President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus keeps arresting political opponents, but analysts wonder if a string of unusual pardons is a bid to get sanctions eased.
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Netanyahu Signals Progress on Hostage Deal but Won’t Give Timeline
Pledging to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza by any means necessary, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said, “I don’t know how long it will take.”
Tuesday Briefing: The Matt Gaetz Report is Out
Plus, celebrating “Chrismukkah.”
French President Emmanuel Macron Appoints New Cabinet After Previous Government’s Collapse
President Emmanuel Macron of France named the choices less than three weeks after the previous government collapsed. He had already picked François Bayrou as prime minister.
Slovak Leader Visits Putin, Breaking With E.U.’s Policy of Isolation
Prime Minister Robert Fico’s surprise visit to Moscow on Sunday, reportedly to discuss natural gas and Ukraine, was a blow to European unity against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Top Arab Diplomats, in Syria Visits, Aim to Build Ties With New Leadership
Ministers from Jordan and Qatar were among the first high-ranking Arab diplomats to meet with the leader of the rebel coalition that toppled the Syrian regime.
Mozambique Court Upholds Result in Disputed Presidential Election
The decision paves the way for the governing party’s candidate to take office next month, but the country is on edge because earlier protests after the election left more than 100 people dead.
Christmas Market Attack in Germany Stirs Political Sniping
After an assailant driving an S.U.V. killed five people, calls for solidarity have quickly given way to criticism by rival lawmakers, ahead of snap elections set for February.
A Canceled Vote in Romania Hands Russia a Propaganda Coup
Many in the West have applauded the annulling of the first round of the presidential election, won by a Moscow-friendly candidate, but even his critics say it raises troubling questions about Romanian democracy.
Top Arab Diplomats Visit Syria to Build Ties With New Leadership
Ministers from Jordan and Qatar were among the first high-ranking Arab diplomats to meet with the leader of the rebel coalition that toppled the Syrian regime two weeks ago.