World

Leo XIV’s Christmas address was his first since being elected pontiff and was scrutinized for comparisons with those of his predecessor, Francis.

For decades, Havaianas flip-flops have been a beloved global symbol of Brazilian culture, worn by millions of people each day. They are now ensnared in a political fight.

Pope Leo XIV greeted the soggy faithful in St. Peter’s Square in both English and Italian and apologized that there wasn’t enough room in the basilica for them all.

The holidays usually bring home huge numbers from the Venezuelan diaspora. But this year, after international airlines halted almost all service, many people are spending Christmas alone and on edge.

Tarique Rahman, who had managed his party’s political affairs from Britain, is back in his country to campaign in elections.

The first draft essentially called for Ukraine’s surrender. The revised version includes the security guarantees Kyiv wants to prevent future Russian aggression.

The vote in Myanmar, widely seen as a sham, is a bid for legitimacy by the military government. It is also a way for Beijing to exert its influence there.

The debut followed the North’s first test of a new surface-to-air missile and the arrival of a U.S. nuclear-powered attack sub for a port call in South Korea.

She was given the “hardest job under heaven”: upholding birth limits enforced by often brutal local officials. She came to support softening the policy, then abolishing it.