NEWS As the United States and Russia work to organize peace talks next month between the Syrian government and its opponents, the ever more extreme carnage of combat makes the prospect of reconciliation seem more remote. Anne Barnard and Hania Mourtada report from Beirut.
The former and future prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, visited his main political rival, Imran Khan, at a Lahore hospital on Tuesday, and Mr. Sharif later said both leaders had vowed to work together without acrimony. Salman Masood reports from Islamabad.
Russia's Federal Security Service announced Tuesday that it had detained an agent of the Central Intelligence Agency during an attempt to recruit a Russian agent. David M. Herszenhorn and Ellen Barry report from Moscow.
Many of Spain's small, isolated farming communities seemed immune from the economic crisis. But now many believe the problem is at their doorstep, and some farmers have started patrolling their land as crime rises. Suzanne Daley reports from Albelda, Spain.
A combination of allied Special Operations forces and Afghan troops are set to assume more responsibility in Afghanistan as NATO gradually hands over security operations. Thom Shanker reports from a classified commando base in Afghanistan.
The French legislature gave President François Hollande an important victory on Tuesday, passing a modest loosening of the country's labor code even as Mr. Hollande's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, revealed severe tensions within the Socialist government by criticizing the stewardship of the economics and finance minister, Pierre Moscovici. Steven Erlanger and David Jolly report from Paris.
Top European Union finance officials clashed Tuesday over how quickly to establish a common fund and rule book for overhauling or closing down failing banks. James Kanter reports from Brussels.
Saying it was unwilling to sign on to the broad safety plan embraced by more than a dozen European companies this week, Wal-Mart said its factory monitors would “conduct in-depth safety inspections at 100 percent†of the 279 factories it uses in Bangladesh and publicize the results on its Web site. Steven Greenhouse reports.
ARTS Wednesday night is the big night: The stars will be out, and the couturiers, the jewelers, the photographers and fans, the blaring music, the glaring lights, all for the opening of the 66th Cannes International Film Festival. Joan Dupont reports from Cannes, France.
Can you go home again? It's hard to say in the theater. In revivals of “The Weir†and “Passion Play,†time can be kind - or not so. Matt Wolf reviews from London.
SPORTS European soccer teams are shopping for coaches: Manchester City is now looking for a manager, and Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Málaga might soon be doing the same. Rob Hughes writes from London.
Wrestlers from the United States, Iran and Russia appeared at the United Nations the day before they were to compete at Grand Central Terminal in New York City in an effort to save wrestling as an Olympic sport. Neil MacFarquhar reports from the United Nations.
