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5+ min ago (360+ words) Pope Leo XIV kicked off the first foreign trip of his papacy on Thursday, arriving in Muslim-majority Turkey for a visit aimed at showcasing his interest in dialogue with other faiths and cooperation with other Christian denominations. During his four days in Turkey, Leo is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; local Catholic clergy; and leaders of other Christian groups, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, head of the Eastern Orthodox church. On Sunday, Leo is expected to fly to Lebanon, home to the Arab world's largest Catholic community, to meet with church and government officials there. Leo's decision to begin his first trip abroad in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country with a tiny Catholic population, is a nod to Christian history that he hopes will signal his modern day message, Vatican officials have said. On Friday,…...

7+ min ago (531+ words) Situated in the far corners of the Tibetan plateau, Mount Kailash is considered the mystical abode of Lord Shiva, the cosmic creator and destroyer. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is one of the most revered spiritual pilgrimages in the world, an expedition that blends faith and endurance with mythology and breathtaking Himalayan beauty. As preparations for the 2026 Yatra start, thousands of devotees are once again getting ready for this transformational journey to the holiest peaks of Tibet: Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Situated in the far corners of the Tibetan plateau, Mount Kailash is considered the mystical abode of Lord Shiva, the cosmic creator and destroyer. To Hindus, it is the axis of the universe-the point where heaven meets earth. Buddhists adore it as Kang Rinpoche, the precious jewel of snow; Jains believe it is where the first Tirthankara attained liberation; and…...

15+ min ago (184+ words) Por NICOLE WINFIELD, SERRA YEDIKARDES y SUZAN FRASER El avi'n de Le'n aterriz' en el aeropuerto internacional de Ankara. M's tarde, ten'a planeada una reuni'n con el presidente, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, y un discurso ante el cuerpo diplom'tico del pa's. Luego se trasladar' el jueves por la noche a Estambul para tres d'as de reuniones ecum'nicas e interreligiosas que ser'n seguidas por la etapa libanesa de su viaje.. La visita de Le'n se produce mientras Turqu'a, un pa's de m's de 85 millones de personas, predominantemente musulmanes sun'es, se ha presentado como un intermediario clave en las negociaciones de paz para los conflictos en Ucrania y Gaza. Ankara ha acogido rondas de conversaciones de bajo nivel entre Rusia y Ucrania y ha ofrecido participar en la fuerza de estabilizaci'n en Gaza para ayudar a mantener el fr'gil alto el fuego, compromisos…...

21+ min ago (265+ words) Lakshmisha said the arrangements mirror the scale of the recent Dasara festivities. Vijayawada: Arrangements for the Bhavani Deeksha Viramana (relinquishment) in NTR district are in the final stages, with stringent security and extensive logistical planning in place for the event scheduled from December 11 to 15, 2025. More than six lakh devotees are expected to relinquish their 41-day Bhavani Deeksha at Sri Kanaka Durga Temple atop Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada. NTR district collector Dr G. Lakshmisha, police commissioner S.V. Rajasekhar Babu, and temple executive officer (EO) V.K. Seena Naik inspected the preparations on Wednesday and instructed officials to ensure seamless darshan and effective crowd management. Lakshmisha said the arrangements mirror the scale of the recent Dasara festivities. The area has been divided into 36 sectors, each overseen by a designated officer handling holding areas, queue lines, tonsure points, bathing ghats, laddu counters and related facilities. Around 3,000 police personnel…...

23+ min ago (925+ words) Pope Leo XIV will make a notable departure from his predecessors in the first foreign trip of his pontificate Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, is set to embark on his inaugural foreign trip, a significant six-day tour of Turkey and Lebanon. The visit, scheduled from November 27 to December 2, presents crucial opportunities to foster relations with two of the Catholic Church's primary focuses: Orthodox Christians and Muslims. In a notable departure from the Vatican's traditional Italian, the Pope will address audiences exclusively in English in Turkey, and in a combination of English and French in Lebanon, using these languages to articulate a broader message of peace across the Middle East. Security measures are expected to be exceptionally tight, particularly in the wake of an Israeli strike targeting Hezbollah in Beirut just days before the pontiff's arrival. This journey holds…...

23+ min ago (15+ words) ANKARA (AP) " El papa Le'n XIV llega a Turqu'a en su primer viaje al extranjero....

25+ min ago (77+ words) Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkey Thursday on the first overseas trip of his papacy, which will also take him to Lebanon, said an AFP journalist on board his plane. Pope Leo XIV Lands In Turkey On First Overseas Trip Of Papacy: AFP AFP - Agence France Presse Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkey Thursday on the first overseas trip of his papacy, which will also take him to Lebanon, said an AFP journalist on board his plane....

25+ min ago (535+ words) DEAR MISS MANNERS: At several gatherings with friends and family, the food is blessed by holding hands during a prayer " after I have already washed mine in preparation for eating. Holding hands defeats the purpose of washing them, but I don't know how to avoid it during the prayer. Refraining from holding hands, or immediately rewashing right after, might offend the other guests. Any ideas on how to handle this situation? GENTLE READER: Wash your hands at the time appointed, hold hands during the prayer, and then, when everyone else starts to eat, you may excuse yourself, having waited to go to the bathroom. You will then be able to wash your hands a second time with no one the wiser. Do not let the subterfuge concern you. Miss Manners knows that it is for a good cause " just as…...

31+ min ago (282+ words) Chittorgarh: The Sanwaria Seth Temple in Chittorgarh has received record-breaking donations this year. After five stages of counting, the total donations have crossed Rs 40.33 crore, and counting continues. The temple, famous across the Mewar region, opened its donation vault two months after Diwali. To handle the growing crowd and ensure smooth counting, the administration moved the process from the courtyard to the Satsang Hall within the temple premises. The vault opened on November 19 after Bhog and Aarti. Administrative officer Prabha Gautam, temple president Hajari Das Vaishnav, and other officials supervised the event. This year, the cash collected reached an all-time high. Around 200 staff members are counting the donations. So far, they have processed cash donations, while contributions through the temple office, online payments, and money orders remain. They also plan to count gold, silver, coins, and foreign currency. At Sanwaria…...

32+ min ago (531+ words) Situated in the far corners of the Tibetan plateau, Mount Kailash is considered the mystical abode of Lord Shiva, the cosmic creator and destroyer. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is one of the most revered spiritual pilgrimages in the world, an expedition that blends faith and endurance with mythology and breathtaking Himalayan beauty. As preparations for the 2026 Yatra start, thousands of devotees are once again getting ready for this transformational journey to the holiest peaks of Tibet: Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Situated in the far corners of the Tibetan plateau, Mount Kailash is considered the mystical abode of Lord Shiva, the cosmic creator and destroyer. To Hindus, it is the axis of the universe-the point where heaven meets earth. Buddhists adore it as Kang Rinpoche, the precious jewel of snow; Jains believe it is where the first Tirthankara attained liberation; and…...