Monday Briefing: Israel says it pulled troops from southern Gaza

Mexico ends diplomatic relations with Ecuador and an eclipse darkens the U.S.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 8, 2024 By Daniel E. Slotnik Good morning. We're covering an Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Gaza and Mexico's suspension of ties with Ecuador. Plus: An eclipse darkens America. Israel said its last soldiers in the Gazan city of Khan Younis had left, "to recuperate and prepare for future operations." Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images Israel said it pulled troops from southern Gaza The Israeli military said that it had withdrawn a division of ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip. The drawdown, from the southern city of Khan Younis, means that no Israeli troops are currently maneuvering in southern Gaza, the Israeli news media reported. It was unclear what the withdrawal might signal for Israel's oft-stated plan to invade the southernmost city of Rafah. Israel has significantly reduced the number of troops on the ground in Gaza over the past several months. But officials made clear that the army would stay in other parts of Gaza to preserve its "freedom of action and its ability to conduct precise intelligence-based operations." And Israel's defense minister said the military was preparing for "follow-up missions" that included Rafah. News of the withdrawal came as international mediators gathered in Cairo in hopes of brokering a temporary cease-fire, six months into a war that is now the longest involving Israel since the 1980s. In the U.S., protests over the Biden administration's handling of the war are disrupting the activities of Democratic officials from the White House down. Demonstrators at the Mexican Embassy in Ecuador called for Jorge Glas to be released. Karen Toro/Reuters Mexico broke diplomatic ties with Ecuador Mexico suspended relations with Ecuador after the Ecuadorean police entered the Mexican Embassy in Quito to arrest a politician who had taken refuge there, a move that Mexico called a violation of its sovereignty. The politician, Jorge Glas, who was once Ecuador's vice president, had been sentenced to prison for corruption, the Ecuadorean president's office said. Glas had been living at the embassy since December and was granted political asylum by Mexico hours before he was arrested. Tensions between the two nations have been growing for months, in part over Glas. Analysis: The arrest could boost the political fortunes of Ecuador's president, Daniel Noboa, whose approval ratings have fallen amid an uptick in violence. He faces an election next year. Dancers performing during the commemoration yesterday in Kigali, Rwanda's capital. Guillem Sartorio/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Three decades since Rwanda's genocide Rwanda marked 30 years since its 100-day genocide, during which extremists from the country's Hutu majority massacred some 800,000 people, most of them ethnic Tutsis. A daylong commemoration included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which is the resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the slaughter. "Our journey has been long and tough," President Paul Kagame said at a ceremony yesterday, adding that "the lessons we learned are engraved in blood." Context: Kagame, who led Tutsi rebels during the genocide, has overseen impressive economic and health-care gains during his decades in power. But critics accuse him of relying on harsh methods to achieve that stability and to maintain his rule. He is up for re-election in July. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MORE TOP NEWS Sergey Bobok/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Russia-Ukraine Kharkiv: Russia bombarded Ukraine's second-largest city with rockets, killing at least seven people. Russia: The Kremlin has long recruited troops by offering convicts pardons for service. Some of them return home and commit more crimes, including murder. Slovakia: Voters elected Peter Pellegrini, a pro-Russia candidate who opposes aid for Ukraine, as the country's next president. Zoom In Iran: The country has projected its military power across a broad swath of the Middle East. Artificial intelligence: OpenAI, Google and Meta cut corners, ignored corporate policies and debated bending the law to find huge amounts of data to train their A.I. models, according to an examination by The New York Times. What Else Is Happening South Korea: The country's parliamentary elections this week are a referendum on the do-or-die rivalry between President Yoon Suk Yeol and the opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung. Lithuania: Evidence of a C.I.A. black site remains a touchy subject in the Baltic country, which relies largely on the U.S. for security. State visit: President Biden will welcome Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan this week. They are expected to discuss how to make sure the alliance stays strong, even if neither man is re-elected. Opinion The seven aid workers killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza last week risked everything "to share our food with others," José Andrés, the chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, writes. Ezra Klein bids farewell to Gmail, and David Brooks wonders why his electronic devices sometimes seem possessed by demons. Space needs humanities majors, Joseph O. Chapa of the U.S. Air Force argues. A Morning Read Elias Williams for The New York Times Brandon Blackwell of New York City wanted to turn quiz shows into a full-time job. He trained with a collection of 30,000 flash cards of obscure facts before setting out in 2016 for London, where he enrolled at Imperial College with plans to join the school's team for the popular BBC show "University Challenge" and win. A mainstay of British television, the show has long been dominated by Oxford and Cambridge. But largely thanks to Blackwell's efforts, Imperial, a science and engineering school in London, has won twice and has a chance again today. CONVERSATION STARTERS Smash and grab: For nearly two decades, a crew of robbers has stolen valuables from several small U.S. museums. The Maldives: The outer islands are depopulating as young people move to the teeming capital. SPORTS NEWS Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Measuring success: How can you tell if a soccer manager is actually good at the job? Playground soccer: The Premier League has descended into carnage — and it's great. Paris Olympics: The opening ceremony will take place on the River Seine despite security concerns. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS The New York Times Today's solar eclipse The moon will cross the sun and block its light for a few fleeting moments today, creating a communal experience that people won't see again in North America for decades. The totality of the eclipse will cross from Mazatlán, Mexico, to Canada's Newfoundland coast. It will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. since 2017, when 154 million Americans witnessed the darkening sun. There will not be another eclipse visible in the lower 48 states until 2044. On Monday, much of the U.S. is expected to watch, if the weather holds up (here's a guide to the forecast). Here is what you need to know, the dangers of looking at the sun, and what to do if you can't find eclipse glasses. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Matt Taylor-Gross for The New York Times Cook: These crispy shrimp tacos are a little like quesadillas. Read: "Playboy," an autobiographical novel by the French writer Constance Debré, follows a woman who left her husband and job in search of pleasure. Listen: Therapists share the secrets to drama-free money chats for couples. Explore: Burst out of travel's luxury cocoon. 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 You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018