World

Tawainese President Tsai Ing-wen asserted her country's need to maintain sovereignty, but her speech was marked with a reconciliatory tone.

The construction of a major new dam on the Mekong River in Laos is causing widespread concern. The small country of 7.5 million inhabitants aspires to become the leading low-carbon energy producer in southeast Asia. Since the 2000s, some 80 hydroelectric power plants have been built along the Mekong and its tributaries. However, this new project threatens the former royal capital of Luang Prabang, currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our regional correspondents report.

More than three decades after an arson attack on a refugee shelter, the arsonist has been convicted of murder. In September 1991, 27-year-old Samuel Yeboah from Ghana died in the southwestern German town of Saarlouis.

The governments of France and Germany are meeting for consultations. What is expected is harmony on the outside and tough negotiations on the inside.

Migration is at the center of the current political debate in Germany. In Goslar, a small town in Lower Saxony, integration has worked well so far. But as far-right narratives gain traction, the nationwide debate is intensifying.

Many parts of Hong Kong saw flooding on Monday as Typhoon Koinu brought torrential rains during the night, forcing authorities to issue the highest level of alert for six hours. It was the second time in a month the city's authorities had sent out a "black" rain warning — the highest in Hong Kong.

Bavarian State Premier Markus Söder is the dominant figure in both his state and his party. He may yet harbor ambitions for Germany's top job.

U.S. and Qatar Deny Iran Access to $6 Billion From Prisoner Deal. The move comes after harsh criticism that the Biden administration had given Iran a vast sum that freed up other funds for Tehran to provide support to Hamas. Michael Crowley reported from Washington and Alan Rappeport from Marrakesh, Morocco.

How does debt relief help poor countries and the poor? Debt relief is part of a larger effort to address the development needs of low-income countries. For debt reduction to have a tangible impact on poverty, the additional money needs to be spent on programs that benefit the poor.

The express train was bound for India's northeastern state of Assam. The cause of the derailment was not immediately known.

Republican Steve Scalise ended his bid to become House speaker late Thursday after hardline holdouts refused to back the party's nominee, throwing the GOP majority into deeper chaos and leaving the chamber still unable to function.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Thursday voted to recognize the 1930s starvation of millions in Ukraine under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin as a "genocide."