Syria’s leader called for unity Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, appealed yesterday for calm and unity after violence erupted last week between fighters affiliated with his government and those loyal to the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad. More than 1,000 people have been killed, including about 700 civilians, mostly by government forces, according to the Syrian … Read more
He is the Taxman of Kabul, a bearded, black-turbaned Talib with a genial manner and the calculating mind of a computer-savvy accountant. As director of the Taliban’s Taxpayers Services Directorate, Abdul Qahar Ghorbandi has the unenviable task of raising revenue for the government of a wretchedly poor, isolated nation. From his perch behind an enormous … Read more
North Korea said on Saturday that it was building its first nuclear-powered submarine to enhance its nuclear weapons abilities, and the state news media showed the nation’s leader, Kim Jong-un, inspecting part of what appeared to be a new submarine larger than any owned by the country. The announcement, made in the state news media, … Read more
Two men, barefoot and wearing traditional loincloths around their waists, tussled with each other on a stage transformed to look like a sumo ring. A fighting consultant, who had been observing the rehearsal nearby, stepped in to offer advice: The men’s arm movements were too straight; their motions needed to be smoother and more circular. … Read more
Ski resorts in Japan are prized for having some of the deepest, lightest powder around. A winter of exceptionally heavy snow — some areas had more than 12 feet of snowpack this week — should be a skier or snowboarder’s dream. The ski terrain in Japan this winter is “super big and super gnarly,” the … Read more
Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s impeached president, who is standing trial on insurrection charges over his decision to impose martial law in December, was released from a detention center on Saturday, a day after a court ruled that his detention was invalid. The Seoul Central District Court ruled on Friday that prosecutors had violated procedural … Read more
China announced tariffs of up to 100 percent on canola, pork and other foods from Canada on Saturday, in retaliation for Canada’s decision last August to collect steep taxes on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. The Chinese tariffs, which take effect on March 20, were also a clear warning to Canada — … Read more
As President Trump puts new tariffs on goods from China and threatens a trade war with allies like Mexico and Canada, one global company is likely to suffer less than most of its competitors: Tesla. But the electric car maker led by Elon Musk, which accounts for a third of the billionaire’s wealth, is also … Read more
Mizoram, a state in India’s remote northeast that shares boundaries with Bangladesh and Myanmar, has one. Surat, a city best known for its diamonds and textiles, has one. Bengaluru, the country’s tech hub with a touch of hipness, has one. Kolkata, whose residents take their reputation for erudition seriously, has at least three. And then … Read more
Russian and North Korean forces have made significant battlefield advances in recent days in the Kursk region of Russia, threatening Ukraine’s supply lines and its hold on a patch of land it hopes to use as a bargaining chip in future negotiations, according to Ukrainian soldiers, Russian military bloggers and military analysts. Working together, a … Read more