Higher Ground

Tombs of migrants, including two babies, who died in shipwrecks are seen at the cemetery on the island of Lampedusa, southern Italy, Friday, July 3, 2026, one day before Pope Leo XIV's visit. ( AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope marks July 4 by praying in Lampedusa for migrants who died seeking freedom and prosperity

By Nicole Winfield and Andrea Rosa - Associated Press

Pope Leo XIV, who has sparred with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown, spent the Fourth of July on Saturday in the epicenter of Europe’s migration debate to honor the tens of thousands of people who have died trying to reach Europe to find freedom and prosperity.

A man is publicly caned after he was convicted of violating Islamic law by kissing during a TikTok livestream, in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

TikTok livestream kiss triggers public caning under Indonesia’s Sharia law

By Brad Matthews - The Washington Times

A couple in the conservative Aceh province in northwestern Indonesia were caned Thursday for violating Sharia law by kissing on a TikTok livestream.

Texas state Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico attends a rally in Houston, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez) ** FILE **

Commentary
Democrats’ bizarre ‘we’re all going to hell’ moment

By Billy Hallowell - The Washington Times

"Supergirl" movie plot and human trafficking illustration by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Commentary
‘Supergirl’ movie’s darkest storyline is the one it ignores

By Scott Douglas Gerber

Pope Leo XIV delivers his blessing as he visits Pavia's Cathedral, northern Italy, on June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

Pope urges U.S. to recommit to founding ideas of protecting life, human dignity on 250th anniversary

By Nicole Winfield - Associated Press

From spies and poets to mothers, daughters, and patriots, these women risked everything for a cause greater than themselves. Actress, filmmaker, and producer Shari Rigby explains why their stories have been overlooked for so long, why they matter today, and how "Defiant Ones" aims to inspire a new generation by bringing history to life through immersive storytelling and an all-star voice cast.

Video
WATCH: ‘Defiant Ones’ launches at The Washington Times

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seen before a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

Muslim-rights advocacy group sues Gov. DeSantis over ‘domestic terrorist’ designation

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times

Newly consecrated Bishops, from left, Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier, wearing their miters and holding their pastoral staffs, pray at the end of their consecration ceremony in a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary in Econe, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

Catholic group that defied pope and caused schism defends its actions and casts itself as the victim

By Nicole Winfield - Associated Press

The Rev. John Ubel, pastor of the Church of Saint Agnes, processes into the sanctuary with altar servers at the start of one of the Catholic parish’s Latin Masses in St. Paul, Minn., Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell’Orto)

As Pope Leo faces traditionalists’ schism, a Minnesota church merges old customs with fidelity

By Giovanna Dell'Orto - Associated Press

Newly consecrated Bishops, from left, Marc Hanappier, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry, Michael Goldade and Pascal Schreiber wearing their miters and holding their pastoral staffs, stand at the end of their consecration ceremony in a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary in Econe, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

Vatican excommunicates schismatic bishops and priests, and warns their followers

By Nicole Winfield - Associated Press

A statue of Thomas Jefferson holding the Declaration of Independence stands in New York's City Hall Council Chamber on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

The idea of separating church and state has deep religious and secular roots

By Steven K. Green - Associated Press

King of England and religion illustration by Linas Garsys / The Washington Times

Commentary

Is King Charles’ redefinition of the monarchy a rejection of God?

By Peter McIlvenna

Memorial Continental Hall of the Daughters of the American Revolution. File photo credit: grandbrothers via Shutterstock.

‘Hold the line’: DAR faction keeps up battle against group’s policy of accepting transgender members

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times

Pope Leo XIV leaves after a Mass where he conferred the pallium on newly appointed metropolitan archbishops, in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Defying Pope Leo XIV, traditionalists go ahead with bishop consecrations in Switzerland

By Jamey Keaten and Nicole Winfield - Associated Press

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee - May 10, 2022. File photo credit: Fotoluminate LLC via Shutterstock.

Vanderbilt report on liberal bias in the humanities sparks outrage in higher education

By Sean Salai - The Washington Times

Related Articles

The King James Bible open to the introduction page of the New Testament. File photo credit: Janece Flippo via Shutterstock.

500 years ago, the first New Testament in English was published - and stirred up a hornet’s nest

By Michael Bruening - Associated Press

In 1526, books appeared in England that no one had seen before: printed New Testaments in the English language. The public snapped them up.

Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope begs breakaway traditionalist group to back off bishop consecrations

By Nicole Winfield - Associated Press

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday begged a breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics to call off its plan to consecrate new bishops without his consent, calling the move a schismatic act and a "sin of extreme gravity."

FILE - Sister Alessandra Smerilli, secretary general of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, attends a press conference at the Vatican, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

Pope promotes Italian nun to top migrant role in his first major appointment of a woman to Holy See

Associated Press

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday made his first major appointment of a woman to the Holy See hierarchy, promoting Italian Sister Alessandra Smerilli to head the Vatican office responsible for migrants, the environment and development.

Palestinian weavers Rula Barakeh, right, and Samira Nasser work on handmade embroidered pieces at the Inaash Association embroidery workshop in Beirut, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

How some in Palestinian diaspora find connection, identity and resilience in traditional embroidery

By Mariam Fam - Associated Press

Decades later, Samar Kabouli still fondly recalls gathering with women in her family and sipping cardamom-spiced coffee as they embroidered fabric with colorful threads in traditional Palestinian patterns.

Parishioners attend a service at St. Mary's Cathedral, the mother church of the archdiocese in San Francisco, on April 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

San Francisco Archdiocese agrees to pay $395 million to settle child sex abuse lawsuits

By Olga R. Rodriguez - Associated Press

The San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese has agreed to pay $395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by church officials, plaintiffs' attorneys said Monday.