Pocket Reader - News in English

Santa Lives in Rovaniemi, Finland. Some of His Neighbors Are Not Thrilled. NYT &rt; World News A tourist season that stretches from October to March has been anything but jolly for some residents of the “Official Hometown of Santa Claus.”

Algeria Expels 12 French Officials NYT &rt; World News The expulsions came after an Algerian official was accused of kidnapping an influencer who had been granted political asylum in France.

Attackers Target Prisons in France, Burning Vehicles and Firing Shots NYT &rt; World News The office of France’s counterterrorism prosecutor said it would begin an investigation into the violence. The justice minister blamed drug traffickers.

Sandstorm Turns Iraq’s Skies Orange and Sends Thousands to Hospitals NYT &rt; World News Climate experts say such storms are becoming more frequent and severe in the country. This was its worst of the year so far.

Head of Kuwait Specialty Field Hospital in Gaza Says Israeli Strike Killed a Guard NYT &rt; World News Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the report, which came two days after it attacked the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City.

Assad Defaced: Syrians Destroy a Dictator’s Icons NYT &rt; World News Images of Bashar al-Assad and his family were emblematic of the dynasty’s grip on Syria. Though remnants linger after the regime’s ouster, the removal of the once ubiquitous relics has offered catharsis.

Van Gogh’s Last Painting Poses a Problem for an Idyllic French Village NYT &rt; World News It was recently determined that the artist painted his final work, “Tree Roots,” in Auvers-sur-Oise. The roots still exist, igniting a fight over their preservation.

A Crisis at a British Steel Mill Has Cast a Shadow Over U.K.-China Relations NYT &rt; World News Britain was edging closer to China, but a dispute at a Chinese-owned steel company in the U.K. may prompt a rethink.

For Idyllic Village, Van Gogh’s Roots Pose a Knotty Problem NYT &rt; World News It was recently determined that the artist painted his last work, “Tree Roots,” in Auvers-sur-Oise. The roots still exist, and that has ignited a nasty fight over their preservation.

Inside Trump’s Rushed Effort to Deport 238 Migrants NYT &rt; World News The Trump administration sent them to a prison in El Salvador under a wartime act, calling them members of a Venezuelan gang. But a New York Times investigation found little evidence of criminal backgrounds or links to the gang.

In Argentina, a Boom in Antarctic Cruises Is Straining the ‘End of the World’ NYT &rt; World News Crowds of tourists bound for Antarctica have brought prosperity to Argentina’s southernmost city, but the boom is also squeezing locals and stressing the environment.

Trump’s Dilemma: A Trade War That Threatens Every Other Negotiation With China NYT &rt; World News President Trump is staking everything on winning by imposing tariffs on China. But the fight threatens to choke off negotiations about other issues like Taiwan, fentanyl, TikTok and more.

China’s Halt of Critical Minerals Poses Risk for U.S. Military Programs NYT &rt; World News The Pentagon and defense contractors are heavily reliant on magnets and rare earth minerals mined or processed in China, which has suspended exports of the materials in an escalating trade war.

Tuesday Briefing: El Salvador Will Not Return Deportee NYT &rt; World News Plus, remembering Mario Vargas Llosa.

Airport Was Given Bird Strike Warning Days Before South Korea’s Deadly Crash NYT &rt; World News Operators of the airport where Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed in December, killing 179, failed to meet both international and South Korean guidelines intended to prevent such strikes.

A Crisis at a British Steel Mill Has Cast a Shadow Over U.K.-China Relations NYT &rt; World News Britain was edging closer to China, but a dispute at a Chinese-owned steel company in the U.K. may prompt a rethink.

Trump Administration Memo Proposes Cutting State Department Funding by Nearly Half NYT &rt; World News The draft plan is part of a process involving the agency and the White House. It would eliminate almost all funding for international organizations that include the United Nations and NATO.

Tuesday Briefing: El Salvador Won’t Return Deportee NYT &rt; World News Plus, remembering Mario Vargas Llosa.

Pope Places Antoni Gaudí, ‘God’s Architect,’ on Path to Sainthood NYT &rt; World News Pope Francis on Monday signed a decree that recognized the 20th-century visionary’s “heroic virtues” and put him on the path to possible sainthood.

Mehul Choksi, Fugitive Jeweler Wanted by India, Is Arrested in Belgium NYT &rt; World News The fugitive, Mehul Choksi, is wanted in connection with a major financial scandal at a publicly owned Indian bank. The police in Antwerp, Belgium, arrested him over the weekend.