海角大神

Robert Mueller鈥檚 investigation appears to be widening. Linda Feldmann, our Washington bureau chief, explores recent political history to provide some insight into how the administration might still continue to get its work done.聽

A regional giant with a role that keeps growing 鈥� consider the mass of at its door 鈥� Brazil has struggled with scandals. Whitney Eulich unpacks those amid questions over whether Brazil鈥檚 institutions are strong enough to be a bulwark.

Each day brings some creative new measure of America鈥檚 divisions 鈥撀燼 100-degree 鈥榯hermometer鈥� scale now rates how voters from opposite sides feel toward each other (it just hit zero). In this lean-back story,聽Doug Struck found people鈥檚 actions to be a more uplifting metric.聽

Actual drama tends to trump drama of the manufactured kind, however well done. In this piece, Story Hinckley explores the nexus of the two kinds of political programming between which Americans now can choose. (Popcorn鈥檚 an option either way.)聽

This last piece, by Eoin O鈥機arroll, is a quick-but-intricate look at social isolation 鈥� remarkably common in a 鈥渃onnected鈥� age. It鈥檚 also not a downer, but rather a balm. 鈥淸L]oneliness is everyone鈥檚 business,鈥� one of his sources explains. 鈥淟oneliness is not inevitable.鈥�

Several Muslim groups in Germany hope to rally tens of thousands on June 17 in a march with a simple message: Acts of terror carried out in the name of Islam are not Islamic. This very public support for peace represents a new step for Muslims in the West beyond statements that denounce terrorism. And it is also a necessary one. The Islamic State has called for more attacks in Europe as well as the United States 鈥� with the goal of driving a wedge between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Organizers of the march say they want to show that Muslims have 鈥渘o spiritual proximity鈥� to terrorist groups. They also hope a protest against violent extremism will help them protect their faith in God and affirm their belief in peaceful coexistence with others.聽

The march has another purpose, says organizer Lamya Kaddor, a teacher born in Germany to Syrian parents. It is to lessen the fear of Islam by nonMuslims. After the recent terrorists attacks in Europe, and with Germany trying to absorb nearly 1 million refugees from the Middle East, democracy is under threat from the rise of anti-Islamic political parties.

Britain, too, faces a rising fear of Islam. After the attacks on London Bridge and in Manchester, England, Prime Minister Theresa May said there is 鈥渇ar too much tolerance鈥� of extremism in Britain. She asked the whole of society to come together to take on extremism, adding, 鈥渨e need to live our lives not in a series of separated, segregated communities but as one truly United Kingdom.鈥�

Like those of any faith, Muslims are diverse in their practices and beliefs. Yet with the rising threat from Islamic State and other groups, they are becoming more united in making clear to the world the purpose of Islam. Many Muslims hold prayer vigils with other faiths after an attack. Or they issue statements of condemnation. But a public march like the one in Germany is a new way to enlist Islam as a force for peace.