Obama Administration Considers Arming Syrian Kurds Against ISIS
By ERIC SCHMITT
The major policy shift could speed up the offensive against the Islamic State but also sharply escalate tensions between Turkey and the United States.
Middle East
After Much Rancor, Obama and Netanyahu Meet, Likely for Last Time
By MARK LANDLER
For all the bitterness that has characterized their relationship, Mr. Obama and Mr. Netanyahu were able to end things on a harmonious note, at least publicly.
U.S. Allows Boeing and Airbus to Sell Planes to Iran
By THOMAS ERDBRINK and NICOLA CLARK
The green light will allow Iran, a country desperately in need of hundreds of new aircraft, to begin replacing its aging fleet of aircraft.
Europe
Arson at Belgian Forensic Lab May Set Back Terrorism Cases
By MILAN SCHREUER
A fire that destroyed evidence at the country’s main forensic lab has shaken the criminal justice system and raised concerns about security at sites like nuclear plants.
Feud Over a Holiday Threatens Fragile Peace in Bosnia
By DAN BILEFSKY
A move by Bosnian Serbs to defy the country’s constitutional court in a disagreement over a Serbian holiday could be a pretext for an independence declaration, some observers fear.
Russia Denies Any Role in Deadly Convoy Attack in Syria
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
Some in Russia accuse the Syrian government, while others blame America. The Obama administration says it holds Russia responsible.
Americas
How Bad Off Is Oil-Rich Venezuela? It’s Buying U.S. Oil
By NICHOLAS CASEY and CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Oil accounts for half the government’s revenues, but profits have evaporated amid a drop in global prices, forcing Venezuela to seek help from a nemesis: the United States.
Nicolás Maduro: Lacking Oil Cash and Panache, He Will Face Skeptics
By NICHOLAS CASEY
The Venezuelan president, in his General Assembly speech, may simply need to assure supporters that the region’s leftist shift survives.
Canada Agrees to Talks on Extradition Treaty With China
By DAN LEVIN
An announcement nearly coinciding with the deportation of a Canadian missionary held in China on spy charges raises criticism by human rights advocates.
Asia
Kashmir Crisis Poses Major Test for India’s Leader, Narendra Modi
By GEETA ANAND and HARI KUMAR
A recent incursion by militants that left 18 Indian soldiers dead has created a new challenge for India’s prime minister in dealing with Pakistan.
Turpan Journal
In a Parched Corner of Xinjiang, Ancient Water Tunnels Are Running Dry
By ANDREW JACOBS
The karez channels that bring water from the mountains to the farmers of Turpan are under threat, a victim of global warming, oil drillers and industrial-scale agriculture.
It’s Not Like Hollywood: Why U.S. Airstrikes Go Awry
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG
Military officers and experts say that almost all mistaken American strikes over the years have come down to two main reasons: faulty intelligence and battlefield confusion.
Africa
Allister Sparks, South African Journalist Who Challenged Apartheid, Dies at 83
By SAM ROBERTS
As the editor of The Rand Daily Mail, Mr. Sparks exposed a covert government propaganda campaign that led South Africa’s president to resign.
Looming Transition Ignites Deadly Clashes in Congo
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
At least 25 people from opposing sides of a political divide have been killed in a burst of violence in Kinshasa in the past two days.
Burundi Killings Could Ignite Wider African Crisis, U.N. Report Warns
By NICK CUMMING-BRUCE
Investigators said the government was responsible for the “vast majority” of abuses and urged international action to contain the country’s violence.
More News
Shell Fired by ISIS at U.S. and Iraqi Troops May Have Contained Chemical Agent
By HELENE COOPER
Officials say an unexploded round from an attack by the Islamic State on a military outpost in northern Iraq initially tested positive for mustard gas.
Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Egypt, Killing at Least 42
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The boat, said to be carrying 600 people, was carrying migrants from several African countries, the Egyptian authorities said.
Letter From China
Hoping to Work in China? If You’re a Class C Foreigner, It May Be Tough
By DIDI KIRSTEN TATLOW
A government plan to sort foreigners into classes of A, B and C — with the last tier for unskilled or service workers — has many wondering how they’ll fit in.
Mahmoud Abbas: Out to Push Palestinian Cause Back to Top of Agenda
By PETER BAKER
As president of the Palestinian Authority, he is not a head of state, a point he is likely to make in an appeal to the United Nations to help make him one.
Hassan Rouhani: Pushing to Free Iran From U.S. Restrictions
By THOMAS ERDBRINK
The Iranian president, his political future possibly at risk, wants the United States to stop blocking Iran’s global financial access.
Benjamin Netanyahu: Speaking to an Audience Outside the Hall
By PETER BAKER
Israel’s prime minister is determined to head off any new effort to try to dictate terms of a settlement of the longstanding conflict with the Palestinians.
John Kerry Urges Grounding of Military Aircraft in ‘Key Areas’ of Syria
By SOMINI SENGUPTA, MICHAEL R. GORDON and ANNE BARNARD
Mr. Kerry’s proposal Wednesday at the United Nations Security Council amounted to an 11th-hour effort to test Russian intentions in Syria.
Boat Carrying 600 Migrants Sinks Off Egypt, Killing at Least 43
By REUTERS
A boat carrying almost 600 people capsized off Egypt's coast on Wednesday, killing at least 43, in the latest disaster among migrants trying to reach Europe.
Isle of Man, Flourishing in Britain’s Shadow, Faces Pivotal Vote
By STEPHEN CASTLE
The British vote to leave the E.U. and changing views on topics like abortion are forcing the crown dependency to confront big issues in elections on Thursday.
Chemical Accidents in China Have Killed Nearly 200 This Year, Report Finds
By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ
The Greenpeace report suggested that regulation of the industry remained lax, a year after a disaster in the city of Tianjin prompted calls for more oversight.
In Appeal to Voters, Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan Soft-Pedals Religion
By PETER BAKER and RANA F. SWEIS
Forgoing the more radical language of Islamists in other parts of the region, the Brotherhood emphasized bread-and-butter concerns for Tuesday’s election.
‘Lula,’ Brazil’s Ex-President, Will Be Tried on Corruption Charges
By SIMON ROMERO
A judge accepted corruption charges against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, setting the stage for a trial of one of the region’s most influential politicians.
U.N. Signals That Climate Deal Has Backing Needed to Enter Force
By CORAL DAVENPORT
Haste on the Paris accord is driven at least in part by the looming American election, with Donald J. Trump, the Republican candidate, vowing to reject the pact.
North Korea Says It Has Tested a New Long-Range Rocket Engine
By CHOE SANG-HUN
The ground test of a new rocket engine used to put a satellite into orbit followed the North’s nuclear test on Sept. 9, its fifth since 2006.
Ousted Critic of Rodrigo Duterte Decries ‘New McCarthyism’ in Philippines
By RICHARD C. PADDOCK and FELIPE VILLAMOR
Leila de Lima said that she was the victim of a campaign to end her inquiry into the president’s possible role in extrajudicial killings.
U.S. Officials Say Russia Probably Attacked U.N. Humanitarian Convoy
By ERIC SCHMITT, MICHAEL R. GORDON and SOMINI SENGUPTA
United Nations officials were dumbfounded by the airstrike, which occurred after the Syrian military declared that a partial cease-fire was over.
Erdogan, at United Nations, Defends Turkey’s Move Into Syria
By CEYLAN YEGINSU
Turkey’s president said the army had helped bring peace to the Syrian-Turkey border region and urged the General Assembly to find a political solution to the war.
Istanbul Journal
On Istiklal, Istanbul’s Champs-Élysées, Symbols of a City’s Malaise
By TIM ARANGO
There seems to be no end to Turkey’s troubles, from a coup attempt to spillover from the war in Syria. All of that is felt these days on Istiklal Avenue.
5 Cuban Volleyball Players Convicted of Rape in Finland
By DAN BILEFSKY and MARI-LEENA KUOSA
The athletes, who were given prison terms, had traveled to the country for a tournament in July.
Rights Groups Criticize Israeli Inquiry Into 2014 Gaza War
By ISABEL KERSHNER
One organization called the legal process for handling misconduct allegations a “facade” intended to try to stave off a war crimes investigation.
Greeks Appeal for Aid After Fire Damages Refugee Camp
By NIKI KITSANTONIS
The blaze, which started inside the main Moria camp of Lesbos, destroyed 50 homes and dozens of tents, driving about 4,400 migrants into nearby fields, aid workers said.
China Announces Inquiry Into Company Trading With North Korea
By JANE PERLEZ and CHRIS BUCKLEY
The conglomerate deals in materials that researchers in South Korea and the United States say can be used in the production of nuclear weapons.
Thai Court Finds British Labor Activist Guilty of Defamation
By MIKE IVES
Andy Hall was sentenced to three years in prison in connection with his work on a report that accused a Thai company of violating its workers’ rights.
The Interpreter
15 Years Into Afghan War, Americans Would Rather Not Talk About It
By MAX FISHER
Cautious presidential candidates and a weary public are part of a bipartisan silence over the war, which is still costing American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars.
Abroad in America
Donald Trump, the Unsinkable Candidate
By DECLAN WALSH
Many of Mr. Trump’s remarks would have seriously damaged other candidates, but he has remained popular in spite of accusations of racism and graft.
Sinosphere
Once a Voice of Young China, Han Han Stakes Out a Different Path
By KAROLINE KAN
After the publication of a new collection of essays, Han Han, at one time China’s most popular blogger, explains why he’s maintaining a lower profile online.
Justin Trudeau’s Message to U.N.: ‘We’re Canada and We’re Here to Help’
By IAN AUSTEN
In his first address to the General Assembly, Mr. Trudeau pledged to work with other countries on migrants, the environment and economic disparity.
Obama, in Farewell to U.N., Paints Stark Choices for Unsettled World
By MARK LANDLER
In the last General Assembly address of his presidency, Mr. Obama was focused as much on the American presidential election as on his legacy.
Theresa May Makes Her Debut as the Voice of Britain
By STEVEN ERLANGER and STEPHEN CASTLE
In her first foreign policy speech as prime minister, Mrs. May reassured the United Nations that Britain remained a responsible international player.
François Hollande, France’s President, Urges Action on Climate and Syria
By AURELIEN BREEDEN
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, he called on the gathered countries to put the Paris climate deal into action and to end Syria’s bloody war.
Brazil’s New President, Michel Temer, Defends Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff
By SIMON ROMERO
Mr. Temer told the United Nations General Assembly that the proceeding showed “absolute respect for the constitutional order,” but he declined to address corruption scandals.
The Interpreter
Straightforward Answers to Basic Questions About Syria’s War
By MAX FISHER
Tracking the toll is not difficult, but understanding how and why the conflict evolved is far more complicated – and important.
What In The World
What in the World
A Site to Help Get Wedding Bells Ringing and Ringing and Ringing
By BEN HUBBARD
A British entrepreneur saw a business opportunity in matching up married men who want to add wives, and single women who’d be happy sharing a spouse.
What in the World
A Paris Shop Turns On the Charm, and South Koreans Swoon
By AURELIEN BREEDEN
Pharmacie Monge’s cosmetics and a nod from a blogger drew South Korean tourists in. The hiring of Korean-speaking employees kept them coming in droves.
What in the World? 10 Questions on Global Quirks
By BRYANT ROUSSEAU
If you’ve been a “What in the World” reader, we hope we’ve surprised you, made you smile and maybe even taught you something about another culture. To celebrate the posting of our 100th article, we offer this quiz, where you can test your new knowledge of quirky facts from around the globe.
From Opinion
Op-Ed Contributor
What Hugo Chávez Tells Us About Donald Trump
By ALBERTO BARRERA TYSZKA
For both figures, TV, performance and reality shows are at the center of their idea of politics and government.
Op-Ed Contributor
How a Russian Fascist Is Meddling in America’s Election
By TIMOTHY SNYDER
The antidemocratic ideas of Ivan Ilyin are guiding the Kremlin’s interference in U.S. presidential politics.
Editorial
Behind Mr. Putin’s Easy Victory
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Russia appears to have returned full circle to a pseudo-parliament whose only function is to give a semblance of legitimacy to an authoritarian ruler.
How One of the Deadliest Hajj Accidents Unfolded
By SARAH ALMUKHTAR and DEREK WATKINS
A survivor’s story of how he was almost crushed to death at the 2015 hajj.
Postscript
One Year Later, a Tip About a Border Crossing Pays Off
By BEN HUBBARD and KARAM SHOUMALI
How New York Times reporting may have made the Middle East just a little bit safer.
Turkish Dam Project Threatens to Submerge Thousands of Years of History
By TIM ARANGO
A contentious dam project that dates to the 1950s is more than 80 percent complete, and the filling of a reservoir will swamp much of the town of Hasankeyf.
Devanampattinam Journal
Mortal to Divine and Back: India’s Transgender Goddesses
Photographs by CANDACE FEIT
During the 10-day Hindu festival Mayana Kollai, the troubles of transgender women are distant as they transform into the deities they worship and are revered by villagers.
Notebook
How Many Guns Did the U.S. Lose Track of in Iraq and Afghanistan? Hundreds of Thousands.
By C. J. CHIVERS
A new study shows how the American military failed at the soldier’s most basic responsibility: keeping track of firearms.
Feature
Fractured Lands: How the Arab World Came Apart
By SCOTT ANDERSON
The story of more than a decade of war, terror and revolution in the Middle East, seen through the eyes of six people whose lives were changed forever.
The Human Toll of Terror
A look at the lives of 247 men, women and children who were cut down in mass killings in six countries.
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