海角大神

Civilian control over the military is essential in democracy, but what happens when the military鈥檚 stability plan is ignored by politicians? Our reporter says the Israeli military鈥檚 frustration over the Gaza conflict is coming to the surface.

Historically, when Washington and Moscow have butted heads in a third-party nation, it鈥檚 been in a Cold War context. But our reporter says the core issue in Venezuela today is simpler: staking out turf.

As the number of measles cases in the U.S. creeps ever higher, the already contentious vaccination debate has devolved into a battle between science and belief. But the larger issue, some observers say, has to do with trust.

Driven by economic need, more Jordanian women are finding freedom working outside the home. But male family members are often slower to adapt to this societal shift.

Behind every headline-making dino discovery are months or years of work. But even further back is inspiration. China鈥檚 top paleontologists hope to sell a new generation on their field 鈥� and childhood wonder is a great place to start.

After more than 500 days behind bars, two reporters from Reuters news agency who exposed a military massacre in Myanmar in 2017 were given a surprise pardon Tuesday. Their truth-telling about the killing of Muslim civilians had won them a seven-year sentence on a charge that even the police admitted was made up. The two also won a Pulitzer Prize. During their long confinement, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had became symbols of the global cause for press freedom.

Yet the best part of the story may be the probable reason for their release.

Their investigation into the killings during a military campaign against the minority Rohingya people served another cause in Myanmar: rule of law. The country, which is still dominated by the military, has seen only a limited return to democracy since 2015. Dozens of journalists, for example, have been arrested. And the United Nations seeks accountability for what it calls a genocide against the Rohingya. To its credit, the regime did convict soldiers involved in the massacre uncovered by Reuters.

Foreign diplomats and many others have appealed for the release of the Reuters reporters by appealing to the military鈥檚 own professed desire to improve rule of law. While the West did apply pressure on the regime, it also used discreet engagement, hoping to establish trust with the top brass by showing a mutual interest in improving rule of law.

鈥淭his outcome shows that dialogue works, even in the most difficult of circumstances,鈥� said Ara Darzi, the key negotiator for the journalists鈥� release and a British lord who has served on an international advisory group to聽help reform Myanmar鈥檚 government.

鈥淭his is a country that is trying to implement the rule of law,鈥� he told the BBC. The release of the journalists, he added, is 鈥渁 day to celebrate鈥� Myanmar鈥檚 moves toward reconciliation.

Negotiations in difficult situations are often not a zero-sum game. They work best when one side seeks goodwill by listening to the other side鈥檚 deepest concerns. Away from the glare of publicity, talks can then focus on shared interests. And also produce surprise endings, such as freedom for journalists.