
Days After Hosting Trump, Xi Serves Up Tea and Smiles to Putin
During a state visit, the Chinese and Russian leaders cast themselves as a stabilizing force in a world thrown into tumult by Washington.By David Pierson and Paul Sonne
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldasia
ChinaRussiaPutin, Vladimir VTrump, Donald JXi Jinping

How Iran Gained Leverage in the War
Outmatched militarily, Iran used “triangular coercion” by attacking Gulf states and closing the Strait of Hormuz. It points to a long-term U.S. vulnerability.By Amanda Taub
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldmiddleeast
Strait of HormuzIranMiddle EastTrump, Donald J

Ebola Outbreak Opens Old Wounds About ‘Saving Africans’
To some Africans, the claim that the continent’s largest health agency had already bungled its response scratched a familiar wound.By Matthew Mpoke Bigg
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldafrica
AfricaCongo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa)Africa Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCenters for Disease Control and PreventionWorld Health Organization

Killing in Japan Stirs Fear of New Crime Rings That Recruit the Vulnerable
Four teenage boys were arrested in the killing of a woman at her home. The police say they might have been directed by a new type of transient criminal network known as tokuryu.By Javier C. Hernández and Kiuko Notoya
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldasia
Japan

The French Civil Servant Accused of Drugging More Than 100 Women
For years, prosecutors have accused Christian Nègre, once a senior official, of slipping diuretics into women’s drinks. Despite admitting some accusations in an interview with a French daily, he is yet to stand trial.By Ségolène Le Stradic
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldeurope
FranceStrasbourg (France)Negre, Christian

Ebola Outbreak Is Unlikely to Become Global Threat, W.H.O. Head Says
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director general, said the outbreak in central Africa was “not a pandemic emergency.”By Lynsey Chutel, Yan Zhuang and Nick Cumming-Bruce
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldafrica
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa)UgandaWorld Health OrganizationState DepartmentCenters for Disease Control and PreventionChin-Hong, PeterRubio, MarcoTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Israel Minister Taunts Pro-Palestinian Flotilla Activists in Video
In the video, the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, walks past activists in handcuffs and forced to kneel on the deck of a ship. It drew outrage at home and abroad.By Natan Odenheimer
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldmiddleeast
IsraelGaza StripBen-Gvir, Itamar

Iran Threatens to Strike Beyond the Middle East if the U.S. Resumes Attacks
The warning was issued as President Trump and Vice President JD Vance say progress is being made toward a deal, while keeping open the threat of renewed strikes.By Euan Ward and Jenny Gross
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldmiddleeast
IranMiddle EastRed SeaStrait of HormuzSaudi ArabiaIslamic Revolutionary Guards CorpsHouthisIslamic Republic of Iran BroadcasterTrump, Donald J

China Warns Against New U.S. Tariffs While Confirming Summit Deals
Beijing’s acknowledgment on Wednesday that tariffs were discussed in talks with President Trump signals it was prepared to push back if the U.S. revives duties.By Alexandra Stevenson and Catie Edmondson
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
business
ChinaUnited StatesBoeing CompanyMinistry of Commerce (China)

The South Koreans Cheering for a Visiting North Korean Soccer Team
While diplomatic relations between the two Koreas are near a historic low, a rare trip by athletes from the North triggered intense emotions in some older South Koreans.By Choe Sang-Hun
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldasia
South KoreaNorth KoreaAsian Football ConfederationNaegohyang (Soccer Team)

Deputy British Ambassador to U.S. Leaves Job Abruptly
James Roscoe, a diplomat who previously worked for the royal family and at the United Nations, left his role without an immediate explanation.By Stephen Castle
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldeurope
Great BritainUnited StatesRoscoe, James (1976- )

Bodies of Last 2 Missing Italian Divers Recovered in the Maldives
Experts have spent days conducting a complex search operation to find five divers who died on a trip to explore deep underwater caves in the Indian Ocean last week.By Amelia Nierenberg and Josephine de La Bruyère
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldasia
ItalyMaldivesUniversity of Genoa

As a Weakened Putin Follows Trump to Beijing, Iran War Offers an Opening
With the upheaval in the Persian Gulf disrupting oil and gas supplies, Russia is looking to deepen its energy ties to China.By Ivan Nechepurenko and David Pierson
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldeurope
RussiaChinaUkrainePutin, Vladimir VXi JinpingTrump, Donald J

Protests Have Paralyzed Bolivia. Here’s Why.
After two decades of leftist rule, many voters who backed Bolivia’s new, more conservative president say he’s made their lives harder and are demanding his removal.By Genevieve Glatsky and María Silvia Trigo
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldamericas
BoliviaLa Paz (Bolivia)Morales, EvoPaz Pereira, Rodrigo

Why the U.S. Chose May 20 to Seek Charges Against Raúl Castro
The choice of this specific date to indict the former president Raúl Castro carries historical echoes from more than a century ago.By Max Bearak
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldamericas
CubaUnited StatesJustice DepartmentCastro, RaulTrump, Donald J

After Eurovision Final, Dismay That Politics Didn’t Play a Bigger Role
Politics isn’t supposed to influence the international song contest, but more than one official commented on how countries voted this year.By Claire Moses
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
artsmusic
PolandIsraelUkraineMoldovaEuropean Broadcasting UnionVlad Turcanu

Justice Dept. Charges Former Cuban President in Fatal Downing of Planes
The indictment was an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administration’s multifaceted pressure campaign against Cuba’s Communist government.By Alan Feuer, Frances Robles and David C. Adams
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
us
Brothers to the RescueCastro, RaulBlanche, Todd (Attorney)

He Crashed a Beach Fashion Show and Accidentally Became Its Star
David Handley was going for a swim in Sydney when he found himself walking on an Australian Fashion Week runway. “I’ve usurped the spot of the lead model,” he said.By Isabella Kwai
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldaustralia
AustraliaSydney (Australia)

Timmy the Whale Got Stranded Off the German Coast. Then Things Got Weird.
A humpback that became stuck in the Baltic seemed to unite a nation in hope. Rescue efforts followed, and then finger-pointing.By Jim Tankersley and Jenny Gross
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldeurope
Baltic SeaDenmarkLubeck (Germany)Bild (Newspaper)

Heavy Rain and Floods in China Kill at Least 22
China’s most intense storm this year set off damaging flash floods in seven provinces, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.By John Yoon
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldasia
ChinaHunan Province (China)

Early War Goal Was to Install Hard-Line Former President as Iran’s Leader
An Israeli strike designed to free Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from house arrest in Tehran, U.S. officials said, was part of an effort to bring about regime change and put him in power.By Mark Mazzetti, Julian E. Barnes, Farnaz Fassihi and Ronen Bergman
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
uspolitics
IranIsraelIslamic Revolutionary Guards CorpsMossadAhmadinejad, MahmoudKhamenei, AliNetanyahu, BenjaminTrump, Donald J

What the End of Aid Looks Like
The United States and other countries are cutting humanitarian relief. Our reporter went to Somalia to see the impact.By Katrin Bennhold
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
world
SomaliaNew Delhi (India)ColombiaUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentRonaldo, Cristiano

The New ‘Gold Rush’ of Geothermal Energy
A new wave of start-ups are trying to harvest emissions-free energy from inside the Earth, but the industry still faces significant challenges.By David Gelles
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
climate
Isle de Jean Charles (La)LouisianaUtahUnited StatesEnvironmental Protection AgencyInternational Energy AgencyEnergy DepartmentGelles, DavidTrump, Donald J

Israeli Minister Threatens to Evict Palestinians From West Bank Hamlet
Bezalel Smotrich, the hard-line minister, said he was retaliating for the International Criminal Court prosecutor seeking his arrest, something the court did not confirm nor deny.By Aaron Boxerman
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldmiddleeast
West BankIsraelInternational Criminal CourtSmotrich, Bezalel (1980- )

Zapatero, Spain’s Former Leader, Investigated for Graft
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who led Spain from 2004 to 2011, is accused of influence peddling after he left office. He has denied wrongdoing.By Carlos Barragán
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldeurope
SpainSpanish Socialist Workers' PartyZapatero, Jose Luis RodriguezSanchez Perez-Castejon, Pedro (1972- )

‘Married at First Sight’ Rape Allegations Lead to Call for U.K. Investigation
Two women told the BBC that they were sexually assaulted during the filming of the popular show. The accusations have reignited a debate in Britain about the ethics of reality TV.By Jonathan Wolfe
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldeurope
Great BritainChannel 4

Son of Mango Fashion Chain’s Founder Is Arrested as Suspect in His Death
Isak Andic, the billionaire who built the Spanish brand, died while hiking with his son in 2024. News outlets had reported that the son was under investigation.By Amelia Nierenberg and Carlos Barragán
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldeurope
Barcelona (Spain)Catalonia (Spain)SpainMango (Clothing Retailer)Andic, Isak (1953-2024)

Inflation Fears Cloud G7 Economic Agenda as Iran War Persists
The United States and Europe were at odds over the Trump administration’s decision to ease oil sanctions on Russia.By Alan Rappeport
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
business
EuropeRussiaGroup of SevenTreasury DepartmentBessent, ScottTrump, Donald J

Trump’s Special Envoy to Greenland Receives a Cold Welcome From Locals
After President Trump’s threats to seize the island, Gov. Jeff Landry’s offers of MAGA hats and chocolate chip cookies fall flat.By Maya Tekeli and Jeffrey Gettleman
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldeurope
EuropeGreenlandNuuk (Greenland)Landry, Jeffrey MartinNielsen, Jens-FrederikTrump, Donald J

Neanderthal Dentistry, and the Scientist Glad Not to Have Experienced It
The prehistoric hominins “apparently were very adept at what we would consider invasive medicine,” said the anthropologist John Olsen.By Franz Lidz
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
science
PLoS One (Journal)

Starbucks Korea C.E.O. Is Fired Over Ad That Stirred Memories of Brutal History
A marketing campaign called “Tank Day” coincided with the anniversary of a military dictatorship’s crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.By John Yoon
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldasia
Gwangju (South Korea)South KoreaStarbucks Corporation

Middle East on Edge After Trump Says He Delayed Attack on Iran
President Trump threatened “another big hit” on Iran, saying the country had days to return to the negotiating table, as Pakistan continued its mediation efforts to end the war.By Euan Ward and Elian Peltier
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldmiddleeast
IranMiddle EastPakistanUnited StatesAraghchi, AbbasMunir, Syed AsimTrump, Donald J

Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa Could Last Months, W.H.O. Says
Health officials reported more than 130 suspected deaths and 540 cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, but experts say the figures could be much higher.By Lynsey Chutel, Yan Zhuang and Ephrat Livni
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldafrica
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa)UgandaIturi Province (Congo, Democratic Republic of)World Health Organization

As Ukraine Hits Oil Refineries, Russians Pay a Heavy Environmental Toll
After invading more than four years ago, Moscow has usually been the one causing ecological disaster. But Kyiv’s strikes, intended to cut into the Kremlin’s oil revenue, have flipped the script.By Nataliya Vasilyeva and Alina Lobzina
Published on : Tue May 19 2026
worldeurope
RussiaUkraine