Good morning. We're covering a U.S. decision to suspend a weapons shipment to Israel, and campus protests in Ireland and Britain. Plus: The human cost of building the Olympics.
U.S. will withhold arms if Rafah is attacked, Biden saidPresident Biden said he had told Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, that the U.S. would halt shipments of some weapons if Israel launched a major assault on Rafah, the city where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge. "If they go into Rafah, I'm not going to be supplying the weapons that have been used historically," he told CNN. Hours earlier, Lloyd Austin, the U.S. defense secretary, acknowledged that a decision last week to delay the delivery of thousands of heavy bombs had been linked to Israel's threats to invade Rafah, one of Hamas's last bastions in Gaza. Experts on the U.S.-Israeli relationship say the pause in delivering the munitions shows that the alliance has hit a significant divide, with more ruptures possibly to come amid declining American public support for the Israeli war effort. Details: The suspended arms delivery included 2,000-pound bombs, which are among the most destructive in Israel's arsenal. In the first six weeks of the war, Israel routinely used such bombs in parts of Gaza that it had designated safe for civilians, a Times investigation found. Meetings: The head of the C.I.A. met with Netanyahu yesterday afternoon in a U.S. push to clinch a deal for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Analysis: The hold on the bombs represents a significant shift in relations but may not necessarily be a breaking point, Peter Baker, the White House correspondent, writes.
An antiwar protest camp in Dublin was dismantledStudents at Trinity College Dublin who oppose the war in Gaza dismantled their protest camp yesterday after the institution agreed to divest from Israeli companies that the U.N. said had links to settlements in occupied Palestinian territories as soon as next month. Trinity said that its endowment fund also would seek to divest from investments in other Israeli companies in the future. "We fully understand the driving force behind the encampment on our campus, and we are in solidarity with the students in our horror of what is happening in Gaza," the college said in a statement. Context: Ireland is one of the E.U.'s strongest supporters of the Palestinian cause. Many people there compare Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territories to centuries of British colonialism in their own country. Other news:
Russia pummeled infrastructure in UkraineRussia made its fifth attack on Ukrainian energy facilities in the past month and a half, part of a campaign to cut off electricity to Ukrainian civilians. The missile-and-drone assault seriously damaged several power plants across the country early yesterday, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine's ability to intercept such airstrikes has been severely compromised. Pauses in Western aid have left it with a shortage of air defense weapons and ammunition. Recruits: Ukraine's Parliament passed a bill allowing some convicts to serve in the military, in exchange for the possibility of eventual parole.
Official data shows no deaths and fewer than 200 injuries at Olympics sites over a four-year construction blitz. That is in line with promises made by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, to avoid the construction hazards and migrant abuses that marred soccer's 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But inspection records and other documents show that delivering the Games has been more dangerous than organizers have let on. And when undocumented immigrants are hurt on the job, workers and officials say, the injuries are often handled off the books. Lives lived: Steve Albini, a storied studio engineer and rock musician who helped shape the sound of alternative music, has died at 61.
A dismal semifinal: In the Champions League, PSG was defeated by Borussia Dortmund but retains hope for the future. Women's tennis dominance: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are pushing each other forward. Investigating the rejection: The House Judiciary Committee looks into Andretti's failed Formula 1 bid. Marathon running: Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, both champion long-distance runners, were close friends vying to represent the U.S. at the Paris Games. But who would qualify?
Gaza hangs over EurovisionThe war in Gaza has loomed over the Eurovision Song Contest. Pro-Palestinian groups and many fans have tried in vain to get Eden Golan of Israel, above, banned from participating. (She is set to perform today.) Already, some artists have tried to protest the war, even though banners and symbols that could stir up tensions are technically prohibited. In the first round, on Tuesday, a Swedish artist wore a kaffiyeh, and Ireland's act said they had been barred from displaying a pro-Palestinian slogan. "The public discussion has been all around Gaza, almost to an imposing extent," said my colleague Alex Marshall, who covers culture for The Times from London. Alex told me that he did not expect major disruptions at the concert itself. Two protests are planned far from the venue in Malmo, Sweden, which is hosting the contest. He thinks audiences are more likely to manifest their opposition to Israel's war by voting against Golan. But for many attendees, he said, politics will take a back seat. "Eurovision says it's about bringing the world together in music," he said, "and a lot of its fans believe that." For more: Croatia, which is currently leading the betting, is Alex's pick to win. Here's its song. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.
Cook: Use a Ziploc bag to marinate these garlic-ginger chicken breasts. Read: Here's a guide to the 18 books that were winners or finalists for the Pulitzer Prize this week. Watch: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" holds a warning about the dangers of romanticizing the past. Style: Wirecutter tested dozens of mascaras. These are the best options. 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 The Times. — Natasha P.S. Christine Chung, a reporter on our Travel desk, shares her rules for flying. Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
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Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Thursday Briefing: A turning point in U.S.-Israel relations
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