For Fans from Tiny Iceland, Team Is Family, Often Literally
One Iceland fan went to primary school with a player’s father. Another supporter’s son used to regularly wait on the team at a bar. And yet another fan is related
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Ancient Greek Sounds Transfix Audience in Athens
Hymns sung to the Greek gods thousands of years ago resonated from ancient musical instruments in Athens on Thursday, transporting a transfixed audience to antiquity. The phorminx, the kitharis, the
Read MoreSuspect Arrested in Rapper XXXTentacion’s Shooting Death
Authorities in Florida have arrested a suspect in the killing of rising rap star XXXTentacion, who was fatally shot in his luxury BMW electric car as he left an upscale
Read MoreSerena Williams: Young Boys Need Domestic Abuse Education
Serena Williams says the conversation about stopping domestic abuse shouldn’t just center around women, but men as well. The tennis superstar says education about domestic abuse should start from when
Read MoreKate Spade Foundation to Donate $1M for Suicide Prevention
Kate Spade New York has announced plans to donate $1 million to support suicide prevention and mental health awareness causes in tribute to the company’s late founder. To start, the
Read MoreEva Longoria Gives Birth to First Child, a Son
The actress and husband Jose “Pepe” Baston welcomed Santiago Enrique Baston into the world Tuesday. They say they are so grateful “for this beautiful blessing.” The couple shared the child’s
Read MoreAs World Cup Fever Spreads, Africa Unites
The World Cup attracts billions of viewers across the globe, many of them in Africa. As the best footballers in the world battle it out to be crowned champion, Zaheer
Read MoreRussian Fans Celebrate Once-maligned Team as Heroes
What a transformation. Russia’s World Cup soccer team, metamorphosed from national laughingstock to heroes of the motherland in less than a week. And no one is more stunned than
Read MoreCBS to Expand ‘Star Trek’ With Five-Year Deal for New TV Shows
U.S. broadcast network CBS will expand the popular “Star Trek” science-fiction franchise with new series, mini-series and animation under a production deal announced on Tuesday. CBS said in a statement
Read MoreMichael Jackson Tribute Show Headed to Broadway in 2020
A musical inspired by the life of late pop singer Michael Jackson will open on Broadway in 2020, Jackson’s estate and its producing partner said on Tuesday. The story will
Read MoreRussia’s Record-Breaking $15 Billion World Cup Price Tag: What Does It Buy?
The World Cup in Russia is the most expensive ever – with the official price tag around $15 billion. The result: several huge new stadiums, railroads and upgraded airports, plus
Read MoreRussia’s Record-Breaking $15 Billion World Cup Price Tag: What Does It Buy?
The FIFA World Cup in Russia is the most expensive ever, with an official price tag of $15 billion. Close to $3 billion has been spent on 12 new or
Read MoreChart-topping Rapper XXXTentacion Shot Dead at 20
XXXTentacion, the troubled 20-year-old rapper whose grim, often suicidal rhymes propelled him to the top of the U.S. chart just months ago, was shot dead Monday in Florida in a
Read More‘Muslim Oscars’ – Honoring Those Who Change the Narrative
Many Muslims around the world are not happy with Hollywood’s stereotypes of Muslims and Islam. But instead of protesting, nonprofit group Muslim Public Affairs Council created a Hollywood bureau to
Read MoreRefugee Crisis Prompts Student Art Project
Discarded life jackets on a beach in Greece inspired artwork by a teenager who wanted to learn more about the refugee crisis. Achilleas Souras, the 17-year-old creator of the artwork,
Read MoreBaseball Making Inroads Into Myanmar
In Myanmar, the most popular sport is football. But baseball, which is American’s national pastime, has carved a small niche for itself thanks to a man from Japan. Dave Grunebaum
Read MoreHow a Puerto Rican From the Bronx Became the King of Ukrainian Dance
A Puerto Rican from the Bronx, Orlando Pagan fell in love with Ukrainian folklore when he was a teenager. He used to dance in the Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, and
Read More‘Muslim Oscars’ Honor Projects, Filmmakers Who are Changing the Narrative
Many Muslims around the world are not happy with Hollywood’s stereotypes of Muslims and Islam. But instead of protesting, nonprofit group Muslim Public Affairs Council created a Hollywood bureau to
Read MoreGuggenheim Museum Opens Giacometti Exhibition
A Swiss born artist who got his first big break in 1955 in the United States, is back in the city of his first museum exhibit, New York. Sculptor, painter,
Read MoreFire Again Devastates Scotland’s Mackintosh Building
A major fire has torn through one of Scotland’s architectural gems, the Mackintosh building at the Glasgow School of Art, for the second time in four years. More than 120
Read MoreIran Fans Unfurl Banner at World Cup in Support of Women
Iranian fans at the national team’s first match at the World Cup unfurled a banner protesting Iran’s ban on women attending soccer matches back home. The banner read “#NoBan4Women” and
Read MoreIn Iran, World Cup Fever Plays Out in Cinemas
With Iran banning open-air screenings of its World Cup opening match at the last minute Friday, Tehran’s cinemas turned into the venues for fans to vent their passion. Supporters thronged
Read MoreAt UN, World Cup is Reminder of Sport’s Role in Peace
World Cup fever hit the United Nations Thursday as ambassadors and staffers gathered to watch the opening match and celebrate the link between peace and sport. Our U.N. Correspondent Margaret
Read MoreRare Audubon ‘Birds of America’ Sells for $9.6 Million in New York
A first edition of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America, one of the most celebrated books of natural history, sold for $9.65 million at auction Thursday in New York,
Read MorePride Events Encourage Acceptance of LGBTQ Community
Watching men in exaggerated makeup parade down a busy Washington street in high heels and big-hair wigs, Thuien Nguyen commented that this was not likely to happen in his native
Read MoreUS Muslims Celebrate Ramadan in Different Ways
Much like the rest of the world, Muslims in America are in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan — praying, fasting, giving to charity and breaking their monthlong
Read MoreConcerns About Racism, Violence as African, Latin American Fans Attend Russia’s World Cup
Up to a million football fans from around the world are expected to travel to Russia over the coming weeks for the World Cup, which kicks off Thursday. They include
Read MoreIndian Chess Player Quits Iran Tournament Over Headscarf Rule
An Indian chess champion announced she will not be participating in a tournament in Iran, as the country’s law requiring women to wear headscarves is a violation of her human
Read MoreFIFA Awards 2026 World Cup to Canada, Mexico, US Joint Bid
Football’s governing body has awarded the 2026 World Cup to a joint hosting bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States. FIFA member countries voted 134-65 in favor of the
Read MoreSmurf the Whole Day Long – Belgium Celebrates Cartoon Heroes
Belgium is celebrating the 60th birthday of the Smurfs by giving fans the chance to experience living in their village and take a virtual reality ride through mystical forests and
Read MoreAs Russia Readies For World Cup Kick-Off, Critics Accuse Moscow and FIFA of Foul Play
Eight years after it was awarded the right to host the football World Cup, Russia says it is ready for kick-off in the month-long competition. But with the total World
Read MoreIndonesian Agency Tries to Flex Soft Power Through Art
Indonesia is rich in commodities such as oil, gas, gold and tin, but a handful of government officials think its most powerful resources are cultural. They belong to a dynamic
Read MoreAnalog Charm of World Cup Sticker Book Endures Among Fans
Eighth-grade teacher Ari Mascarenhas could have picked high-tech gadgets or modern apps to help his students learn Portuguese, but he instead went old school with the World Cup sticker book.
Read MoreAmerican Artist Prefers Beer Cans to Canvas
Described as bright, thoughtful and bold – the art that Mike Van Hall makes is both unexpected and accessible. But what makes his art unique is that you don’t have
Read MoreWashington Capitals to Celebrate NHL Stanley Cup Title with Parade
Washington, D.C., will host a celebration on Tuesday that has been 44 years in the making: a parade to mark the first Stanley Cup title in the Washington Capital’s hockey
Read MoreSummit Visitor: Former US Basketball Player Dennis Rodman, a Kim Jong Un Friend
Dennis Rodman, a flamboyant, one-time U.S. professional basketball player, showed up Monday in Singapore ready to renew his unique friendship with Kim Jong Un as the North Korean dictator gets
Read MoreA Convert to Islam Experiences First Ramadan
When Jeremy Randall and Ariam Mohamed set their wedding date for May 5, they knew they would be submitting their new union to an endurance test – of faith. “We
Read MoreBroadway’s Tony Awards Get Political
The Band’s Visit, a musical about a an Egyptian police orchestra booked for a concert in an Israeli town, but end up in the wrong town, took home the prize
Read MoreTony Awards to Honor Broadway Talent, Parkland Teacher
“(Let’s) just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked,” Andrew Garfield said when he won a Tony Award Sunday night in New York for best
Read MoreSwiss Voters Reject Chance to Host 2026 Winter Olympics
There will be no Winter Olympics in Switzerland in 2026. Voters in the southern canton of Valais rejected a proposal Sunday to bid on the games that would have been
Read MoreGirls Education Fund Announced at G-7
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Saturday that nearly $3 billion in pledges has been raised to help fund the education of vulnerable girls and women around the world. Canada
Read MoreJustify Triumphs in Belmont, Wins Triple Crown
Justify led all the way Saturday to win the Belmont Stakes by 1¾ lengths and become horse racing’s 13th Triple Crown champion and second in four years. The chestnut colt
Read MoreHalep’s French Open Title Inspired by Ruzici
Newly crowned French Open champion Simona Halep said she was inspired to win her first Grand Slam title by her manager Virginia Ruzici’s feats 40 years ago at Roland Garros.
Read MoreSculpted Head of Mystery Biblical King Found in Israel
An enigmatic sculpture of a king’s head dating back nearly 3,000 years has set off a modern-day mystery caper as scholars try to figure out whose face it depicts. The
Read MoreProsecutor: Bourdain Hanged Himself with Bathrobe Belt
The prosecutor of Colmar in France’s Alsace region says that writer and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain hanged himself in the bathroom of his French hotel room. Prosecutor Christian de Rocquigny
Read MoreChristians Want Equal Rights in Morocco
Christian convert Loubna and her husband, Kamal, marry in a small ceremony in a meeting room of a human rights group in the Moroccan capital, ignoring threats from people in
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