Good morning. We're covering dire food shortages in Gaza and blowback from Emmanuel Macron's suggestion that NATO troops could help Ukraine. Plus: Tourists have swarmed to a British mansion featured in "Saltburn."
U.N. warned of famine in GazaCivilians and aid groups have described food shortages in Gaza so dire that people were turning to leaves and animal feed for sustenance. The lack of food was particularly acute in northern and central areas, where the U.N. and relief agencies said they had been struggling to deliver supplies amid Israel's military campaign. A U.N. humanitarian official told the U.N. Security Council that at least a quarter of Gaza's residents were "one step away from famine," and one in six children under 2 in northern Gaza was suffering from acute malnutrition. A cease-fire remained elusive, as Hamas's political leader called on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to defy Israeli restrictions and march to the Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem at the start of Ramadan, creating the prospect of clashes between them and the Israeli security forces.
Macron's comments unnerved alliesWith his jolting statement that sending Western troops to Ukraine "should not be ruled out," President Emmanuel Macron of France spread dismay among allies and forced a reckoning on Europe's future. By lurching forward without building consensus, Macron may have done more to illustrate Western divisions than to achieve the "strategic ambiguity" he says is needed to keep President Vladimir Putin of Russia guessing. Countries from the U.S. to Sweden rejected the deployment of troops, and Macron's statement underlined Franco-German differences on the war when Chancellor Olaf Scholz ruled out not only the deployment of German forces but of any "ground troops from European countries or NATO." At home, where Macron's popularity has fallen and he does not command an absolute majority in Parliament, he faced an outcry over an apparent policy shift decided on without any national debate, a recurrent issue throughout a highly centralized, top-down presidency.
Bosnia faces a peacetime exodusIn Bosnia, a small, ethnically fractured nation that endured a bitter war from 1992 to 1995, the population has declined long after peace returned. Bosnia combines the high rate of emigration common to poorer countries with the low birthrate more frequently seen in wealthier nations. The country's shrinking population is part of a broader demographic crisis afflicting many places in Eastern and Central Europe, including relatively prosperous countries like Poland and Hungary, as withering populations fuel ethnonationalist politicians who inveigh against the dilution, even extinction, of native groups.
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A Morning Read
Drayton House, a Northamptonshire, England, mansion with over 100 rooms, has existed for close to 700 years in private hands and relative obscurity. But that was before it was featured in "Saltburn," a film that has generated a flood of internet commentary, including videos about how to visit the mansion. Hundreds of tourists have since flocked to see the house in a part of the country that is usually tranquil. Lives lived: Richard Lewis was an acerbic stand-up comic known for playing himself on "Curb Your Enthusiasm." He died at 76.
Early contenders: Who will win the Premier League's player of the year award? The longest-ever season: How Formula 1 drivers and teams are preparing for 24 races. The Match: The golf event is back with a new format and bright stars.
A K-Pop star's lonely spiralGoo Hara became one of South Korea's most popular musical artists as a member of the girl group Kara. But with fame came vicious attacks on social media from a Korean public as quick to criticize stars as it is to fawn over them. Goo endured more intense harassment after a sordid legal fight with an ex-boyfriend. She died by suicide in November 2019. Her death was just one of several among young Korean entertainers in recent years, exposing a darker side to South Korea's entertainment industry. If you are having thoughts of suicide, go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of resources or https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp, a search page for international help lines for suicidal thoughts and other mental health and emotional struggles. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.
Cook: Brussels sprouts star in this hearty riff on a wilted salad. Force: A remastered classic takes gamers back to the golden age of "Star Wars" video games in the 1990s. Read: "Wandering Stars," Tommy Orange's second novel, follows the descendants of a Cheyenne survivor of the 1864 Sand Creek massacre for more than a century and a half. Listen: The creator of Modern Love appeared on the podcast to share what he had learned after 20 years. Watch: In "Constellation" the actress Noomi Rapace plays an astronaut whose time on the International Space Station takes a tragic and mysterious turn. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. Thank you for spending part of your morning with us, and see you tomorrow. — Dan P.S. Happy leap day! My colleague Remy Tumin wrote about life as a leap day baby (you are not the first person to joke that she is too young to drink or drive). You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
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Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Thursday Briefing: Gaza’s food crisis
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