The Sukkot holiday has come at a time of raised hopes for the small Jewish community in Iran of a new approach towards minorities under the Islamic republic's new President Hasan Rowhani.

In a radical about-turn from his Holocaust-denying predecessor, Rowhani, in an interview with CNN, condemned the Nazi genocide as a "reprehensible" crime.

A giant purple structure believed to be the world's first inflatable concert hall is to open on Japan's disaster-hit northeastern coast, promoters said Wednesday.

British sculptor Anish Kapoor and Japanese architect Arata Isozaki created the unusual Ark Nova, a balloon made of a coated polyester material which has been erected at a park in the town of Matsushima.

Consider this the sequel you never knew you were waiting for, but will be very glad it arrived.

Thirty-six years after introducing readers to Danny Torrance and a precognitive ability he came to call "the shine," Stephen King is back with another creepy tale featuring the now adult Dan, a young girl named Abra and a mysterious group of soul-sucking creeps known as the True Knot.

The old man couldn't control his diabetes, no matter how closely he followed his doctor's instructions. A nurse visited him to find out why the insulin wasn't working, only to watch the nearly blind man inadvertently inject himself with a syringe filled with nothing but air.

It sounds simple to track a patient outside of office visits. But the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation found the idea genius.

Extolling the virtues of Harlem's rich cultural history, Michelle Obama hosted a luncheon for the spouses of foreign dignitaries Tuesday in the historic New York City neighborhood she described as "quintessentially American."

The first lady spoke to about 50 spouses of chiefs of state and heads of government who are attending the U.N. General Assembly.

The male nude took centre stage in Paris on Tuesday as a controversial exhibition celebrating the masculine form went on show at the celebrated Musee d'Orsay.

Juxtaposing traditional painting and sculptures with contemporary homoerotic photography, a museum better known for its impressionist masterpieces has brought together more than 200 pieces in a collection designed to stimulate and amuse in equal measure.

Philippine Catholic leaders are standing firm against contraception, abortion and homosexual marriage despite Pope Francis' comments urging a change of tone on those issues, the national Church said Tuesday.

About 80 percent of the Philippines' 100 million population are Catholics, making the country the bastion of the faith in Asia, and Church leaders insisted that its dogma would remain in place.

France's Sikh community is ramping up a campaign for the turban to be allowed in state-funded schools amid moves to reinforce a 2004 law banning pupils from wearing religious symbols.

The contentious issue pits the cherished French principle of secularity in public life and institutions against the essence of the Sikh religion, which requires followers to keep long hair as a mark of their faith and piety and a turban to cover the tresses, worn as a bun on the top of the head.

A well-known Argentine priest began a 15-year prison sentence for pedophilia Monday, four years after he was convicted.

A court ordered the immediate arrest of Julio Cesar Grassi, 57, who was on provisional release after being convicted in 2009.

Catholics around the globe are reacting mostly positively to Pope Francis' recent remarks that the church has become too focused on "small-minded rules" on hot-button issues like homosexuality, abortion and contraceptives.

At Masses over the weekend, the faithful reflected on how they believe Francis' comments would impact the Catholic Church. The pope said Thursday that pastors should focus less on divisive social issues and should emphasize compassion over condemnation.