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Bashar Assad may be gone from Syria, but one of the more damaging laws that existed throughout his family's rule over the country lives on. Law No. 93 of 1958, or the law on associations and private institutions, was used for decades by the Assad regime — first by Hafez Assad, then by his son Bashar —

The Louvre  announced plans to restore the crown of Empress Eugenie, which was abandoned by thieves during their getaway after a brazen heist in the Paris museum last year. Thieves made off with €88 million ($104 million) in jewels in October but dropped the 170-year-old crown as they escaped. The crown was left "badly deformed,"

It is 3:40 p.m. on October 6, 2025. A judge at the Court of Appeal in the Albanian capital, Tirana, is reading out a verdict. Seconds later, three shots ring out in the courtroom, hitting the judge at the bench and sending people fleeing in panic. Astrit Kalaja, 62, later succumbs to his injuries. The ruling

South Korea's government appeared to be blindsided last week as Donald Trump accused Seoul of "not living up" to a bilateral trade deal concluded in October, and announced a new 25% tariff on Korean imports. The Asian nation has yet to ratify the US trade agreement in the National Assembly. The legal step, expected in late February or

It's unlikely centuries of precedent would be overturned to nationalize US elections process, despite calls from Donald Trump, experts say.  The US president made repeated comments this week that the Republican Party — which holds slender majorities in both houses of the US Congress — should "do something" about how elections are run in the US.  "The federal government

The Iranian regime is hoping for a way out of its current security predicament, as its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepares to hold direct talks with US President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in Oman on Friday.  Iranian media reports suggest the talks are likely to focus on a package of proposals drawn

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said that it had summoned the German Ambassador's representative to inform them that it had declared a staff member at the German Embassy persona non grata.  The ministry linked the move to a decision by the German government to expel an employee of the Russian Embassy in Berlin last month

As global heating worsens, interest in solar engineering is rising, including from private companies and investors. But the technique remains controversial and lacks regulation. The planet is heating up faster than expected. Greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise at record rates, leaving the world off track to limit warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit)

A major investor in a new American football league in Europe believes the time is right for a sustainable pan-European competition, despite a host of previous failures. David Gandler, who co-founded the sports streaming service Fubo, said he has personally invested "seven figures" in the European Football Alliance (EFA). The new league is planning to

Cologne Carnival's Rose Monday Parade, scheduled for February 16, promises to be as scandalous as usual. The procession consists of 120 floats, including "persiflage floats" — satirical, mocking floats that are the centerpiece of the event.  As usual, some of the world's major politicians will be symbolically roasted. Float builders tend to use the occasion