Pocket Reader - News in English

World Opens to the Taliban Despite Their Shredding of Women’s Rights NYT » World News Taliban officials have scored a series of diplomatic victories this year that have started a subtle shift toward normalizing their government.

Is Afghanistan’s Most-Wanted Militant Now Its Best Hope for Change? NYT » World News Sirajuddin Haqqani has tried to remake himself from blood-soaked jihadist to pragmatic Taliban statesman. Western diplomats are shocked — and enticed.

Shiori Ito’s Searing Documentary ‘Black Box Diaries’ to Open in U.S. NYT » World News “Black Box Diaries,” a documentary about Shiori Ito’s fight against Japan’s patriarchal justice system, opens on Friday in the United States.

5 Key Questions Hanging Over the Lucy Letby ‘Killer Nurse’ Case NYT » World News Ms. Letby, a neonatal nurse in England, was convicted of murdering seven babies last year. But a growing number of experts have raised concerns about the evidence.

Israel Bombs Lebanese City as Blinken Hints at New Ideas for Gaza Cease-Fire NYT » World News The Israeli military struck targets in the port city of Tyre on Wednesday, the latest phase of a bombardment campaign against the militant group Hezbollah.

Trudeau Urged by Fellow Party Members to Step Down NYT » World News Liberal Party members fear Justin Trudeau has become so unpopular that it could lead to the party’s defeat in the next election. Mr. Trudeau has said he has no plans to leave.

Thursday Briefing: How the U.S. Election is Viewed Abroad NYT » World News Plus, the dark side of A.I. companionship apps.

China May Chafe as North Korea Sends Soldiers to Fight Ukraine NYT » World News North Korea’s decision to dispatch troops to help Russia subdue Ukraine may put another Kremlin ally, China, in a tough spot diplomatically.

Mexican Troops Kill 19 Suspected Cartel Members in Sinaloa Shootout NYT » World News The killings in the northwest state of Sinaloa raise questions as to whether Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is taking a tougher approach to cartels.

At BRICS Summit, One of Putin’s Guests Stands Out: Turkey’s President NYT » World News President Vladimir V. Putin, hoping to prove he is not the pariah that the West has tried to make him, this week welcomed leaders from China, India and Iran, among other nations. Then, there was the NATO member.

Israel Accuses 6 Al Jazeera Journalists of Fighting With Hamas, PIJ NYT » World News The news organization strongly denied the accusations, which it said were based on “fabricated evidence” and followed a long history of Israeli hostility toward the network.

Gustavo Gutiérrez, Father of Liberation Theology, Dies at 96 NYT » World News Once considered revolutionary, his notion of empathy and advocacy for the poor has become a central tenet of Catholic social teaching.

Manchester Arena Bombing Survivors Win Lawsuit Against Conspiracy Theorist NYT » World News A U.K. court found that a conspiracy theorist who claimed the 2017 bombing at an Ariana Grande concert was a hoax had harassed victims and abused media freedom.

Rohingya Refugees Are Stranded at Sea for Days as Residents Reject Them NYT » World News Residents of a town in western Indonesia shared food with the refugees but declined to host them, leaving them stuck on a boat miles from shore.

Gunmen in Turkey Launch Deadly Attack on Aerospace Company NYT » World News Surveillance footage showed two attackers, a man and a woman, with backpacks and rifles and a body lying on the pavement outside.

G7 Finalizes $50 Billion Ukraine Loan Backed by Russian Assets NYT » World News The economic lifeline is expected to be disbursed by the end of the year.

A Modi-Xi Meeting Could Signal a Thaw Between India and China NYT » World News A meeting between the two leaders comes just two days after they settled a tense border dispute in the Himalayas.

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin, Resigns Amid Draft Evasion Scandal NYT » World News The prosecutor general stepped down after accusations that hundreds of officials obtained fake disability certificates. There have been no public allegations that he was involved in the scheme.

Gisèle Pelicot Returns to Court to Testify in Rape Case NYT » World News Her husband is accused of inviting strangers to sexually assault her while she was drugged and unconscious. The trial has transformed the way France discusses sexual violence.

U.S. Says North Korean Troops Are in Russia to Aid Fight Against Ukraine NYT » World News Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III called the situation “very serious,” though he said that what the soldiers were doing in Russia was “left to be seen.”