Afghan Army Takes Over After ISIS Attacks a Refugee Office

By ROD NORDLAND and FAHIM ABED from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LIQXEA
via IFTTT Islamic State extremists have struck civilians in Jalalabad at least 10 times this year, in a series of suicide attacks against lightly defended places.

Ceramics Aren’t Enough. Bring on the Spaceships, Italian Town Says.

By JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World https://ift.tt/2vonAfu
via IFTTT Italy decided that the ceramics center of Grottaglie — with its long runway and uneventful weather — had the right stuff to be Virgin Galactic’s next launchpad.

Philippine Bombing Kills 10, Showing Insurgents Remain a Problem

By FELIPE VILLAMOR from NYT World https://ift.tt/2KhkD5Q
via IFTTT Officials say the blast was carried out by Abu Sayyaf, a militant group that besieged the southern city of Marawi for five months.

Ordinary Iranians on Trump Talks Offer: ‘Why Not Try the Americans?’

By THOMAS ERDBRINK from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LIAosj
via IFTTT As the economic pressure on ordinary Iranians intensifies, many seem to be questioning their leadership’s resolve not to talk with President Trump.

As China’s Woes Mount, Xi Jinping Faces Rare Rebuke at Home

By CHRIS BUCKLEY from NYT World https://ift.tt/2AoLL3q
via IFTTT As China confronts economic headwinds, a vaccine scandal and trade tensions, a legal scholar named Xu Zhangrun decided to speak out. It could be dangerous for him.

Aeromexico Plane Crashes, but Officials Say Everyone Survived

By KIRK SEMPLE and PAULINA VILLEGAS from NYT World https://ift.tt/2v7t0fw
via IFTTT Television images showed the smoking jetliner on the ground in the state of Durango. The governor said there were no deaths.

Brexit Plans Raise Fears of Food Shortages and Jammed Ports

By STEPHEN CASTLE from NYT World https://ift.tt/2vlkkkW
via IFTTT As the British government prepares for the possibility of a disruptive “no deal” Brexit, it has stirred alarm with plans to stockpile essentials.

Chinese Parents Protest Bad Vaccines for Hundreds of Thousands

By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mSbPu3
via IFTTT More than two dozen parents demonstrated outside a regulator’s office in Beijing after hundreds of thousands of children were put at risk of falling sick.

ISIS Says It Killed 4 Cyclists in Tajikistan

By ANDREW E. KRAMER and RUKMINI CALLIMACHI from NYT World https://ift.tt/2K97hsu
via IFTTT Officials initially described a hit-and-run in Tajikistan as an “attack,” and hours later, the Islamic State claimed responsibility, saying the assailants were inspired by the group.

Where Churches Have Become Temples of Cheese, Fitness and Eroticism

By DAN BILEFSKY from NYT World https://ift.tt/2K6YMOl
via IFTTT Dozens of churches in Quebec have been repurposed into reading rooms, luxury condos, cheese emporiums and upmarket fitness centers in a Canadian province where the Catholic Church is in decline.

In Myanmar, Flood Warnings Come After the Floods

By SAW NANG and RICHARD C. PADDOCK from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mQmi98
via IFTTT This year’s monsoon season has brought crippling floods to Southeast Asia, in some cases worsened by a lack of emergency preparations by governments.

As India Clamps Down on Migration, Millions May Lose Citizenship

By KAI SCHULTZ from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mVqNPY
via IFTTT A draft list released by officials excluded four million people living in a northeastern state, prompting concern that it paves the way for discrimination.

Zimbabwe Holds a Peaceful Vote, Its First Ballot Since Mugabe’s Fall

By NORIMITSU ONISHI from NYT World https://ift.tt/2v1jQkZ
via IFTTT Turnout was high. Fears of fraud remain, but the violence and intimidation that marred previous campaigns have not returned.

Imran Khan’s Rivals in Pakistan Face Another Big Loss

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN and DANIYAL HASSAN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2vijXaW
via IFTTT The powerful legislature in Punjab, long a stronghold of Pakistan’s former governing party, looks to be slipping from its grasp.

How Alan Friedman, Italy’s Professional American, Put Paul Manafort in Jail

By JASON HOROWITZ from NYT World https://ift.tt/2M0tLNW
via IFTTT Documents filed in the Manafort case allege that Mr. Friedman, an Italian media celebrity, helped lobbying efforts in the U.S. and Europe on behalf of Ukraine.

Jeremy Hunt, U.K. Foreign Secretary, Calls Chinese Wife Japanese on Beijing Visit

By GERRY MULLANY from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LIn06J
via IFTTT The gaffe will do nothing to dispel the idea that Prime Minister Theresa May’s government is stumbling in foreign affairs.

Fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Remains a Mystery, Panel Says

By AUSTIN RAMZY from NYT World https://ift.tt/2vh9Cfj
via IFTTT Family members say a 495-page report offers no closure four years after a flight bound for Beijing vanished.

Laos Dam Failure Exposes Cracks in a Secretive Government’s Agenda

By MIKE IVES from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LUDuVZ
via IFTTT The deadly accident highlights a policy of selling resources to foreign companies while ignoring the dangers to the rural poor, analysts say.

On Spain’s Smartest Streets, a Property Boom Made in Venezuela

By RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World https://ift.tt/2AhColP
via IFTTT Madrid is attracting thousands of rich Venezuelans who have been fleeing their country’s political and economic turmoil.

With Imran Khan as New Leader, Pakistan Could Reshape Its Image

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2NUVGzk
via IFTTT Pakistan has long been associated with terrorism and dysfunction. Mr. Khan, the presumed new leader, could alter the narrative.

11 and Married: Malaysia Spars Over Child Brides

By HANNAH BEECH from NYT World https://ift.tt/2NTYbBX
via IFTTT An 11-year-old girl’s marriage to a 41-year-old man — the father of her best friend — has reignited debate in this modern multiethnic democracy about the persistence of an age-old Islamic practice.

As Zimbabwe Prepares to Vote, Robert Mugabe Resurfaces With a Message

By NORIMITSU ONISHI from NYT World https://ift.tt/2K5wzaO
via IFTTT The 94-year-old former president said he would not back his party’s candidate, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who ousted him with the army’s help in November.

Polar Bear Shot and Killed After Attacking Cruise Ship Guard

By YONETTE JOSEPH from NYT World https://ift.tt/2K67Xia
via IFTTT The shooting on a Norwegian island drew widespread condemnation on social media, with some questioning killing the bear for “acting like a wild animal.”

Ahed Tamimi, Palestinian Teenager Who Slapped Israeli Soldier, Is Released From Jail

By REUTERS and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LxoPUv
via IFTTT The 17-year-old was greeted with banners, cheers and flags in her West Bank home after her eight-month sentence. “Resistance is continuing,” she said.

Cambodia Votes for a Leader, With the Result Predetermined by One

By HANNAH BEECH from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mPnQQU
via IFTTT Hun Sen, the longtime prime minister, has worked hard to control the election, even as he flouts the rules of democracy.

Deadly Quake Strikes Indonesian Island of Lombok

By REUTERS from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Alj33m
via IFTTT A 6.4-magnitude earthquake caused at least 12 deaths and damaged many buildings early Sunday.

Facebook Is Failing to Aid Inquiry Into ‘Fake News,’ British Lawmakers Say

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LJGMP3
via IFTTT In a report to be released Sunday, a parliamentary committee accused Facebook of providing “disingenuous” answers to questions and of withholding information.

Turkish School Leader Abducted, and Released, in Mongolia

By HANNAH BEECH from NYT World https://ift.tt/2M1axHS
via IFTTT The seizure of Veysel Akcay, who was freed after supporters gathered at Ulan Bator’s airport, appeared to be part of Turkey’s campaign against allies of an exiled cleric.

Newest U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan Mirrors Past Plans for Retreat

By THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF and HELENE COOPER from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mNgT2N
via IFTTT The Trump administration is pushing Afghan commanders to surrender rural and sparsely populated areas of the country and focus on protecting cities.

U.S. Diplomats Held Face-to-Face Talks With Taliban, Insurgents Say

By TAIMOOR SHAH and ROD NORDLAND from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LvFo39
via IFTTT A senior State Department official was among diplomats who met with representatives from the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, a week ago, the insurgents said.

After Pakistan’s Heated Election, Key Parties Lend Support to Imran Khan

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN and DANIYAL HASSAN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mQn0DG
via IFTTT Swing parties are coalescing around Imran Khan, the cricket star whose political party won Pakistan’s elections, paving the way for him to ascend to the premiership.

Prime Minister’s Eating Habits Scandalize Australians: It’s Piegate

By MEGAN SPECIA from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LRC7r5
via IFTTT Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s approach to eating a meat pie set off a debate over what was seen by some as a food faux pas.

Go Home, South Korea Tells Workers, as Stress Takes Its Toll

By SU-HYUN LEE and TIFFANY MAY from NYT World https://ift.tt/2AiSmMK
via IFTTT Though Japan brought the world the concept of “death from overwork,” South Koreans actually work longer hours. The government is trying to change that.

An 11-Year-Old Girl Is Gang Raped in India and Blamed for It, Too

By KAI SCHULTZ and SUHASINI RAJ from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Onqlq0
via IFTTT When the police in Chennai, India, arrested 17 men accused of assaulting the girl, there was a wave of public fury. Then the narrative changed.

From a Space Station in Argentina, China Expands Its Reach in Latin America

By ERNESTO LONDOÑO from NYT World https://ift.tt/2AdFFCG
via IFTTT Our correspondent went to the deserts of Patagonia to examine how China secured its new base, a symbol of its growing clout in the region.

Woman Gets Five-Year Prison Sentence on Charges of Abducting Her Children

By RAPHAEL MINDER from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LYFWLr
via IFTTT The woman had accused the children’s father of abuse in a case that has gripped the country and raised questions about equitable treatment in the courts.

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Resigns Amid Sexual Abuse Scandal

By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO and YONETTE JOSEPH from NYT World https://ift.tt/2mQply4
via IFTTT Pope Francis accepted his letter of resignation and ordered the former archbishop of Washington to remain in seclusion while accusations against him were being examined, the Vatican said.

‘I Think All Those People Are Dead’: Laos Dam Survivors Seek Word of Neighbors

By MIKE IVES from NYT World https://ift.tt/2uUCefj
via IFTTT In shelters for victims of the dam failure in the south of the authoritarian country, official news is proving sparse and contradictory.

Act of Defiance Casts Harsh Light on Europe’s Deportations of Asylum Seekers

By CHRISTINA ANDERSON and MEGAN SPECIA from NYT World https://ift.tt/2v1jz1t
via IFTTT Elin Ersson’s live-streamed protest against the deportation of an Afghan asylum seeker focused attention on the forced return of asylum seekers.

‘Furnace Friday:’ Ill-Equipped for Heat, Britain Has a Meltdown

By CEYLAN YEGINSU from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Oo9Eeq
via IFTTT The monthlong heat wave has broken records, spawned wildfires and transportation delays, and has shown that the country is not prepared to cope with this weather.

U.K.’s Jewish Papers Denounce Labour Party as ‘Existential Threat’

By STEPHEN CASTLE from NYT World https://ift.tt/2AfKgV2
via IFTTT Jeremy Corbyn, the opposition leader, is under fire again over anti-Semitism, this time over how his party defines it.

Trump Threatens Sanctions Against Turkey Over Detained Pastor

By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS from NYT World https://ift.tt/2JYp3hW
via IFTTT The warming relationship between combative leaders in Turkey and the United States may cool over the house arrest of an American pastor accused of espionage.

A #MeToo Reckoning in China’s Workplace Amid Wave of Accusations

By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ and IRIS ZHAO from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LLEvDf
via IFTTT A series of gripping letters describing abuse and harassment by journalists, intellectuals and charity leaders has lit up the Chinese internet and enlivened the country’s fledgling #MeToo movement.

Putin Invites Trump to Moscow for Second Meeting After Washington Postponed Plans

By ANDREW HIGGINS from NYT World https://ift.tt/2AiAem4
via IFTTT The Russian president continued to push for a second meeting, saying he was also ready to meet in Washington.

As Pakistan Nears End of Vote Count, Imran Khan Is Poised to Be Next Prime Minister

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LJj6dM
via IFTTT Political rivals of Mr. Khan, who have complained about how the national election was conducted, have begun to grudgingly accept his victory.

‘They Spit When I Walked in the Street’: The ‘New Anti-Semitism’ in France

By ADAM NOSSITER from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LUj8fI
via IFTTT A strong correlation has been observed between increases in hate crimes against French Jews and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Hundreds Died in Syrian Custody, Government Acknowledges

By BEN HUBBARD and KARAM SHOUMALI from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Ae8fE0
via IFTTT Syrian families have suddenly learned that missing relatives have been registered as dead by the government. Rights groups call it an admission that they were killed in prison.

As a Dam Rises in Ethiopia, Its Manager Is Found Dead

By DECLAN WALSH, SOMINI SENGUPTA and HADRA AHMED from NYT World https://ift.tt/2uTnE7B
via IFTTT The man overseeing an ambitious $4 billion dam project was found dead in Ethiopia’s capital early Thursday. The police said he had been shot in the head.

Remains of 55 U.S. War Dead in North Korea Start Journey Home After 65 Years

By CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LsOfTl
via IFTTT President Trump thanked North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, for the return of the remains believed to be American servicemen killed during the Korean War.

His Pacific Island Was Swallowed by Rising Seas. So He Moved to a New One.

By DAMIEN CAVE from NYT World https://ift.tt/2v813TZ
via IFTTT Three islands in the South Pacific are being swept away by currents and climate change. But the seaweed farmers there are doing everything they can to stay.