
Who Runs Iran Now? A Hard-Line Military Band of Brothers.
Decision making in the country is guided by a small group of men associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.By Neil MacFarquhar
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldmiddleeast
IranIslamic Revolutionary Guards CorpsKhamenei, Mojtaba (1969- )Ghalibaf, Mohammad BaqerVahidi, AhmadMohseni-Ejei, Gholam-HosseinJafari, Mohammad Ali (1957- )Zolghadr, Mohammad Bagher

Uganda Says It’s Not Aware of Ebola Clinics Promised by U.S.
The State Department said it would fund up to 50 clinics in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I don’t know the ones they are talking about,” a top Ugandan official said.By Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Lynsey Chutel
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldafrica
World Health OrganizationUnited States Agency for International Development

‘Eternal Flame’ Still Burns After Fire That Destroyed Buddhist Hall in Japan
The flame, which spiritual leaders say has been continuously lit for more than 1,200 years, was salvaged after the blaze and moved to a different site.By Javier C. Hernández and Hisako Ueno
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldasia
JapanReikado Hall

In Berlin, Cars Are a Culture War Flashpoint
With municipal elections approaching, conservatives and progressives are sparring over congestion in the city center and how to fix it.By Christopher F. Schuetze and Tatiana Firsova
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldeurope
Berlin (Germany)

Mira Nair Finds a New Audience as Mother of Zohran Mamdani
“I feel like we have given him to the world,” the filmmaker said in a conversation with The New York Times. Her next movie is about one of India’s greatest artists.By Anupreeta Das
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldasia
Amritsar (India)New York CityNair, MiraSher-Gil, Amrita

U.S.-Bound Flight Diverted to Canada Because of Ebola Restrictions
An Air France plane was sent to Montreal because a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo was on board. The U.S. has closed its borders to recent visitors to the African country.By Amelia Nierenberg
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldafrica
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa)United StatesAfricaMontreal (Quebec)Air France

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)

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

Cuba Says It’s Ready to Negotiate
Cuba’s ambassador to the United Nations said in an interview that Havana wanted to talk but the Trump administration was creating pretexts for military action.By Jack Nicas
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
worldamericas
CubaUnited NationsCentral Intelligence AgencyState DepartmentCastro, RaulRatcliffe, John Lee (1965- )Rubio, MarcoTrump, Donald J

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

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 to 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

Israel Minister Taunts Pro-Palestinian Flotilla Activists in Video
The national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, posted a video in which he is seen with handcuffed activists forced to kneel on the deck of a ship. It drew a rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.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

Trump Again Says He Will Talk to Taiwan’s Leader, Risking China’s Anger
President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan said he would be happy to speak with President Trump, a move that would defy U.S. diplomatic protocol and infuriate China.By John Yoon, Chris Buckley and Amy Chang Chien
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldasia
ChinaTaiwanUnited StatesTaiwan StraitTrump, Donald JLai Ching-te

Samsung Averts a Walkout With Big Bonuses, but Discord Over A.I. Profits Brews
Samsung Electronics, a global memory chip supplier, has been a major beneficiary of the A.I boom. It has also become the center of a debate over how to divide its spoils.By Max Kim
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
business
South KoreaSamsung Electronics CoSamsung Group

A Powerful El Niño Is Forming. If History Is a Guide, It Could Hit Hard.
The biggest episodes of the past have altered the course of human events, according to researchers. An emerging one is drawing historic comparisons.By Chico Harlan
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
climate
Far East, South and Southeast Asia and Pacific AreasIndiaPacific Ocean

China’s Endless Housing Crisis Shows Faint Signs of Hope
Property prices in Shanghai, in particular, are rebounding, but the national market still faces an enormous overhang — 90 million empty or unfinished apartments.By Keith Bradsher
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
business
ChinaBeijing (China)Shanghai (China)

In Blackout-Hit Cuba, Word of U.S. Castro Indictment Spreads Slowly
While many Cubans were divided over the legitimacy of the U.S. charging Raúl Castro with murder, the hope for developments that might ease their suffering is widespread.By Emma Bubola
Published on : Thu May 21 2026
worldamericas
CubaHavana (Cuba)Castro, RaulDiaz-Canel Bermudez, Miguel

Autocracy’s ‘Loyal Losers’
Even the most capable autocrats need help hanging on to power. Mediocre officials are often best for the job, according to new research.By Katrin Bennhold
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
world
CubaIranTaiwanNew York CityCastro, RaulAhmadinejad, Mahmoud

Efforts to Contain Ebola May Have Been Hindered by Lack of U.S. Involvement
Aid cuts by the Trump administration have shut down crucial disease surveillance networks and medical supply chains in East Africa.By Apoorva Mandavilli and Stephanie Nolen
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
health
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa)UgandaAfricaWorld Health OrganizationUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentCenters for Disease Control and PreventionState DepartmentTrump, Donald J

Rubio Moves Closer to Decades-Long Goal of Transforming Cuba
The secretary of state is the son of immigrants who left Cuba before the Castro revolution to look for economic opportunities. Yet, he pursues change with the zeal of a political exile.By Edward Wong
Published on : Wed May 20 2026
uspolitics
CubaState DepartmentCastro, FidelCastro, RaulMaduro, NicolasRubio, MarcoTrump, Donald J

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 some people wanted relationships between countries to hold more sway in this year’s voting.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
CubaBrothers to the RescueJustice DepartmentCastro, RaulBlanche, Todd (Attorney)Trump, Donald J

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)

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)

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

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, Nick Cumming-Bruce and Ephrat Livni
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

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

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- )