Author: Olivia Carter

After one of the most brutal wars of this century, a new flag flies across Syria: the emblem of the rebels who toppled the dictator Bashar al-Assad. Ben Hubbard, The New York Times’s Istanbul bureau chief, describes what our journalists learned as they drove across Syria, meeting people in towns and cities along the way as they strove to rise from the wreckage and build new lives.

Mark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, said it was “not a difficult thing” to get members to agree to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP because of the rising threat from Russia – and stressed that Trump remained “absolutely” committed to supporting the alliance.In an interview on the eve of the western alliance’s summit, Rutte told the Guardian that all 32 members had agreed to increase defence spending because “there is so much at stake” after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.Under the planned agreement, Nato members would commit to raising defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% allocated…

Brad Pitt could’ve lost his way in the Hollywood machine if it wasn’t for the work of David Fincher. During a recent appearance on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, Pitt said that “the most unhealthy time” in his life came in the summer of 1994 after a string of negative experiences working on blockbusters. Confused about what to do next in his booming yet unfulfilling career, Pitt explained he needed some time to “check out” from Hollywood. “I would wake up, I would get a bong load, I would have four Coca-Colas on ice, no food,” Pitt said. “This particular…

Though he’s built an empire on glamorous eveningwear, with this resort collection Elie Saab sought to prove that he’s just as serious about daywear. The lineup included trans-seasonal staples such as flared jeans; wide, high-waisted trousers; a double-breasted jacket in gabardine; and a roomy blouson in chocolate-colored leather, shown here with the designer’s latest takes on the safari skirt, in twill or buttery black leather. A trench coat played it classic or feminine thanks to side zippers designed to reveal or conceal a splay of accordion pleats.With an eye to easy layering, Saab put his own spin on hero pieces…

A public health advertisement that campaigned to make New Zealand “the best place in the world to have herpes” has won a top prize at the Cannes Lions – one of world’s most prestigious advertising awards.The campaign, launched by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation in October last year, attempts to challenge decades of entrenched stigma around genital herpes – a condition that affects up to 80% of New Zealanders at some point in their lives, the foundation said.The cheeky take on a retro-style tourism video features former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry lamenting the loss of New Zealand’s clout…

As a kid in the ‘90s, I lived in jelly shoes. Plastic flats and sandals in eye-popping, glitter-flecked colors ruled my childhood. Now, in the year 2025, my inner eight-year-old is happy to witness this fun flavor of summer footwear making a comeback on TikTok—and they’re not just for children. PVC sandals are shaping up to make a major revival this summer, appearing on the shelves at Target, Old Navy, and Gap, as well as the runways of designers from Chloé to The Row. Their unexpected cameos on catwalks and the feet of fashion influencers show that this polarizing trend…

Rescuers in Indonesia are searching for a Brazilian tourist who fell while hiking near the crater of Mount Rinjani, an active volcano.Brazilian media and the woman’s family have identified her as 26-year-old Juliana Marins, who was hiking with a group when she disappeared around 06:30 local time on Saturday (23:30 GMT Friday). Brazilian authorities said she fell from “a cliff that surrounds the trail next to the volcano’s crater”.Search and rescue attempts have so far been unsuccessful due to the extreme terrain and foggy weather, according to Indonesian authorities.Mount Rinjani park authorities said in a social media post that rescuers…

Kathy Hochul has announced plans to build a nuclear-power plant in New York, the first major new US plant in over 15 years, and one designed to add to add at least 1GW of nuclear power generation.The governor said in a statement that she had directed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop and construct a zero-emission advanced nuclear power plant in upstate New York to support a reliable and affordable electric grid.“As New York state electrifies its economy, deactivates aging fossil fuel power generation and continues to attract large manufacturers that create good-paying jobs, we must embrace an…

It’s almost time for another one of Samsung’s Unpacked events. The third Unpacked to be held this year (following installments in January and May) will take place on July 9 at 10AM ET. It will emanate from Brooklyn, New York and stream on the Samsung Newsroom, the company’s website and its YouTube channel.Samsung is promising a look at the “next evolution of Galaxy AI and the ever-expanding Galaxy ecosystem.” The company usually debuts its latest foldables in the summer, so we are expecting to see the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 here. As if there was any doubt…

Getty ImagesFor the first time, at-home HPV tests will be offered to some women in EnglandWomen who have delayed coming forward for cervical screening will be offered a test to be taken at home, NHS England has said.The DIY test kits, available from January, contain a long cotton-wool bud to swab the lining of the vagina.The test is for human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cervical cancers, and women between the ages of 25 and 64 are offered it every few years.But more than five million women aren’t up to date with the test, according to the government.The Department for…