French state

Pope Leo has completed a visit to France that commentators describe as unusually political for a pontiff normally seen as a measured diplomatic figure. Analysts say the trip carried clear political weight, touching on church-state relations and France's secular traditions, drawing attention to how openly the Pope engaged with contested public issues during his stay.

French diplomats, including the embassy in the United States, are working to secure energy supplies for France amid pressure on European energy markets. The effort reflects a broader push by Paris to lock in reliable sources of gas and other fuels as the country seeks to reduce dependence on Russian energy and shield households and industry from shortages and price spikes.

Pope Leo is in France, where he has argued for a role for faith in public life despite the country's strict secular tradition. The remarks, made in a state founded on laicité, touch on long-running tensions between the Catholic Church and French republicanism over religion's place in politics and society. Observers are weighing how the papal message lands in one of Europe's most secular democracies.

Apple is letting certain iPhone buyers in the United States file claims for payments of up to 95 dollars tied to Siri's delayed rollout. The claims process follows a settlement over the voice assistant's features not delivering as promised, and eligible customers have a limited window to submit. Discussion is circulating among tech followers in French and English alike.

The Art Institute of Chicago has returned Jean Metzinger's 1913 painting Woman with a Fan, in what is being reported as a restitution case. The museum, one of the United States' leading art institutions, is parting with a work by the French Cubist painter. Details about the painting's provenance and the recipient of the return have not been disclosed in initial reports, and further specifics are expected to emerge.