Germany’s presumptive next chancellor could be weak from the start, for all sorts of reasons. He didn’t win a particularly high share of votes. Most Germans don’t think he’ll make a great leader. Many of the people who backed his party in Sunday’s elections say they’re not enthused with him, personally. And yet Friedrich Merz … Read more
President Trump welcomed President Emmanuel Macron of France to the White House on Monday at a time of growing tension over the future of the Atlantic alliance and peace talks with Russia that have sidelined Ukrainian and European leaders. As the president greeted Mr. Macron at the entrance to the West Wing, the two engaged … Read more
A British couple who spent almost two decades running education programs in Afghanistan were detained by the Taliban earlier this month, their children said in interviews with a number of British news outlets. The couple, Peter Reynolds and Barbie Reynolds, were arrested on Feb. 1 when returning to their home in the country’s Bamiyan province, … Read more
The hard-right Alternative for Germany might not have done as well in Sunday’s election as its leaders had hoped, but its groundbreaking performance was enough for a congratulatory phone call from Elon Musk. Alice Weidel, the chancellor candidate for the party, known by its German initials, AfD, told journalists on Monday morning that she had … Read more
Israeli operations against militants in the West Bank have escalated to a level not seen since the Second Intifada of the early 2000s. Tens of thousands have been forced to flee their homes, with Israel’s defense minister saying they will not be allowed to return. And for the first time in two decades, Israeli forces … Read more
The Catholic world is gripped with uncertainty as Pope Francis, 88, remains in critical condition in a Rome hospital because of a complex lung infection and other serious ailments. On Monday, the Vatican said Francis had awakened from a restful sleep and was responding to therapy. It said that cardinals would gather in front of … Read more
Who Is Friedrich Merz, Germany’s Likely New Chancellor?
Frank G. Wisner II, a veteran American diplomat, Washington insider and foreign affairs specialist who relished the prestige of ambassadorial life as much as the back-channel cajoling and arm-twisting of less public influence, died on Monday at his home in Mill Neck, N.Y., on Long Island. He was 86. His son, David, said the cause … Read more
China’s leader said his country and Russia were “true friends who have been through thick and thin together” after a video call with President Vladimir V. Putin on Monday, according to Chinese state media. The warm words attributed to Xi Jinping were clearly intended to dampen speculation that the Trump administration might succeed in driving … Read more
Her fans call her Heidi. She is 36 years old. She talks a mile a minute. She has a tattoo of the Polish-German revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg on her left arm and a million followers across TikTok and Instagram. She was relatively unknown in German politics until January, but as of Sunday, she’s a political force. … Read more