Is the End of Israeli Democracy Nigh? Israelis Debate Its Future

By ISABEL KERSHNER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2iie1Iz
via IFTTT Warnings that Israel’s right-wing government threatens the country’s democracy are coming from the right-wing establishment itself.

Charges Against Paul Manafort Resonate in Ukraine

By ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2z2nprX
via IFTTT Anticorruption groups and activists resent Mr. Manafort for his activities on behalf of President Viktor F. Yanukovych, who was deposed in 2014.

The Professor Behind the Trump Campaign Adviser Charges

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK from NYT World http://ift.tt/2A2Ey4F
via IFTTT Numerous questions remain about the man prosecutors say offered a Trump campaign adviser “dirt” from Russia about Hillary Clinton.

A Train Called Anne Frank? German Railway Plan Prompts Outcry

By DAN BILEFSKY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gQbzsn
via IFTTT The young diarist, deported by rail to a concentration camp, was among 25 names shortlisted for new high-speed trains.

Did the World Get Aung San Suu Kyi Wrong?

By AMANDA TAUB and MAX FISHER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2z6gsYR
via IFTTT There were warning signs. But people typically see what they want to see, and never more so perhaps than when they are in search of a hero.

A Beer Festival in China Has German Roots, but No Lederhosen

By Photographs and Text by BRYAN DENTON from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ihLBOM
via IFTTT Thousands attended the Qingdao International Beer Festival this summer in China. If it looks like Oktoberfest, there is a good reason.

Afghan War Data, Once Public, Is Censored in U.S. Military Report

By THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gX49HN
via IFTTT Key figures on the progress of local security forces, compiled by the government’s spending watchdog, were classified only once before in nine years.

Ex-Leader of Catalonia, in Brussels, Lays His Crisis Before a Wary Europe

By STEVEN ERLANGER and RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2z5Mqo2
via IFTTT Carles Puigdemont said he was not seeking asylum, but wanted to guarantee a fair trial for separatists who declared independence from Spain.

Putin Critic Who Fought Pro-Russia Rebels Shot Dead in Ukraine

By ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gQ0wzH
via IFTTT A couple who survived an assassination attempt in June were attacked by a gunman spraying their car with bullets, killing the wife and injuring the husband.

Japan’s Police Investigate Possible Serial Killer

By HISAKO UENO and AUSTIN RAMZY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gY8ees
via IFTTT A 27-year-old man was arrested after a woman disappeared, and the Japanese news media said parts of nine bodies had been found in his house near Tokyo.

Uhuru Kenyatta Is Declared Winner of Kenya’s Repeat Election

By JINA MOORE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2A1hYcS
via IFTTT Mr. Kenyatta also won a vote in August that was nullified by the Supreme Court, but the new balloting was met by confusion and mistrust.

Sexual Harassment Claims Surface in U.K. Parliament

By STEPHEN CASTLE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2zksUVQ
via IFTTT One minister faces an inquiry after asking a staff member to buy sex toys, while dozens of lawmakers are accused of sexism, harassment or inappropriate behavior.

Who Betrayed Anne Frank? Former F.B.I. Agent Reopens a Cold Case

By CHRISTOPHER F. SCHUETZE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2lt9tUH
via IFTTT An array of modern techniques is being used to try to solve one of history’s most famous cold case files.

‘I Don’t Want an Independent Catalonia’: Rally Backs Unified Spain

By ALISSA J. RUBIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2lq5Nmp
via IFTTT Catalonia residents who demonstrated in Barcelona on Sunday struck a moderate tone, saying they embraced both their Catalan and Spanish identities.

Benghazi Attacks Suspect Is Captured in Libya by U.S. Commandos

By ADAM GOLDMAN and ERIC SCHMITT from NYT World http://ift.tt/2xB7Dm2
via IFTTT The man is the second suspect to be apprehended in the 2012 assault and will be brought to Washington to face criminal charges.

Submarine Inventor Admits Dismembering Swedish Journalist

By MARTIN SELSOE SORENSEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2z2tpml
via IFTTT Peter Madsen again denied killing Kim Wall, telling police interrogators in Copenhagen that she had died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

North Korea Nuclear Tests Raise Fears of Radioactive Fallout

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2zgKoSM
via IFTTT A South Korean scientist told lawmakers that another explosion at North Korea’s nuclear test site could lead to a possible disaster.

France, Land of Croissants, Finds Butter Vanishing From Shelves

By AURELIEN BREEDEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2A08rCv
via IFTTT A price spike has led to sporadic shortages in one of the world’s most butter-loving countries, prompting both mock panic and real anxiety.

Afghan Taliban Awash in Heroin Cash, a Troubling Turn for War

By MUJIB MASHAL from NYT World http://ift.tt/2z20xe8
via IFTTT The Taliban are increasingly refining their own opium, rather than exporting its ingredients, lifting their profits and giving them less reason to talk.

Out of Sixth Grade, and Straight to the Factory She Died In

By RESTIDIA PUTRI and RICHARD C. PADDOCK from NYT World http://ift.tt/2iepnxd
via IFTTT At least three underage girls were caught in the blaze at an Indonesian fireworks plant, reflecting struggles with workplace safety and child welfare.

In Liberia, an Executive Mansion Fit for a President — and Ghosts, Too

By HELENE COOPER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2zXgDn8
via IFTTT No president who has slept at the mansion for any extended period has come to a decent end. The place, as any Liberian will tell you, is both haunted and jinxed.

Resist or Obey Madrid’s Rule? Catalonia Civil Servants Must Decide

By PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2xyA4kM
via IFTTT Catalonia’s ministers, lawmakers, teachers, policemen and other government workers face the question of accepting Madrid’s authority — or staying loyal to their ousted leader.

2 Frenchwomen Accuse Prominent Islamic Scholar of Sexual Assault

By CARLOTTA GALL and ELIAN PELTIER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2zQ4DDb
via IFTTT The activist Henda Ayari and another woman filed police complaints accusing Tariq Ramadan of violent attacks. He is the author of numerous books on modern Islam and a well-known figure in the media.

Mexico’s Day of the Dead Parade Pays Tribute to Quake Victims

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT World http://ift.tt/2xwlCJS
via IFTTT The parade also celebrated the rescuers who helped pull people from the rubble of collapsed buildings after two earthquakes in two weeks in September.

Iceland’s Independence Party Retains Most Seats After Election

By RICHARD MARTYN-HEMPHILL from NYT World http://ift.tt/2yUzXUr
via IFTTT But the conservative party, led by Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, emerged somewhat weakened, losing five seats.

Spain Is a Collection of Glued Regions. Or Maybe Not So Glued.

By MEGAN SPECIA, RICK GLADSTONE and RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2zRlfdH
via IFTTT Catalonia’s independence declaration is illegal under Spain’s Constitution. What rights do Catalonia and Spain’s 16 other autonomous regions enjoy?

Mali’s Desert Elephants, on Edge of Annihilation, Get a Fighting Chance

By MARK RIVETT-CARNAC from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ickYuB
via IFTTT With its elephants being slaughtered in staggering numbers, Mali created an armed brigade to defend them. The force faces threats not only from poachers but also terrorists and bandits.

Who Ordered Killing of Honduran Activist? Evidence of Broad Plot Is Found

By ELISABETH MALKIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2lokdni
via IFTTT A team of lawyers investigating the killing of Berta Cáceres, an environmentalist, say state agents and senior executives of an energy company were involved.

Mexico’s Record Violence Is a Crisis 20 Years in the Making

By MAX FISHER and AMANDA TAUB from NYT World http://ift.tt/2yVKBb5
via IFTTT This is how a series of bad breaks, missteps and self-imposed crises grew Mexico’s organized crime problem into a national disaster.

North Korea Rouses Neighbors to Reconsider Nuclear Weapons

By DAVID E. SANGER, CHOE SANG-HUN and MOTOKO RICH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ySYFEU
via IFTTT A debate is raging in both Japan and South Korea about the nuclear option, driven by the North’s rapidly advancing capabilities and concern the United States might hesitate to defend its allies.

As Catalonia Crisis Deepens, Many Basques Wary of New Independence Bid

By PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2yQKJLn
via IFTTT Despite a history of separatism in the Basque region, the Catalan crisis does not appear to have yet increased zeal for Basque independence.

Catalonia’s Ousted Leader Calls for Peaceful Defiance

By RAPHAEL MINDER, PATRICK KINGSLEY and KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2yUMipp
via IFTTT Carles Puigdemont, fired by the Spanish national government, insisted that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was removing a democratically elected administration.

Public Shaming and Even Prison for Plastic Bag Use in Rwanda

By KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gJEEps
via IFTTT In Rwanda, it is illegal to import, produce, use or sell plastic bags, and violators face stiff punishment. But the zero tolerance policy appears to be paying off: The streets are spotless.

Iceland Goes to Polls Amid Scandals, Disgust and Distrust

By RICHARD MARTYN-HEMPHILL from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gQ9VLe
via IFTTT As Iceland votes in parliamentary elections on Saturday, a disgraced former prime minister is among those competing to govern.

In Pakistani Fray, Maryam Sharif Is on the Edge of Power, or Prison

By MEHREEN ZAHRA-MALIK from NYT World http://ift.tt/2llSZNS
via IFTTT She had recently emerged as the right hand of her father, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. But corruption charges are clouding her rapid rise.

The Lost Children of Tuam

By DAN BARRY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2i9A3go
via IFTTT Ireland wanted to forget. But the dead don’t always stay buried.

As a Republic Struggles to Be Born, Barcelona Holds Its Breath

By PATRICK KINGSLEY and RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2yT4DmC
via IFTTT The widespread euphoria that greeted the independence referendum was largely absent as Catalan lawmakers voted to separate from Spain.

Gang Attacks Pakistani Journalist Critical of Military

By SALMAN MASOOD from NYT World http://ift.tt/2i8np1f
via IFTTT Ahmad Noorani, who has written extensively about the country’s powerful military and intelligence agency, was assaulted in broad daylight.

A War of Words Puts Facebook at the Center of Myanmar’s Rohingya Crisis

By MEGAN SPECIA and PAUL MOZUR from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gP5tMD
via IFTTT Human rights advocates say the company should be doing more to combat misinformation and hateful language on the site.

‘Baffled’ by Rohingya Stance, U.N. Official Scolds Aung San Suu Kyi

By RICK GLADSTONE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2hcpN7r
via IFTTT Myanmar’s people would listen if the Nobel laureate told her followers, “Hey, let’s show some humanity,” the United Nations’ rights investigator said.

Catalonia’s Independence Showdown With Spain, in Photographs

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT World http://ift.tt/2lnfYs4
via IFTTT As lawmakers in Madrid and Barcelona passed dueling measures, Spain careened into its greatest constitutional crisis since embracing democracy in 1978.

With Dreadlocks, Rhythm and Flow, China Embraces Hip-Hop

By AMY QIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2z9DFtP
via IFTTT A city better known for pandas has become an unlikely outpost of a genre rooted in African-American culture.

Revulsion in Italian Soccer Over Anti-Semitic Taunts

By JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2hcJnRd
via IFTTT Fans of Lazio, a Rome team, have been condemned for used a smiling image of Anne Frank to insult the supporters of a crosstown rival.

Spain Moves to Seize Control Over Catalonia

By RAPHAEL MINDER and PATRICK KINGSLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2y9JMyk
via IFTTT Shortly after Catalan leaders passed a resolution to create “an independent state,” the Spanish government approved proposals to oust the region’s separatist leadership.

Mattis Visit to DMZ Highlights the North Korean Threat to Seoul

By HELENE COOPER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2xs6nBK
via IFTTT Gazing over the border with his South Korean counterpart, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was reminded of the devastating power in range of the capital.

Australian High Court Bars 5 Lawmakers Over Citizenship

By ISABELLA KWAI from NYT World http://ift.tt/2gQI5OJ
via IFTTT By ruling that the deputy prime minister was ineligible to run and forcing a by-election for his seat, the court has imperiled the government’s majority.

Low Turnout in Kenya’s Do-Over Election Raises Concerns

By JINA MOORE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2hbUFoK
via IFTTT With so little participation, some fear that millions of Kenyans won’t accept the results.

As ISIS Is Driven From Iraq, Sunnis Remain Alienated

By DAVID ZUCCHINO from NYT World http://ift.tt/2hbGoZe
via IFTTT The grievances of Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority allowed the Islamic State to flourish. How the government deals with Sunnis now could have long-term consequences.

U.S. Soldiers Were Separated From Unit in Niger Ambush, Officials Say

By THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF and ERIC SCHMITT from NYT World http://ift.tt/2i7V8Ie
via IFTTT New details have changed the timeline to the attack as Pentagon officials investigate the ambush that left four Americans and five Nigeriens dead.

Bomb Wounds Ukrainian Politician as Assassination Plots Mount

By ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2yTnaRA
via IFTTT The lawmaker was known for pugnacious stands on the war in eastern Ukraine and heated attacks on Russia. His bodyguard was killed, and a commentator was wounded.