South Korea Military Is Accused of Cracking Down on Gay Soldiers

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pzeOLp
via IFTTT The armed forces’ treatment of gay service members has become an issue in the presidential race, with the leading candidate saying he opposes homosexuality.

Dubai Introduces Its Own Font, Lauding Free Expression It Does Not Permit

By LIAM STACK from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oN9d48
via IFTTT A video shared by the city’s crown prince says that “expression knows no boundaries or limits,” but within the United Arab Emirates that is not the case.

Young, Idealistic but Determined, Slovaks Lead Anticorruption Crusade

By RICK LYMAN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qrKGxM
via IFTTT With anti-authoritarian protests erupting across Eastern Europe, a pair of teenagers are among the young people taking action.

U.S. Confirms It Will Pay for Antimissile System, South Korea Says

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2piCjXz
via IFTTT President Trump said last week that South Korea should pay for the so-called Thaad system, but officials said Sunday that the original agreement would not change.

Marines Return to Helmand Province for a Job They Thought Was Done

By MUJIB MASHAL from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qjdYQ5
via IFTTT Thousands of Marines once flooded the Afghan province to push out the Taliban. Now 300 have returned there, and a difficult mission lies ahead.

Ueli Steck, Renowned Mountain Climber, Dies Near Everest at 40

By RAJNEESH BHANDARI and JONAH ENGEL BROMWICH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oYzQ1V
via IFTTT Mr. Steck was preparing to traverse some of the Himalayas’ highest peaks when he died in an accident, though the exact circumstances of the death were unknown.

As Economy Grows, North Korea’s Grip on Society Weakens

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qsLAtO
via IFTTT The sign of life is a double-edged sword for Kim Jong-un, the nation’s leader, because information is seeping in along with foreign goods to marketplaces.

Turkey Purges 4,000 More Officials, and Blocks Wikipedia

By PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pje7V8
via IFTTT A total of 3,974 civil servants were fired on Saturday, and internet users woke up to find that they no longer had access to the free online encyclopedia.

China’s Appetite Pushes Fisheries to the Brink

By ANDREW JACOBS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oL67O9
via IFTTT Overfishing is depleting oceans across the globe, but China’s enormous appetite and massive fleet of deep-sea fishing vessels is having an outsize impact.

Famed Swiss Climber Ueli Steck Killed Near Mount Everest

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pKHEIv
via IFTTT Famed Swiss climber Ueli Steck was killed Sunday in a mountaineering accident near Mount Everest in Nepal, expedition organizers said.

Facing Military Pressure, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Ousts 2 Top Aides

By SALMAN MASOOD from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oKa9WX
via IFTTT Saturday’s dismissals were the latest chapter in a showdown over a news article published in October that has infuriated the powerful military.

Marine Le Pen Will Name a Former Rival Prime Minister if Elected

By AURELIEN BREEDEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oJfTQE
via IFTTT Ms. Le Pen said she had reached an agreement with Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, a right-wing politician who shares her distrust of the European Union.

Thousands of Russians Present Letters of Protest in Demonstrations

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pvCuzh
via IFTTT The protests were initiated by the Open Russia organization founded by Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, an exiled former oil tycoon.

Despite the ‘Yuck Factor,’ Leeches Are Big in Russian Medicine

By ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pIfUV9
via IFTTT Russians use about 10 million leeches a year to treat heart disease, glaucoma, prostatitis, hypertension and even lower back pain.

European Union Leaders, Gathering Without May, Endorse Guidelines on ‘Brexit’ Talks

By JAMES KANTER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pvkl4A
via IFTTT The European Union leaders gathered in Brussels without Prime Minister Theresa May and backed a tough strategy on talks for Britain’s divorce from the bloc.

After French Vote, a Question: How Were the Polls So Right?

By DAN BILEFSKY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oUnNTg
via IFTTT French pollsters avoided the criticisms made of their counterparts in Britain and the U.S. by accurately predicting the first round of the presidential election.

Pope Francis Urges U.S. and North Korea to Step Away from the Brink

By JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qqSFeE
via IFTTT The pope, returning to Rome from a two-day trip to Egypt, says a nuclear conflict could be disastrous “for the future of humanity.”

Shobha Nehru, Who Escaped Holocaust and Married Into Indian Politics, Dies at 108

By ELLEN BARRY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qhjORS
via IFTTT After marrying B.K. Nehru in 1935 and moving to India, Mrs. Nehru saw religious and ethnic violence convulse both her native and adopted countries.

In Mexico, ‘It’s Easy to Kill a Journalist’

By AZAM AHMED from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qfwtrq
via IFTTT The state of Veracruz is the hemisphere’s most dangerous place to be a reporter. The authorities seem ill equipped to stop attacks on the press, and in some cases appear entangled in them.

Pope Francis, in Egypt, Delivers a Blunt Message on Violence and Religion

By JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pqzPoy
via IFTTT The pope warned against wrapping violence and terror in the language of religion and urged the Egyptian president toward progress on human rights.

‘Friendly Fire’ May Have Killed 2 U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan Raid

By HELENE COOPER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oRfgQd
via IFTTT The Pentagon is investigating the deaths of two Army Rangers during a raid targeting a leader of Islamic State militants in Afghanistan.

Brazil Gripped by General Strike Over Austerity Measures

By SIMON ROMERO from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pqh98e
via IFTTT Tensions flared in Rio de Janeiro, with schools warning parents to keep students at home, security forces using tear gas and clashes erupting inside an airport.

Le Pen Aide Is Fired Over Holocaust Comments

By BENOÎT MORENNE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oFwN2J
via IFTTT Jean-François Jalkh was forced to step down as interim leader of the far-right National Front, the party of the presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

Chinese Offer to Eat Denmark’s Oyster Problem to Extinction

By CHRIS BUCKLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qmn7Gt
via IFTTT When the Danish Embassy in Beijing posted online about an invasive species clogging the shores back home, it drew a more enthusiastic response than it bargained for.

North Korea Test-Fires Another Ballistic Missile, Heightening Tensions With U.S.

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pdPFV9
via IFTTT The missile took off from a site northeast of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, according to South Korean officials, who said the test ended in failure.

Trump on North Korea: Tactic? ‘Madman Theory’? Or Just Mixed Messages?

By DAVID E. SANGER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oSW7hG
via IFTTT The White House has been sending different signals to Kim Jong-un, a master at keeping his adversaries unsettled.

Pope Francis Begins Cairo Visit, Bearing Message of Peace

By JASON HOROWITZ and DECLAN WALSH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qmxBpD
via IFTTT New York Times correspondents are providing live coverage of Pope Francis’ two-day visit to Egypt.

Wealthy Chinese Scramble for Imperiled Commodity: U.S. ‘Golden Visa’

By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pqFsVH
via IFTTT President Trump’s vow to tighten immigration policies have spurred thousands to seek an EB-5 visa before tougher requirements can be put in place.

Trump Rattles South Korea by Saying It Should Pay for Antimissile System

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2poPbKl
via IFTTT The president’s comment about Thaad, which is being deployed to defend against North Korea, shook the South’s presidential race ahead of the election in May.

Zoran Zaev, Macedonian Lawmaker, Is Bloodied in Attack on Parliament by Nationalists

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oRjNmu
via IFTTT The demonstrators, who threw chairs, wounded three other lawmakers and attacked journalists, were protesting the election of a new speaker.

Worry About War? ‘I Am Too Busy,’ South Koreans Say

By MOTOKO RICH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pCRoVb
via IFTTT For some residents, North Korea’s recent provocations have stoked fears of renewed conflict. But many more have responded with nonchalance.

Only Captivity Will Save the Vaquita, Experts Say

By ROD NORDLAND from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qkfhgQ
via IFTTT Scientists say that efforts to save the small porpoise in the Gulf of California have essentially failed, and some believe there may be only two or three left.

Trump Warns That ‘Major, Major Conflict’ With North Korea Is Possible

By GERRY MULLANY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ql9pDJ
via IFTTT He praised the Chinese president for efforts to resolve the dispute with the North but cautioned that such diplomatic efforts might fail.

78 Rescued as Russian Naval Ship Sinks After Collision

By PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qbYhN9
via IFTTT The Liman, a reconnaissance ship, sank after hitting a private livestock vessel near the northern end of the Bosporus amid heavy fog.

U.S. Antimissile System in South Korea Is Said to Be Nearly Operational

By GERRY MULLANY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ozmNYv
via IFTTT The so-called Thaad system, deployed over China’s objections as a defense against North Korea, will soon go into “actual operation,” a South Korean official said.

He Tweeted About Chinese Government Corruption. Twitter Suspended His Account.

By MICHAEL FORSYTHE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oNWaLB
via IFTTT Guo Wengui, an outspoken Chinese-born billionaire whom China views as a criminal, has alarmed Beijing with his public denunciations.

State Department Wants to Clear Nikki Haley’s Remarks Before She Speaks

By SOMINI SENGUPTA and GARDINER HARRIS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qdhz4Q
via IFTTT An email drafted by State Department diplomats is an apparent attempt to get the U.N. ambassador and the secretary of state on the same page.

Venezuela Says It Will Leave Pro-Democracy Organization

By NICHOLAS CASEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2p5C1U2
via IFTTT The country plans to pull out of the Organization of American States, which has long criticized President Nicolás Maduro’s unyielding accumulation of power.

A Calmer Mexico Sees Trump Anew: as a ‘Bluffer’ at the Poker Table

By KIRK SEMPLE and ELISABETH MALKIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qjfAIO
via IFTTT President Trump used to be able to anger Mexico easily, but leaders there have developed a thicker skin as they prepare to renegotiate Nafta with the United States.

Explosions Rock Damascus Airport; Syria Blames Israel

By IAN FISHER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qaZVPb
via IFTTT The Israeli news media said airport warehouses were holding weapons bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Commander Takes Responsibility for Confusion Over Aircraft Carrier

By ERIC SCHMITT from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oJHT1N
via IFTTT Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. accepted fault for a broad misunderstanding over whether the Carl Vinson was racing to confront North Korea.

Marine Le Pen Draws Cheers in Macron’s Hometown, and He Gets Boos

By AURELIEN BREEDEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pmIxpR
via IFTTT Ms. Le Pen and her rival in France’s presidential election, Emmanuel Macron, visited a factory separately and received starkly different welcomes.

On the Mosul Front, a Brutal Battle Against ISIS and Time

By MICHAEL R. GORDON from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oKWNpb
via IFTTT Times reporters witnessed the grinding, block-by-block fight for western Mosul, where civilians are trapped near Islamic State vehicle bombs and snipers.

Over 1,000 People Are Detained in Raids in Turkey

By PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2qexZq2
via IFTTT In the biggest sweep since the referendum on presidential powers, those arrested were accused of being “secret imams” for the American-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The Drumbeats Don’t Add Up to Imminent War With North Korea

By MARK LANDLER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pB1IgI
via IFTTT President Trump views North Korea as his chief foreign policy issue, but he says he is pursuing a strategy that relies primarily on help from China.

A Marine Le Pen Victory Wouldn’t Necessarily Be a Win for Trump

By MARK LANDLER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2q4J94c
via IFTTT The two nationalist politicians’ views have drifted apart as Mr. Trump moved to more conventional positions on NATO, the E.U. and the Middle East.

In China, Daydreaming Students Are Caught on Camera

By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2pwwZBm
via IFTTT Students see live-streaming video of classrooms as an intrusion, prompting a debate in China about privacy, educational ethics and helicopter parenting.

Fearing Korean Nuclear War, Women of 40 Nations Urge Trump to Seek Peace

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2phhqdz
via IFTTT Female activists from North and South Korea, and many other countries, wrote to America’s president, saying: “Diplomacy is the only way to resolve the nuclear crisis.”

US Sets Up Missile Defense in S. Korea as North Shows Power

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oIFTH7
via IFTTT Hours after a display of North Korean military power, rival South Korea announced Wednesday the installation of key parts of a contentious U.S. missile defense system meant to counter the North.

Imprisoned in North Korea: The Cases of 3 Americans

By RUSSELL GOLDMAN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2q1UxLr
via IFTTT The three Americans now detained in North Korea are being held at a time of heightened tensions with the West.