Pocket Reader - News in English

Israel Launches Airstrikes Against Houthis in Yemen NYT » World News The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea for more than a year in what they have described as a campaign in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Biden, Headed to the Exit, Sets an Aggressive Climate Goal for the U.S. NYT » World News The promise of deeper emissions cuts will very likely be ignored by the Trump administration, but officials hoped it would send a signal to the world.

4 Reasons China Meddles in Local U.S. Politics NYT » World News American intelligence agencies have warned of influence operations targeting city halls and statehouses. But what’s in it for Beijing?

In Homs, Smiles and Tears Amid a Ravaged Landscape After al-Assad’s Fall NYT » World News The ancient city, an early stronghold of opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s oppressive regime, was ravaged by a government crackdown. Residents are reacting to his fall with smiles and tears.

‘Pandas Are the Bait’: How China Seeks Influence in U.S. Cities NYT » World News Records and interviews show that Beijing has used pandas as leverage to shape policy on Taiwan and to cultivate relationships with local U.S. politicians.

China Says Astronauts Break Record with 9 Hour Spacewalk NYT » World News China said two of its astronauts spent nine hours outside the Tiangong Space Station. The longest previous spacewalk, by Americans, was eight hours and 56 minutes.

Thursday Briefing NYT » World News Syrian soldiers step toward amnesty.

Europe Has a Leadership Vacuum. How Will it Handle Trump? NYT » World News With Germany and France both in political turmoil, the new administration of Donald J. Trump will begin at a time of instability for the continent.

A Timeline of Dominique Pelicot’s Rape Trial in France NYT » World News The trial of Dominique Pelicot for raping and drugging his wife, Gisèle, is about to reach a verdict. Here’s how the events unfolded.

Google Street View Captures a Man Loading a Bag Into a Trunk. Arrests Follow. NYT » World News The image, from northern Spain, showed a man with a white bag in the trunk of a car. The National Police said it helped them solve a missing-person case.

Wednesday Briefing: Russia Arrests a Suspected Assassin NYT » World News Plus, the big stories of 2024 through our photographers’ eyes.

A Grisly Discovery at a Bronze Age Mass Grave: The Victims Were Eaten, Too NYT » World News “It’s taken us all aback,” said a professor who led a study revealing that 37 people in a prehistoric site in England were likely consumed by their attackers.

Killing of Russian General Sends a Message, but Doesn’t Change the War for Ukraine NYT » World News Ukraine’s forces are steadily losing ground on the battlefield. The assassination of a top general in Moscow won’t improve their war effort, analysts and Western officials say.

U.K. Court Rules Police Can Seize £2 Million From Andrew Tate NYT » World News The online influencer has bragged about refusing to pay taxes. A London court found that he and his brother had not paid taxes on more than £21 million in business revenue.

Zelensky to Meet With E.U. Leaders to Discuss Ukraine’s Future NYT » World News As Donald J. Trump prepares to take office in the United States, President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend a dinner hosted by the NATO chief to plot the path forward in the war with Russia.

China’s Nuclear Buildup Is on Track Despite Graft Scandals, Pentagon Says NYT » World News Corruption investigations may have shaken Beijing’s confidence in top commanders, but China’s military expansion hasn’t slowed, a report found.

Cease-Fire Between Kurdish and Turkish-Backed Forces Is Extended in Northern Syria NYT » World News A U.S. official announced the move about the truce in Manbij, where Kurdish and Turkish-backed fighters have clashed, as U.S. and other foreign officials try to broker a lasting armistice.

Who Is Dominique Pelicot, the Man at the Center of France’s Mass Rape Trial? NYT » World News For over three months, judges and lawyers have tried to grasp the true nature of the man who said he had invited dozens of strangers to join him in raping his drugged wife.

In Syria, First Domestic Flight Since Assad’s Overthrow Lands in Aleppo NYT » World News A Syrian Air flight from Damascus landed in Aleppo on Wednesday, as the transitional government tries to demonstrate its ability to run the war-shattered country.

Al-Assad’s Soldiers Hope for Amnesty. First, They Have to Take a Number. NYT » World News Syria’s new rulers say they will spare conscripts of Bashar al-Assad and pursue those who oversaw his regime’s abuses. Hundreds are lining up to learn which promise applies to them.