Friedrich Merz, the man favored to be Germany’s next chancellor after elections on Sunday, is a conservative businessman who has never been a minister and was forced out of government years ago for challenging then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. As a Christian Democrat and committed trans-Atlanticist, he has been considered a potentially better match for President Trump … Read more
Last August, a hotel room in Europe priced at 200 euros was about $224. Today, travelers spending American dollars would pay only $208. On the rise since last autumn, the dollar is strong compared with a number of foreign currencies, including the euro, the Japanese yen and the Canadian dollar. And President Trump’s tariff threat … Read more
It was the site of Britain’s Royal Mint, where coins were struck from 1810 to 1975. It sits atop the ruins of a Cistercian abbey dating to the 14th century, as well as a burial ground from the Black Death. And from the 16th century to the early 18th century, it was a supply yard … Read more
Only a few years ago, Washington was calling Saudi Arabia a “pariah” over its headline-making human rights violations. Western business leaders canceled investments in the kingdom. Celebrities and sports stars took flack for doing events there. With its oil and its regional clout, however, Saudi Arabia proved too useful for the Biden administration to push … Read more
Andrii Pobihai wore his army uniform to the funeral in Bucha, even though he’s retired. He was one of about 40 people to brave the freezing temperatures and air-raid sirens on Wednesday to say goodbye to his friend, who had died of a heart attack at the age of 48 after serving more than 10 … Read more
Hamas said on Thursday it had handed over the bodies of four Israelis abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel — including a woman and her two young children — in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Large crowds had gathered near the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis to watch the choreographed handoff … Read more
Hamas fighters were expected on Thursday to hand over the bodies of four Israelis who had been abducted during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, including a woman and her two young children, in exchange for Palestinians jailed by Israel. Large crowds gathered in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis to observe the exchange, … Read more
Chinese government workers have a lot to worry about these days. Cash-strapped local governments are struggling to pay their salaries. Political controls are tightening in the name of national security. A yearslong anti-corruption purge shows no sign of ending. Now, the workers also have to make sure not to get slapped with a “Snail Award” … Read more
Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday that it was offering $30,000 to each passenger who was aboard the flight from Minneapolis that crashed and flipped upside down this week while trying to land in Toronto. All 80 people — 76 passengers and four crew members — who were on Delta Flight 4819 survived after the … Read more
