By EPHRAT LIVNI and FATIMA ABDULKARIM The European Union is debating a ban on imports from Israeli settlements, but member states are divided, reflecting deep disagreements over whether and how to confront Israel as it cements claims on occupied Palestinian territory. Superficially, the fight is technical, based on procedural questions. But political observers say this is actually a proxy battle over how to handle Israel at a time of growing dismay with its policies among the

A Marine sentry is posted outside the doors of the West Wing of the White House on Friday afternoon, July 24, 2026. Fighting between the United States and Iran appeared to abate for the first time in two weeks on Saturday, but tensions remained high as President Donald Trump weighed whether to intensify the conflict. (Alex Kent/The New York Times) By AARON BOXERMAN and SANAM MAHOOZI The war between the United States and Iran remained on pause for a second straight day Sunday,

By MARK LANDLER When President Dwight D. Eisenhower went to the United Nations in 1953 to offer countries nuclear technology and know-how in return for a promise to use them peacefully, the policy went by a memorable shorthand, “Atoms for Peace.” Seven decades later, it could go by a less idealistic name: nuclear hedging. President Donald Trump’s civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, announced this week, reflects a volatile world in which America’s allies are seeking nuc

In a satellite image from Planet Labs, aircraft at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq, Jordan, Feb. 2, 2026. Relying heavily on U.S. aid and protection, Jordan is unlikely to restrict the American military presence there, despite escalating Iranian airstrikes. (Planet Labs via The New York Times) By RAJA ABDULRAHIM For some three decades, Jordan has been an important base for American military operations around the Middle East. Now, Jordan is paying a price. Over recent day

Ukrainian soldiers preparing to launch drones at a target in Russia in May 2026. While recent battlefield developments have been positive, especially with long-range strikes in Russia and Crimea, analysts warned that Ukraine must ensure a smooth handover in the military leadership to maintain momentum. (Brendan Hoffman/The New York Times) By MARC SANTORA On May 9, 2014, a 13-ton armored vehicle tore through pro-Russian barricades in Mariupol, launching a young battalion comma

In a screenshot included in files released by the Department of Justice, Daniel Siad, a model scout who repeatedly introduced Jeffrey Epstein to young women. Siad, who was likely to be questioned by prosecutors in France for his connections to Epstein, denied wrongdoing. He was found dead in a house near Paris in July 2026. (Dept. of Justice via The New York Times) By SÉGOLÈNE LE STRADIC A model scout who was likely to be questioned by prosecutors in France for his connectio

President Donald Trump departs Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, en route to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Trump threatened on Wednesday to strike bridges and power plants in Iran if it targeted any more ships in the Strait of Hormuz, as the prospect of a prolonged conflict pushed the price of oil to its highest level in over a month. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times) By MAX BEARAK, ALAN YUHAS, ERIC SCHMITT and SHIRIN HAKIM Iran’s leaders dug i

A government billboard with a photograph of President Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, his wife and co-president, in the Peñas Blancas region of Nicaragua, on Dec. 20, 2018. Ortega said on Sunday that he would abolish his nation’s elections, a blatant move to further strengthen his and his wife’s authoritarian grip on the nation of 7 million. (Meridith Kohut/The New York Times) By JACK NICAS and JAMES WAGNER President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua said on Sunday that he would

By MARC SANTORA Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed his top general on Tuesday amid swelling public protests and growing concerns that the national unity that had helped the country survive nearly five years of war was in danger of fracturing. The dismissal of Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi was a major reversal for Zelenskyy, who just days earlier sided with the general and fired Ukraine’s defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. Thousands of people had joined mass demonstrati

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, speaks alongside Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent as President Donald Trump meets with President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The Lebanese army deployed on Tuesday in a village in southern Lebanon after Israeli forces withdrew from it, marking the first step in a phased U.S.-backed plan to end the conflict. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times) By GENEVIEVE