Has the counteroffensive begun?

Ukraine intensified attacks on Russian positions alongside many sections of the entrance line yesterday. U.S. officers, who spoke on the situation of anonymity, stated the surge in assaults may point out that Ukraine had begun an anticipated counteroffensive, which might be its greatest shot at regaining territory and coming to any peace negotiations with a robust hand.

The officers primarily based their evaluation partially on info from army satellites, which detected an uptick in motion from Ukrainian positions. Ukraine has lengthy stated it could make no formal announcement in regards to the begin of its counteroffensive.

Russia additionally stated {that a} main operation had begun at 5 places alongside the entrance in a single japanese area, Donetsk, however that it had repelled them. Bloggers affiliated with the Russian army reported that Ukraine’s forces had advanced in some areas and had taken a village in Donetsk, however the claims couldn’t be corroborated.

U.S. army analysts stated they believed that Ukrainian items had been making an preliminary push to find out the positions and energy of Russia’s forces, a standard tactic that Americans had been coaching Ukrainian forces to make use of.

Strategy: Attacks had been reported to happen to the east of the place analysts had anticipated the counteroffensive to start. But even beginning in that space would enable Ukraine to maintain the identical objective: to go south towards the Sea of Azov and reduce off the “land bridge” connecting Crimea to Russia.

The stakes: If the counteroffensive is profitable, Kyiv may safe longer-term commitments of army support from the West. Victories additionally may strengthen President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hand in any peace talks with Russia. Failure or an absence of main progress may complicate Ukraine’s path ahead and lead some Western officers to query the struggle technique.

Trains restart close to crash website in India

Rail strains reopened on the Bahanaga Bazar rail station, the place at the least 275 folks had been killed in a catastrophic crash on Friday. The resumption of service may ease disruptions and help more families reach the area and determine their family members. There are nonetheless greater than 100 unclaimed our bodies.

Questions proceed to swirl about who was answerable for the three-way accident. (These graphics present how the disaster unfolded.) Officials are targeted on an digital sign’s malfunctioning, however they haven’t dominated out sabotage. They are additionally wanting into whether or not negligence performed a job, however they haven’t recognized any suspects.

Reaction: Opposition politicians known as for the resignation of the railway minister and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authorities of not doing sufficient to make sure rail security. 

Modi’s focus: India spent nearly $30 billion on the rail system through the previous fiscal yr, greater than 15 p.c than it did the yr earlier than. But most of Modi’s initiatives have been geared toward enhancing velocity and luxury — not basic safety. The quantity spent on observe upkeep and different security measures has been falling.

Possible poisonings in Afghanistan

Afghan officers imagine that 89 schoolgirls and their teachers were deliberately poisoned at two colleges for women. Some had been hospitalized with respiratory and neurological signs, and officers stated that safety and intelligence forces had been nonetheless trying to find the perpetrators.

On Saturday, 63 college students and workers members in the northern Sar-i-Pul Province grew to become sick shortly after arriving in school, officers and fogeys stated. The subsequent day, 26 extra college students and workers members at a close-by faculty reported comparable signs.

The circumstances come at a precarious time for Afghan ladies and women. Restrictions on schooling have turn into a flashpoint because the Taliban seized energy in 2021. They are emblematic of the federal government’s insurance policies towards ladies, which have successfully erased them from public life. The Taliban has barred women from attending faculty above sixth grade; most of those college students had been 6 to 12 years previous.

History: The U.N. investigated comparable circumstances between 2012 and 2016 and located no hint of chemical fuel or poison, The Wall Street Journal reported. The U.N. concluded that the signs had been the results of mass psychogenic sickness, a type of social panic.

In Iran: Earlier this yr, a whole lot of schoolgirls were hospitalized after what officers stated may have been deliberate makes an attempt to cease them from attending faculty. The Interior Minister blamed stress and anxiousness for a few of their signs.

For extra: On “The Daily,” three Afghan ladies speak about how life modified below the Taliban.

THE LATEST NEWS

Asia Pacific

A tiny pop-up market in Los Angeles is making an attempt to turn into a hub for the metropolis’s Filipino neighborhood. Its creators think about it as an intergenerational area the place new Filipino companies can experiment, join with their viewers and broaden.

ARTS AND IDEAS

Prince Harry vs. the tabloids

Prince Harry’s bitter, yearslong feud with Britain’s tabloids is coming to a head this week. Today, he’s set to testify in a London courtroom against the Mirror newspaper group, which he says hacked his telephone greater than a decade in the past. He has filed two different fits towards Britain’s tabloid publishers associated to illicit info gathering.

Harry’s legal professionals say that the Mirror used non-public investigators to illegally acquire details about him, partially by intercepting voice mail messages. The writer apologized and admitted to unlawfully getting info on Harry in a single occasion, however denies the hacking expenses.

The testimony is placing the House of Windsor on edge. Harry would be the first senior member of the royal household to be cross-examined in a authorized case since the 19th century. (Usually, the household prefers to settle legal claims.) In courtroom, Harry may face questions on his private life, or his relationships with other royals.

Background: The case is about extra than simply cash. Harry has stated he holds the tabloids answerable for the loss of life of his mom, Diana, Princess of Wales, in a automobile crash in 1997. In his memoir, he additionally described the trauma that intrusive tabloid coverage has caused him.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT

What to Cook

Practice grilling basics with these 5 recipes.

What to Watch

In “Past Lives,” a wistful what-if story, two childhood buddies from Seoul move by one another’s lives throughout a long time and continents.

What to Read

In “August Blue,” a brand new novel by Deborah Levy, a pianist refashions herself amid private and world crises.

From Wirecutter

How to get rid of your old electronics.

Now Time to Play

Play the Mini Crossword, and a clue: Mushrooms and such (5 letters).

Here are the Wordle and the Spelling Bee. You can discover all our puzzles here.

That’s it for at the moment’s briefing. See you subsequent time. — Amelia

P.S. Fictional cocktails, a pet’s bowel actions: We requested readers to indicate us the contents of their Notes apps.

Thanks on your suggestions. You can all the time attain us at briefing@nytimes.com.