Syria’s leader called for unity
Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, appealed yesterday for calm and unity after violence erupted last week between fighters affiliated with his government and those loyal to the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad.
More than 1,000 people have been killed, including about 700 civilians, mostly by government forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The information could not be independently verified.
“We call on Syrians to be reassured because the country has the fundamentals for survival,” al-Shara said. His remarks came as new fighting was reported in the Latakia and Tartus Provinces. Later in the day, he said a fact-finding committee had been formed to investigate the violence and bring those responsible to justice. It was unclear whether al-Shara was acknowledging possible killings at the hands of his forces or laying the blame entirely on al-Assad loyalists.
Context: The fighting broke out on Thursday when armed men loyal to al-Assad ambushed government security forces in Latakia Province, setting off days of clashes. The violence has been the worst since the Assad government was ousted in early December.
Reaction: Thousands protested in the streets in the first wide-scale demonstrations against the new government. Residents were ordered to stay indoors as security forces scrambled to contain the turmoil. Here’s what else we know.
Elsewhere in the region: Israel’s energy minister said that he was immediately cutting off electricity to the Gaza Strip.
Canada’s Liberals headed to the polls
Canadian elections were taking place yesterday, with two centrist policymakers vying to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of both the Liberal Party and the country. The winner will have to call a general election, which must be held by October, but could take place sooner. Results were expected around 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.
The race is effectively between Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and Chrystia Freeland, the former finance minister. Surveys have shown Carney as the front-runner.
Our Canada bureau chief, Matina Stevis-Gridneff, told me that the U.S. is front-and-center at the ballot box.
“Voters are looking for someone to handle negotiations with President Trump, whom they view as the biggest threat to Canada’s economy and sovereignty,” Matina said. She added that polling suggested voters prefer Carney and Freeland to negotiate with Trump over the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre.
“Trump’s persistent threats to Canada have worked against Poilievre who, despite being a mainstream Conservative politician, is seen as too ideologically close to Trump for comfort,” Matina said.
Get to know the candidates: Carney has pitched himself as the fix-it man who can set Canada back on track. Freeland’s chances could hinge on whether voters consider Trump’s dislike of her an asset.
China hit back at Canada with tariffs, and a warning
China announced this weekend tariffs of up to 100 percent on canola, pork and other foods from Canada. The move was retaliation for Canada’s decision last August to collect steep taxes on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.
The tariffs, which take effect on March 20, were also a clear warning to Canada — and, indirectly, Mexico — not to cooperate with the U.S. on trade.
More on Trump
The price of a beef Bourguignon, the signature dish at Le Bouillon Chartier in Paris, has remained low at this working-class eatery — someone on a living wage can enjoy the meal for less than what they earn in an hour.
As inflation has hammered Europe, the restaurant’s owner has cut into margins to keep the menu affordable, but making beef Bourguignon now costs nearly double what it used to. Businesses across the continent are feeling a similar squeeze.
Lives lived: Uri Shulevitz, a children’s book author who turned childhood memories of fleeing the Nazis in Poland into magical stories, died at 89.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Book festivals are the hottest clubs in town
Literature events in India are blooming, driven by young people who are reading books in the country’s dozens of native tongues. The gatherings give attendees the chance to explore new topics, meet favorite authors or simply check out the scene.
Readers and writers gather in rural towns or inside storied palaces for an intimate affair or, in the case of an event in Jaipur, they mingle among tens of thousands of people. A sense of intellectual “cred” has helped the festivals give Bollywood and cricket a run for their money.
For these readers, books open worlds that India’s higher education system, with its focus on make-or-break examinations, often does not. Read about the festivals here.
