Anxiety in Gaza and Israel as Cease-Fire Nears End of First Phase
A series of hostage-for-prisoner swaps agreed under the first phase of the cease-fire is complete, and no one knows how long the uneasy calm will last.
Austrian Parties Reach Deal to Form Government Without Far Right
The announcement was a victory for mainstream political parties, after earlier talks involving the hard-right Freedom Party broke down.
Al-Assad Becomes a Punchline in Syria’s Comedy Scene
Comics had already been trying to foster stand-up in Syria before Bashar al-Assad’s fall. Now, they are telling jokes in a liberated country, while warily eyeing the new government.
Why Scam Centers in Southeast Asia Keep Flourishing
A China-led crackdown on online fraud rescued thousands from Myanmar this month. But this massive business of grift keeps growing.
Some European Allies Fear Trump Is Out to Destroy Them
Debate is building over just how deep the Trump administration’s antagonism runs, and whether the real goal is to destroy the European Union.
Talks on Syria’s Future Fall Short of Promises, Participants Say
The country’s new leaders had billed a two-day “national dialogue” in Damascus as the start of a process to build an inclusive government. But some who attended came away disappointed.
Israel Strikes Syria Hours After Country’s Leader Demands Withdrawal
The attacks in southern Syria are part of a new policy aimed at protecting what Israel calls its “security zone” in the region. Syria’s new government has condemned that policy.
German Central Bank Loss Points to More Economic Woes for Germany
The central bank’s president said it was “not possible to rule out” a third year of no economic growth.
In Former East Germany, the Hard-Right AfD Party Finds Most of Its Support
The former East Germany still votes virtually as a separate country — and increasingly for a party that has been linked to neo-Nazis.
Ahmed al-Shara: The Evolution of Syria’s New Leader
Ahmed al-Shara’s unlikely path from membership in Al Qaeda to head of state has raised questions about how he intends to govern Syria.