What did the CIA’s covert assistance program for Syrian rebels accomplish? Bizarrely, the biggest consequence may be that it helped trigger the Russian military intervention in 2015 that rescued President Bashar Al Assad – achieving the opposite of what the program intended. Syria adds another chapter to the star-crossed history of CIA paramilitary action. These efforts begin with the worthy …

An announcement by two of Asia’s most important Internet firms could be instrumental in propelling the take-up of mobile payments in India. It may also help turn around an ailing company. AGTech Holdings Ltd will form a joint venture with India’s Paytm group to develop mobile games and other entertainment products, the Hong Kong-based company said in an exchange filing. …

Polish President Andrzej Duda just surprised almost everybody by vetoing parts of new government legislation that assaults judicial independence. “As president, I don’t feel this law would strengthen a sense of justice,” he said. He’s right. Poland’s democratic institutions are under threat, and the new initiative is only the latest of many. The government should weigh this embarrassment carefully, and …