Pocket Reader - News in English

In Photos: The Aftermath of the Maha Kumbh Mela Stampede NYT » World News Many were feared dead after millions of Hindu pilgrims at a huge Hindu festival in India rushed to bathe in holy river waters.

The Citizen Scientists of Fukushima NYT » World News Armed with measuring devices, groups of citizens are embracing science to monitor radioactive fallout — and regain control of lives upended by the 2011 meltdowns in Fukushima.

Wednesday Briefing NYT » World News Confusion in the U.S. after a Trump spending freeze.

Lunar New Year 2025 Photos: See Year of the Snake Celebrations Across Asia NYT » World News More than a billion people around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year.

State Department Permits Distribution of H.I.V. Medications to Resume — for Now NYT » World News Experts fear a resurgence of infections in low-income countries if the ban were to continue. The waiver remains in place, while officials review foreign aid programs.

Typhoon Yagi Scrambles Vietnam’s Lunar New Year Tradition NYT » World News A typhoon and extreme heat dramatically affected prices for the kumquat trees that are ubiquitous during the holiday.

Stampede at India’s Maha Kumbh Mela Hindu Festival Leaves Pilgrims Hurt NYT » World News People were trampled as pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s biggest gatherings, were rushing to the confluence of two sacred rivers, officials said.

U.S. Halt to Foreign Aid Cripples Programs Worldwide NYT » World News Many of the frozen programs are aimed at alleviating disease and malnutrition, but even security programs with U.S. funding are shutting down.

Israel Is Urged to Reverse Course on Palestinian Aid Agency Ban NYT » World News Diplomats at the United Nations Security Council said planned restrictions on the agency, UNRWA, would imperil Palestinians. Only the U.S. sides with Israel.

Inside a Chaotic U.S. Deportation Flight to Brazil NYT » World News The Trump administration’s first flight deporting Brazilians involved aborted takeoffs, sweltering heat, emergency exits and shackled deportees on a wing.

Doomsday Clock Moves One Second Closer to Catastrophe NYT » World News The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists shifted the hands of the symbolic clock to 89 seconds to midnight, citing the threat of climate change, nuclear war and the misuse of artificial intelligence.

Wednesday Briefing: Trump’s Funding Freeze NYT » World News Plus, renovations at the Louvre.

Trudeau Government Left Canada Vulnerable to Foreign Interference NYT » World News Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should have acted quicker to protect Canadian elections from outside meddling, a government commission said, shaking trust in democratic institutions.

Reform U.K. is Said to Land Over $1 Million in Populist Show of Force NYT » World News Nigel Farage’s party is reshaping British conservatism and showing that it can raise money to do so.

How Elon Musk is Using Start-Up Tactics to Disrupt European Politics NYT » World News The richest man in the world is backing far-right parties against a political establishment that has failed to deliver.

Mauricio Funes, Salvadoran President Who Fled to Nicaragua, Dies at 65 NYT » World News He was a popular TV journalist when elected as El Salvador’s first modern-day leftist leader in 2009, but he went into exile hounded by corruption charges.

Woman in Disguise Took U.K. Citizenship Test for Others, Authorities Say NYT » World News A 61-year-old woman was arrested after impersonating at least 14 people over the course of more than a year, the authorities said.

France, Finally, Wins the World’s Top Food Award Again NYT » World News In 2023, the country failed to finish in the top three as Denmark won the Bocuse d’Or, a fine-dining competition. This year, France reclaimed the crown.

Rwanda, the West’s ‘Donor Darling,’ Seizes an Opportunity in Congo NYT » World News A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.

Serbian Leader, Trying to Quell Protests, Jettisons a Key Ally NYT » World News Demonstrations around Serbia pose a challenge to the decade-long hold on power by President Aleksandar Vucic, who spurred his prime minister to step down.