China’s Censors Ban Winnie the Pooh and the Letter ‘N’ After Xi’s Power Grab

By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2CPhZ3q
via IFTTT Censors swung into action after Mr. Xi’s bid to become leader for life resurrected memories of Mao’s personality cult and the feverish emotions that it created.

Why Can’t U.K. Solve the Irish Border Problem in Brexit?

By STEPHEN CASTLE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oyi9rT
via IFTTT A plan by the European Union to avoid a hard border in Ireland provoked anger in Britain. Europeans say they still await British solutions.

Snowstorm Called ‘Beast From the East’ Sends Britons Scrambling

By CEYLAN YEGINSU from NYT World http://ift.tt/2FdzD6n
via IFTTT The storm shut schools, stranded drivers and disrupted trains and flights. But others said, “These Brits are so dramatic.”

Someone Forged a Nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Twice.

By HENRIK PRYSER LIBELL from NYT World http://ift.tt/2GQYcDm
via IFTTT The police in Oslo said they were in contact with the F.B.I. about the forgeries, which suggests that they originated in the United States.

National Identity Is Made Up

By Unknown Author from NYT World http://ift.tt/2GQfy3c
via IFTTT Why do we identify with millions of strangers, just based on borders? In this video from The Interpreter, we explain the myth that built the modern world.

Xi Sets China on a Collision Course With History

By MAX FISHER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2CNbePX
via IFTTT China kept a half-century of global democratic growth at bay by at least nodding to the importance of institutions and rules. Now what?

Saudi King Shakes Up Military and Security Leadership

By BEN HUBBARD from NYT World http://ift.tt/2otNonP
via IFTTT The royal decrees appear intended to elevate a new generation of leaders as the kingdom undergoes sweeping changes in military, security and economic policy.

Trump Opens Door, Just Slightly, to Talking With North Korea

By MOTOKO RICH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ERQrjU
via IFTTT “We want to talk also,” the president said. But hours later, the top U.S. diplomat on North Korea abruptly announced his departure.

Toilet Paper Shortage Strikes Taiwan Amid Pricing Panic

By CHRIS HORTON from NYT World http://ift.tt/2CL2idN
via IFTTT Retailers are having difficulty keeping the daily necessity in stock, as plans for price increases have sent consumers flocking to stores.

U.N. Links North Korea to Syria’s Chemical Weapon Program

By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EUjVcT
via IFTTT An unreleased report says North Korea has evaded United Nations sanctions, providing Syria with materials for chemical weapons.

Slovak Journalist Found Shot to Death at Home

By MIROSLAVA GERMANOVA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2F7zDoo
via IFTTT Jan Kuciak’s fiancée was also killed. The killings appeared related to his coverage of tax evasion and corruption in Slovakia.

Tourist From New York Is Arrested in Japan as Woman’s Body Parts Are Found

By MAKIKO INOUE and GERRY MULLANY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EVzXHs
via IFTTT The man was being interrogated about the woman’s disappearance when he provided information that led to the grisly discoveries, the police told Japanese news media.

Snow Falls in Rome, and the Eternal City Takes a Holiday

By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BSl3PF
via IFTTT With schools and parks in the city closed for the day, and hundreds of shops shuttered, many Romans took the unexpected blanket of white in cheerful stride.

Erdogan Tells a Weeping Girl, 6, She’d Receive Honors if Martyred

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT World http://ift.tt/2Fx37K3
via IFTTT With Turkish armed forces engaged in a difficult battle in Syria, the president tried at a rally to bolster confidence.

With Xi’s Power Grab, China Joins New Era of Strongmen

By STEVEN LEE MYERS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EYqL1b
via IFTTT Xi Jinping’s grab for power without term limits is the biggest move yet in a global shift by Putin, Erdogan and others toward unabashed authoritarianism.

‘Creepy’ Interview Quizzes New Zealand’s Prime Minister on Conception

By CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-MCLAY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BUwnuq
via IFTTT Questions by a “smitten” interviewer for “60 Minutes” in Australia startled Jacinda Ardern and outraged many viewers.

Retire at 55? In Brazil, It’s the Norm. But Can the Good Times Last?

By SHASTA DARLINGTON from NYT World http://ift.tt/2sQyRr3
via IFTTT Brazil has one of the most generous social security systems in the world, but politicians across the spectrum have long seen it as unsustainable.

At French Outpost in African Migrant Hub, Asylum for a Select Few

By ADAM NOSSITER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BQe35M
via IFTTT France is screening migrants before they take a perilous trip across the Mediterranean. A few get a plane ticket. For everyone else, the message is: Stay home.

‘A Bomb on the Doorstep’: Venezuela Fishermen Fight an Oil Giant

By KIRK SEMPLE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ov9tS4
via IFTTT For decades, a poor fishing village has tried to stop a state-run refinery from polluting a bay they share, but the battle has increasingly become one man’s charge.

China Moves to Allow Xi to Stay in Power by Abolishing Term Limit

By CHRIS BUCKLEY and KEITH BRADSHER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BQLyoP
via IFTTT China’s Communist Party has proposed revising the nation’s Constitution to end a two-term limit, which would allow Xi Jinping to remain president, perhaps indefinitely.

U.N. Security Council Votes in Favor of Syria Cease-Fire After Week of Bloodshed

By MEGAN SPECIA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BO4S5U
via IFTTT The Council approved an immediate 30-day cease-fire after a recent bombardment of the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta killed hundreds of civilians.

Women Are Free, and Armed, in Kurdish-Controlled Northern Syria

By ROD NORDLAND from NYT World http://ift.tt/2FxlYVH
via IFTTT Women wield significant authority in northern Syria — in the police, the courts and the militias — and the push for gender equality is spreading from Kurdish-majority areas to conservative Arab ones.

Anti-Fascist Protesters Rally in Italy as Mussolini’s Heirs Gain Ground

By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO from NYT World http://ift.tt/2F3USY8
via IFTTT The violent nationalism that fueled the dictator’s rise has returned with force as critical elections loom. But it has also spurred a nascent countermovement.

If Trump Rips Up Nafta, Canada May Shrug, Not Shudder

By IAN AUSTEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2GGDTbB
via IFTTT Because of changes to the global trading system, an end to the agreement is unlikely to be devastating for Canada, and could even have positive effects.

Malaysia’s Leader Stirs Up a Tempest in a Quinoa Bowl

By YONETTE JOSEPH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2GCEY4j
via IFTTT Malaysians were not happy when Prime Minister Najib Razak said he preferred quinoa because it was “better than rice,” the national staple.

France’s New Michelin Guide: More Fraternité Than Égalité

By ASSIA LABBAS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2F3g6FF
via IFTTT The gastronomic bible awarded new stars to 57 restaurants, only two of which have women as chefs. A “Me Too” moment pricks French kitchen culture.

Italy’s ‘Five Star’ Grows Up Into a Real Party, Scandals and All

By JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ELCSm1
via IFTTT Before March 4 elections, the movement presented a dream candidate, trying to put forward a more professional image. Even she admits she was too good to be true.

European Ex-Officials Deny Being Paid by Manafort to Lobby for Ukraine

By STEVEN ERLANGER and JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/2sN4dia
via IFTTT Mr. Manafort paid 2 million euros to former European officials to lobby for Ukraine’s then pro-Russian government, a new indictment says.

Raised by ISIS, Returned to Chechnya: ‘These Children Saw Terrible Things’

By ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2sQ1yUR
via IFTTT Russia is at the forefront of repatriating women and children from the collapsing Islamic State: “What should we do, leave them there so somebody will recruit them?” asks a Russian Senator.

Can a Canadian Carry Off Bollywood Style? Justin Trudeau Finds Out.

By DAN BILEFSKY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2oo1yad
via IFTTT The Canadian prime minister wore traditional garb throughout a visit to India, inspiring debate over whether he was appropriating or respecting local culture.

U.S. Will Move Embassy to Jerusalem in May, Marking Israel’s 70th Birthday

By PETER BAKER and GARDINER HARRIS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2F3QRDn
via IFTTT A building now used for consular affairs will be designated the embassy, but most employees will remain in Tel Aviv for now.

From KFC, a 3-Letter Apology for Its U.K. Chicken Crisis

By MICHAEL WOLGELENTER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EOX1Ua
via IFTTT The company rearranged the letters in its name in an advertisement, and if a vowel was missing, the meaning was clear.

Trump Announces Harsh New Sanctions Against North Korea

By MARK LANDLER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2CD0KT7
via IFTTT The action was a clear signal, near the end of an Olympic Games marked by a rapprochement on the Korean Peninsula, that his pressure campaign would not let up.

Ivanka Trump, in South Korea, Calls for Pressure on the North

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2FqePX0
via IFTTT The president’s daughter dined with South Korea’s leader and will attend the Olympics’ closing ceremony, where a North Korean delegation will also be present.

Boko Haram Storms Girls’ School in Nigeria, Renewing Fears

By DIONNE SEARCEY and EMMANUEL AKINWOTU from NYT World http://ift.tt/2Gy2UFN
via IFTTT Dozens of girls are missing after the militants raided a school, raising fears they may have been taken hostage just like girls from Chibok in 2014.

Iran Finally Let Her See Her Husband. He Was Dead.

By THOMAS ERDBRINK from NYT World http://ift.tt/2GEQts6
via IFTTT The authorities say Kavous Seyed Emami, a prominent environmentalist, committed suicide in prison. His wife and sons doubt that, and are demanding answers.

Syrian Militias Enter Afrin, Dealing a Setback to Turkey

By CARLOTTA GALL from NYT World http://ift.tt/2FoIjVk
via IFTTT Pro-government militias entered the northwest enclave in support of Kurdish fighters to broad welcome from residents, but not from Turkey.

As China Puts Pressure on Taiwan, Signs of a U.S. Pushback

By KEITH BRADSHER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BIh73O
via IFTTT Concern about the self-governing island’s fate seems to be building in Washington, even as President Trump seeks China’s help on other issues.

Rescuing Migrants Fleeing Through the Frozen Alps

By ELIAN PELTIER and ELOISE STARK from NYT World http://ift.tt/2BIQ60a
via IFTTT These volunteers search the Alps at night for migrants who risk their lives crossing from Italy to France.

Spanish Artwork Denounced Political ‘Persecution.’ It Was Ordered Removed.

By RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2ogyjpC
via IFTTT A gallery was ordered to withdraw a work that labeled Catalan separatist leaders as political prisoners from an exhibit at Madrid’s main arts fair.

Venezuela Launches Virtual Currency, Hoping to Resuscitate Economy

By KIRK SEMPLE and NATHANIEL POPPER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EU9XeV
via IFTTT Government officials are hoping to spur vitally needed imports like food and medicine and, perhaps, give investors a way of skirting American sanctions.

Poland’s Nationalism Threatens Europe’s Values, and Cohesion

By STEVEN ERLANGER and MARC SANTORA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2CaJBV4
via IFTTT The European Union has bestowed huge sums on Poland, but the country has fomented discord over identity, solidarity and, perhaps most important, the rule of law.

Minnie Driver Calls for ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ Model to Combat Sexual Assault

By KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EHI9aa
via IFTTT The British actress was speaking at an event focused on the #MeToo movement and organized by The New York Times and the How To Academy. Here are highlights of the interview.

An Ancient Tuscan Village, Like Italy, Is Reshaped by Migration

By GAIA PIANIGIANI from NYT World http://ift.tt/2EEjhQB
via IFTTT Electoral campaign slogans warn against the migrants’ “invasion,” but Italy’s social fabric has already changed.

Netanyahu Inquiry Expands, With New Bribery Allegations

By DAVID M. HALBFINGER from NYT World http://ift.tt/2omPhBM
via IFTTT The Israeli prime minister, already accused of accepting nearly $300,000 in bribes, could now face charges of obstructing justice.

KFC Has a Problem in Britain: Not Enough Chicken

By KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA and AMIE TSANG from NYT World http://ift.tt/2olqtKx
via IFTTT The company found itself struggling with shortages, with a hiccup in its supply chain forcing the closure of hundreds of outlets.

Syrian Bombardment Kills Nearly 100 in Eastern Ghouta

By ANNE BARNARD from NYT World http://ift.tt/2FhvzzN
via IFTTT Residents of the rebel-held enclave near Damascus described the events as an all-out attack on civilians and infrastructure to force a surrender.

With 10 Million Acres in Patagonia, a National Park System Is Born

By PASCALE BONNEFOY from NYT World http://ift.tt/2CwbUca
via IFTTT Two Americans snapped up large swaths of land in Chile, which they donated to a new conservation area that will be three times the size of Yosemite and Yellowstone combined.

In Ukraine, Corruption Is Now Undermining the Military

By ANDREW HIGGINS from NYT World http://ift.tt/2sHfMaA
via IFTTT A surge in spending on the armed forces has opened new avenues for the graft and cronyism that many see as Ukraine’s most dangerous enemy.

There’s a Persistent Hum in This Canadian City, and No One Knows Why

By CHRISTOPHER MELE from NYT World http://ift.tt/2C7lRAX
via IFTTT Residents affected by the “Windsor Hum” complain of sleeplessness, depression and headaches. It is one of many mysterious sounds reported throughout the world.