Major Reform U.K. Donor Sold Weapons Parts to Russian Supplier

One of the biggest corporate donors to the populist Reform U.K. party has sold almost $2 million worth of transmitters, cockpit equipment, antennas and other sensitive technology to a major supplier of Moscow’s blacklisted state weapons agency, documents show. From 2023 to 2024, the company, part of the British aerospace manufacturer H.R. Smith Group, shipped … Read more

How Far Does Russia’s Influence Reach in Europe?

For years, the threat of a Russia intent on expansion has loomed over much of Europe. It is not just the war in Ukraine. Moscow has also stationed military forces in friendly countries and fanned the flames of destabilizing political movements across the continent. Now, as the Trump administration strikes a conciliatory tone toward Russia … Read more

What to Know About Iran’s Response to Trump’s Letter Urging Talks

Iran announced on Thursday it had responded to a letter from President Trump in which the American president had urged direct negotiations with the government in Tehran on a deal to curb the country’s advancing nuclear program. Iran appeared to be taking the middle ground, neither rejecting negotiations with the United States nor accepting face-to-face … Read more

Map: 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Myanmar

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 4 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “light,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown. The New York Times A major, 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck in Myanmar on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The temblor happened at 12:50 p.m. Myanmar … Read more

Friday Briefing – The New York Times

U.S. auto tariffs raised the risk of a global trade war President Trump’s plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on cars and parts has sent a shudder through the global auto industry. Markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. wobbled yesterday as many automakers’ share prices fell. Trump has threatened to target the E.U. … Read more

For Some Autocrats, Even Rigged Elections Can Be Too Much of a Threat

Over the last two decades, countries like Turkey, Hungary, Venezuela and India gave the world a lesson on how democracy can erode into “competitive authoritarianism” — a system in which elections are still meaningful, but leaders manipulate the rules to their own benefit, while systematically violating civil liberties. Now, we are starting to find out … Read more