Celebrations swept across Australia Wednesday as voters emphatically endorsed same-sex marriage after more than a decade of divisive debate, and political leaders immediately began moves to enshrine the historic shift in law by Christmas.

Moves to make French more female-friendly have sparked impassioned debate in France, with an appalled Academie Francaise warning of a "mortal danger" to the language of Moliere.

An Indonesian museum that allowed visitors to take selfies with a life-size wax sculpture of Hitler against a backdrop of Auschwitz concentration camp has removed the exhibit following international outrage, the manager said Saturday.

UNESCO's new director general, French former culture minister Audrey Azoulay, says her top priority will be to calm the waters for a body riven by dissensions and under fire for dragging its feet on much needed reforms.

An estimated 14 million Shiite pilgrims thronged Iraq's holy city of Karbala on Friday to mark the annual Arbaeen commemoration, as Baghdad looks to wipe out the Islamic State group that has targeted their branch of Islam.  

For decades, beer in Lebanon has meant just one thing: the ubiquitous local pilsner, Almaza. But now a crop of local microbrews is making headway in the home market.

More than a decade in the making, the Louvre Abu Dhabi opened its doors Wednesday, winning praise from visiting French President Emmanuel Macron as a "bridge between civilizations" and religions.

Societe Generale de Banque au Liban has announced that it is present as the exclusive partner of Cinema at the 24th edition of the Salon du livre francophone de Beyrouth, which is held from 4 to 12 November 2017 at Biel.

Through this partnership, SGBL said it simultaneously affirms its unwavering support for cinema and the Francophonie by supporting "Le Salon fait son Cinema", organized by the French Institute in Lebanon, with numerous screenings of feature films, short films and documentaries scheduled throughout the Salon.

Amnesty International on Thursday condemned a draft bill in the Egyptian parliament that would criminalize homosexuality, in what the rights group called an "unprecedented homophobic crackdown".

U.S. President Donald Trump was treated to what he called a "beautiful" Chinese opera performance at the Forbidden City on Wednesday, as President Xi Jinping gave him a lavish welcome to Beijing.