Thursday, November 2, 2023

The Evening: The U.S. will push Israel for pauses in war

Also, Donald Trump's sons take the stand in Manhattan.
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The Evening

November 2, 2023

Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday.

  • The U.S. calls for pauses in Gaza
  • Trump's sons take the stand
  • Plus, the last Beatles song
President Biden standing at a lectern and wearing a dark jacket.
"I think we need a pause," President Biden said last night after being confronted by a protester. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times

The U.S. will press Israel for pauses in war

When Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Israel tomorrow, he plans to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a series of brief cessations of military operations in Gaza, White House officials said today.

U.S. officials said the "humanitarian pauses" would be designed to allow for hostages to be released safely and for aid to be distributed. However they would not, U.S. officials emphasized, resemble a broader cease-fire, which the Biden administration believes would benefit Hamas.

A similar pause has been agreed to at least once before. President Biden said last night that Netanyahu had ordered to halt shelling briefly on Oct. 20 to allow for the release of two Americans, Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17.

The push comes as Biden is under increasing pressure to respond to what humanitarian groups have called an urgent crisis for civilians inside Gaza, where food, water, medicine and fuel are in short supply.

On the ground, Israel says its forces have entered Gaza City, fighting "face-to-face battles" with Hamas. Meanwhile, several families have faced challenges attempting to evacuate Gaza.

In Washington, the House is set to pass a $14.3 billion aid bill for Israel, defying Biden's request to pair it with aid for Ukraine and setting up a collision with the Senate.

Eric Trump lost his temper today after lengthy questioning about the company's financial statements. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

Trump's sons testified at their fraud trial

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump both took the stand today in a Manhattan courtroom where the New York attorney general is seeking to impose a $250 million penalty on them and their father, the former president, and bar all three from doing business in the state. The Trumps are accused of inflating the value of their business assets.

During testimony, Donald Trump Jr. was calm but defensive, seeking to blame accountants for errors on financial statements that a judge had already found were fraudulent. His younger brother Eric was more combative — he acknowledged his place at the center of the business, but denied involvement in the financial statements.

In related news, a lawsuit in Denver is one of several across the country arguing that Donald Trump is ineligible to hold office again. Here's what to know about it.

People in military attire in a wooded area. Some are firing ahead and smoke fills the air.
Ukrainian soldiers firing toward a front line in eastern Ukraine last month. Nicole Tung for The New York Times

Ukraine's top commander said the war was at a 'stalemate'

With the front line in Ukraine having barely shifted despite months of fierce fighting, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny said the fighting had reached an impasse, the most candid assessment so far by a leading Ukrainian official of the military's stalled counteroffensive.

"Just like in the First World War we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate," he told The Economist. The general said modern technology and precision weapons on both sides were preventing troops from breaching enemy lines, and called for advances in electronic warfare as a way to break the deadlock.

In related news, Russia pulled out of a nuclear test ban treaty. Here's what that means.

A black-and-white photo of a machine irrigating a field.
Irrigating wheat in Kansas atop the Ogallala Aquifer. Matthew Staver for The New York Times

Many states are unprepared for groundwater depletion

As overuse and climate change combine to dry up America's groundwater, the country relies on a patchwork of state and local rules so lax and outdated that in many places oversight is all but nonexistent, a New York Times analysis found. The depletion threatens not only the tap water that supplies about one-third of the country's drinking water, but also some of the most productive farmland in the world.

More top news

Gain unlimited access to The Times — with just one subscription. Independent reporting. Recipes. Games. Product reviews. Personalized sports journalism. Enjoy it all with an introductory offer.

TIME TO UNWIND

A black-and-white photo of the four Beatles, in matching suits and shaggy haircuts.
From left: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in 1962. Getty Images

The 'last' Beatles song

"Now and Then," a lost-love song digitally reconstructed from a piano-and-vocal demo that John Lennon recorded in the late 1970s, was released today. It includes contributions from all four Beatles, made possible by new technology, and is being billed by the band's label, Apple Corps, as "the last Beatles song."

Our critic Jon Pareles says that while the new song can't compare to the music the four Beatles made together in the 1960s, its existence matters more than its quality. For anyone who loves the Beatles, there's an extra pang in hearing the full band's last work together, even as a digital assemblage.

Texas Rangers pitcher Aroldis Chapman hoisted the World Series trophy last night. Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports Via Reuters Con

A title for the Texas Rangers, and for Arlington

Last night, after the final out of the World Series, the Texas Rangers celebrated in the middle of the field. It was the team's first championship, the culmination of an unexpected rise to success over the last two years.

The title also finally gave the team's hometown fans in Arlington, Texas, a reason to brag. The Rangers were long overshadowed by the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Astros, and now Arlington locals — who held viewing parties in driveways and blanketed the city in cheers — will get to host a World Series victory parade.

Kim Kardashian squats on tiptoes on what appears to be a large stone divan wearing a shiny, nude-colored bandeau and leggings, both spotted with crystals.
Shaniqwa Jarvis for The New York Times

Dinner table topics

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WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

A plateful of gnocchi with sausage and peas.
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Cook: For a quick one-pan dinner, try these crisp gnocchi with sausage and peas.

Watch: Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed play confused lonely-hearts in "Fingernails."

Read: Our romance columnist recommended four new novels.

Listen: The Mountain Goats just released their 22nd album. Here's where to start with the band.

Feel: Research shows that a healthy dose of anger can be motivating.

Wear: Wirecutter tested 43 pairs of women's jeans. These are the best.

Hunt: Which San Francisco apartment would you rent for under $6,000 a month?

Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.

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ONE LAST THING

An older woman sits at a table and smiles while looking at a young man who is wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a baseball hat.
Bertha Esplen, 97, right, with Brett Sargon of the New Zealand National curling team. Todd Korol for The New York Times

The retirement home with Olympic hopes

A retirement home in Calgary, Alberta, until recently resembled a typical seniors' community: Neighbors played bridge and tabletop shuffleboard, the average age was 84 and the first sitting for dinner was at 4:30 p.m. sharp. That was until September.

The home now has a handful of much younger tenants: New Zealand's curling team. In search of an affordable place to live while working on its Olympic aspirations in one of the world's most celebrated curling hotbeds, the team came across a group of seniors willing to welcome it in.

Have an appreciative evening.

Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew

We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.

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Writer: Matthew Cullen

Editorial Director: Adam Pasick

Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe

Photo Editor: Brent Lewis

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