Mohammad Zarqawi ambled around his narrow shop in central Damascus, filling plastic bags with colourful spices and herbs, their aroma spilling out into a dim market once bustling with customers. The middle-aged shop owner said business has slowed since the value of the Syrian pound...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday called for a return to an international deal curbing Iran’s nuclear activities as the only way to defuse tensions in the Middle East. “We believe that the deal to stop Iran from acquiring military nuclear capabilities is a building block we...

Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, said on Tuesday she and her team would begin dialogue sessions with the community next week, while reiterating that violence that has roiled the city over three months of protests must end. Lam, who is under pressure from Beijing to defuse the public anger...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a battle for political survival in a closely fought election on Tuesday that could end his 10-year domination of national politics. Opinion polls put former armed forces chief Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White party neck-and-neck with...