Syrian Government Signs Breakthrough Deal With Kurdish-Led Forces

The Kurdish-led militia that controls northeastern Syria agreed on Monday to merge with the country’s new government, marking a major breakthrough for Damascus in its efforts to unify a country still wrestling with violent turmoil. The agreement, announced by the office of Syria’s presidency and signed by both parties, stipulated that the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic … Read more

Ramadan in the West Bank: Displacement and Despair

The bustle of Ramadan markets has been reduced to a trickle of somber shoppers. A heavy silence has replaced lively chatter. No lanterns glow in windows, and the strings of lights that crisscrossed alleyways, flickering above children playing in the streets, have gone dark. “Ramadan used to shine,” said Mahmoud Sukkar, a father of four … Read more

South Korean R&B Singer Wheesung Is Found Dead at 43

The South Korean singer-songwriter Wheesung, who popularized R&B music in the country but had documented struggles with drug abuse, was found dead in his home in Seoul on Monday evening, police said. He was 43. Fire department officials found the singer, whose birth name was Choi Whee-sung, in a state of cardiac arrest in his … Read more

As Ukraine and U.S. Cease-Fire Talks Near, Gulfs Remain

When Ukrainian and American officials sit down in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for their first high-level meeting since an Oval Office shouting match between their presidents last month, the goal will be finding a way to halt the bloodiest European war in generations. But the United States, Ukraine and Russia appear to have very different … Read more

With U.S. Aid Cuts No Longer a Threat, Rwanda Bets Big on Soft Power

Since an armed rebel group backed by Rwandan troops launched a major offensive in the Democratic Republic of Congo, professional cyclists have raced on lush Rwandan hills, John Legend performed a sold-out concert in the capital, Kigali, and entrepreneurs have gathered at a conference center for a financial technology convention. Rwanda’s role in the war … Read more