The United Nations Mideast envoy has warned that  Israel and Hamas were “minutes away” from another “devastating confrontation” in Gaza on Saturday.

He revealed on Tuesday that the clash was averted after U.N. and Egyptian diplomatic efforts got both sides to “step back from the brink.”

Sounding the alarm, Nikolay Mladenov said that crucial work is required to change the current deteriorating dynamics that, he noted, could lead to the fourth war in a decade between Hamas and Israel…

Pope Francis on Tuesday expressed his sadness for the many deaths caused by raging wildfires in areas close to the Greek capital, Athens.

In a telegramme addressed to ecclesiastical and civil authorities by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin on his behalf, the Pope said he extends his heartfelt solidarity to all those affected by this tragedy, commends the deceased to the merciful love of Almighty God, and offers encouragement to the civil authorities and emergency personnel as they continue in their rescue efforts.  

At least 60 people have perished in the fires in the Attica region around Athens…

Dear exhausted, discouraged parents,

So your kids are just terrible in Mass. Chaotic, disobedient, and disruptive, week after week. It’s like a big old spotlight is shining on you the whole time, you and your apparently sub-par parenting.

I’m right there with you. I’ve started to dread Sundays. I mean, we’ve tried everything. Going to the early Mass, going to the evening Mass, Mass books, whispered explanations, whispered threats, sitting in the front, sitting in the back, marching straight to the cry room … and maybe a few of the tricks have helped, but the bottom line is that we’re not getting out of that building without somebody screaming, making a mad dash for the altar, or God knows what…

Il-maratona Oħloq Tbissima, maratona ta’ 60 siegħa xandir live b’risq is-Soċjetà Missjunarja ta’ San Pawl (MSSP) intemmet biċ-ċifra ta’ €164,067.

Matul is-60 siegħa, il-pubbliku ipparteċipa f’Quddies, rużarju u mumenti oħra ta’ talb. Segwa wkoll filmati esklussivi, li wrew il-bżonnijiet kbar li hemm u kemm qed isir ġid b’din il-ħidma missjunarja.  Il-programm inkluda diskussjonijiet, intervisti, kant u żfin, logħob, il-banda tal-Forzi Armati ta’ Malta u anke l-banda tal-Pulizija u diversi attivitajiet immirati biex jolqtu l-gosti tal-familja kollha…

Human life has to always be cherished, whether it is in the form of eight cells in the womb, or in the form of a person in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, said Auxiliary Bishop Elect Joseph Galea Curmi on the Malta Independent’s online interview programme Indepth.

Interviewed by The Malta Independent Editor-in-Chief Rachel Attard, Galea Curmi appealed that just because a people were coming from African countries, we should never speak of them as if they were “a piece of furniture” as opposed to being humans. “That is a terrible thing”, Mgr…

Il-Fondazzjoni tal-Konkatidral ta’ San Ġwann ser torganizza kunċert b’xejn għall-pubbliku. Dan se jsir fil-Konkatidral ta’ San Ġwann, il-Belt Valletta, nhar il-Ġimgħa 27 ta’ Lulju, fit-8pm.

Il-kunċert Exultet se jinkludi fih kant ta’ stil Gregorjan minn Juri Camisasca, kant-awtur Taljan, flimkien ma’ mużiċisti oħra mill-Italja. Il-kunċert se jdum madwar 80 minuta.

Għalkemm dan il-kunċert mużikali huwa b’xejn, dawk kollha li jixtiequ jattendu jridu jiksbu l-biljetti tagħhom minn www.ticketline.com.mt…

L-Erbgħa,18 ta’ Lulju 20l-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna bierek qanpiena ġdida li ser tieħu post l-eqdem qanpiena li kien hemm sa issa fil-Katidral tal-Imdina u li nħadmet fl-1499.

Il-qanpiena l-ġdida nħadmet mill-Fonderija Paccard f’Annecy, fin-nofsinhar ta’ Franza, biex tixbah liż-żewġ qniepen li hemm fil-kampnari, u li nħadmu minn Prospero Barigozzi fl-1958 f’Milan. Il-qanpiena l-ġdida tiżen 170kilogramma u hija intonata li ddoqq in-nota D biex tieħu post il-ħoss tal-qanpiena l-qadima…

Kylain Mbappé is sharing his World Cup victory with the children of France.

The 19-year-old striker who scored four goals in this year’s tournament, helping France capture its second World Cup victory, plans to donate his earnings from the win to a children’s charity, according to French news media.

Mbappé plans to donate his earnings to Premiers de Cordée, an organization that offers free sports programs to disabled and hospitalized children, Le Parisien reported…