{"source":"Politics","paragraphs":["\u003cp\u003eThe scandal has rocked Austria.

The vice chancellor, a leader of the far-right Freedom Party, quickly resigned, and
new elections have been called for September. But it is also rippling across
Europe, only days before the European parliamentary elections, as a reminder that
Russia has deep ties to many other populist parties, too. \"What’s strange,\" said
Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative Party lawmaker in Britain, \"is how many of these
nationalist movements seem to be in favor of Russia, not their own
country.\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn Germany, a \"livid\" Angela Merkel
accused the US of spying on her, igniting a furore that has seen the White House
concede that new constraints on the NSA's activities may be necessary. Meanwhile,
in Britain, prime minister David Cameron accused the Guardian of damaging national
security by publishing the revelations, warning that if it did not \"demonstrate
some social responsibility it would be very difficult for government to stand back
and not to act\".\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eExternal demand - or exports minus
imports - shaved one-tenth of a percentage point off gross domestic product. This
matched the median estimate, but a breakdown of the data showed exports fell 1.8
percent quarter-on-quarter, the fastest decline in more than three years. Japan’s
economy is likely to resume growth in the current quarter, but falling exports
suggest this recovery could be hampered by trade protectionism, which could
increase pressure on policymakers to turn to fiscal
stimulus.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eOn a day that commemorated both the
centennial of the declaration of Germany’s first democratic republic and, just 20
years later, Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, President Frank-Walter
Steinmeier called on Germans to embrace an \"enlightened patriotism\" that
celebrates their democratic achievements while guarding them against the forces of
hate that led to the country’s descent into the \"breach of civilization,\" the
Holocaust.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThough the movement has already started to
simmer down - after a terror attack in Strasbourg and promises of quick economic
relief - the \"Yellow Vests\" may have altered the direction of Mr. Macron’s
presidency. Mr. Macron has been forced to backtrack on some tax increases and
rethink upcoming changes to pensions and unemployment laws, which could steer him
away from his promise to revolutionize France’s
economy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWith more than 96 percent of ballots counted
as of Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Zelensky’s party, Sluha Narodu (\"Servant of the
People\") — named after the TV series in which he starred — appears to have won
about 43 percent of the popular vote and more than 250 of the 424 seats that were
contested. Sluha Narodu is the first party to secure an outright parliamentary
majority since Ukraine became independent in 1991. The leading pro-Russia party
came in second, and the party of former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko third.
(The bloc headed by Mr. Poroshenko ranked fourth.) The newbie party Holos
(\"Voice\"), which is led by a rock star and denounces the influence of oligarchs
and established elites, is projected to win 20 seats; it is thought to be a natural
ally of Mr. Zelensky’s. An estimated 70 percent of members-elect are
newcomers.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIn the latest twist, Ms. Merkel’s interior
minister, Horst Seehofer, threatened to resign over the dispute with the
chancellor’s migration policy. Talks between the chancellor’s party and Mr.
Seehofer’s Christian Social Union party are expected to take place Monday. If Mr.
Seehofer resigns as minister and party leader, but the Christian Social Union
remains in the governing coalition, Ms. Merkel’s government will limp on. If he
takes his party out of the coalition — a partnership the parties have forged in
Parliament since the end of World War II — she loses her
majority.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThere are about 2,000 American troops in
Syria. Patrick M. Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, declined to comment when
asked if the attack would affect the withdrawal plans. The American casualties
included two service members, a civilian employee of the Defense Intelligence
Agency and a military contractor, according to the United States Central Command
and a Pentagon official. Three other service members were
wounded.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIf last week’s debate did move the needle, it
wasn’t clear in her fourth-place finish in Nevada. The state held its early caucus
voting, in which about 75,000 of the 105,000 total votes were cast, before the
debate, meaning any potential bounce for Ms. Warren was not fully reflected. And
Ms. Warren has had strong debate performances before, of course — especially last
summer and early in the fall, when she was surging in the polls and her path to the
nomination was easier to imagine.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAfter hours of
relative lull throughout Thursday, the gesture appeared to be a face-saving opening
for both countries to head off a war. But Indian officials were guarded, saying
that the pilot’s release would not necessarily end the crisis, which they said was
rooted in Pakistan’s support of terrorist groups that strike at India. The days
before had brought both nations to the brink. On Tuesday, Indian warplanes dropped
bombs inside Pakistan — it is not clear what they hit — and Pakistan shot down at
least one Indian fighter jet on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of troops have been
rushed to the countries’ border, heavy artillery barrages and gunfire have been
volleyed across it, and tank columns have been chugging into place for what many
feared could turn into a full-blown war.\u003c/p\u003e"]}