the Greek capital's residents it is the touchstone of their summer cultural calendar.

The Odeon of Herod Atticus recently opened the 70th season of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival, a cherished annual tradition for many Greeks. But this edition marks the last before the theater that's more than 18 centuries old shuts down for maintenance and restoration work that is expected to last at least three years.

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What to know about the Islamic New Year and how Muslims observe it

Muslims will soon welcome a new year in the Islamic lunar calendar, known as the Hijri calendar.

The Hijri New Year, beginning on the first day of the month of Muharram, signals a chance for spiritual reflection and religious resolutions, set in the month following the annual Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

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Irish rapper in court on terror charge over Hezbollah flag

Hundreds of people gathered outside a London court Wednesday in a show of support for the provocative Irish rap group Kneecap as one of the singers appeared charged with a terror offense for allegedly promoting Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Liam O'Hanna, 27, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November.

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World's most-visited museum shuts down with staff sounding alarm on mass tourism

The Louvre, the world's most-visited museum and a global symbol of art, beauty and endurance, has withstood war, terror, and pandemic — but on Monday, it was brought to a halt by its own striking staff, who say the institution is crumbling under the weight of mass tourism.

It was an almost unthinkable sight: the home to works by Leonardo da Vinci and millennia of civilization's greatest treasures — paralyzed by the very people tasked with welcoming the world to its galleries.

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Earthquakes damage centuries-old monasteries in Greece

Centuries-old monasteries have been damaged by an ongoing series of earthquakes in a secluded monastic community in northern Greece, authorities said Friday.

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the Mount Athos peninsula on June 7, followed by a series of both undersea and land-based tremors that continued through Friday.

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Pope Leo XIV's fashion choices make waves, and many wonder what they mean

When Pope Leo XIV stepped out on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica to greet the crowd for the first time after his May 8 election, liturgical fashion aficionados around the globe took note: Gone was the simple white cassock and silver cross favored by Pope Francis. Back was the red satin mozzetta shoulder cape, the burgundy stola with gold embroidery and a gold cross held by a double-stranded silken gold cord.

Over Leo's first few weeks, the excitement grew among liturgical fashion-conscious Catholics as they noticed new additions to the wardrobe, or rather a return to the old additions of the papal wardrobe: cufflinks, white pants, lace.

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