Parliament speaker takes over as interim president, election to take place later this year. Essebsi's death while still in office could lead to new power struggles in the only country to emerge from the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings with a functioning democracy and relative stability.

Governing party maintains razor-thin lead over Blue and White alliance ahead of the Sept. 17 election. Lieberman's Yisrael Beytenu projected 7 seats.

Church leaders and conservative politicians claim the songs of band Mashrou' Leila are an insult to Christianity. Rights groups, intellectuals, activists, protest ban: "Mashrou' Leila is one of the greatest things to happen to the Middle East."

Like the rest of the Palestinian narrative, the myth of an “apartheid” Shuhada Street is grounded in misrepresentations, omissions and facts taken out of context.

Amidst increasing Iranian provocations and ongoing detention of British vessel in Iran, UK changes approach. HMS Montrose, a British frigate now in the area, to accompany the vessels, a government spokesman said.