Monday Briefing: Israel weighs a response to Iran

The first criminal trial of a former U.S. president and saving species by changing them

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 15, 2024 By Daniel E. Slotnik Good morning. We're covering Israel's response to Iran's attack and Donald Trump's Manhattan criminal trial. Plus: Changing species to save them. Missile debris that was recovered outside Arad, Israel, on Sunday. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times Israel considered its options after Iran's attack Israel showed signs that it would not immediately retaliate for the hundreds of exploding drones and missiles that Iran fired at it over the weekend, nearly all of which Israel and its allies intercepted. Israel's war cabinet met yesterday without deciding when or how to respond to the assault. But officials said they would relax restrictions on large gatherings and educational activities, a possible indication that they did not expect an immediate escalation. Iran's attack, in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed seven Iranian military commanders in Syria, represented a moment of great risk, because it was the first time it had directly struck Israel in the two nations' long shadow war. But it caused little damage, largely because Iran had telegraphed its intentions well in advance. "The matter can be deemed concluded," Iran's mission to the U.N. said in a statement yesterday. "However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe." International response: President Biden reached out to Israel to discourage further escalation, fearing a wider war in the Middle East; Group of 7 leaders condemned Iran's attack, but also urged restraint. In Gaza, three people said Israeli troops fired at a crowd of people trying to return to their homes in the enclave's north. The Palestinian Authority's news agency said five people were killed, but the circumstances of the deaths could not be confirmed independently, and the Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions about the incident. Donald Trump, accustomed to the White House and his Florida estate, will spend days in a dingy Manhattan courthouse. Pool photo by Brendan McDermid The first criminal trial of a former U.S. president begins Jury selection begins today in Donald Trump's Manhattan criminal trial, a first for an American ex-president. Manhattan prosecutors, who have accused Trump of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal, have advantages that include insider witnesses and a jury pool drawn from one of the most liberal counties in the U.S. Mr. Trump and some aides and lawyers privately concede that the jury is unlikely to acquit him outright, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. So Trump is seeking to write his own reality, telling a story that he believes could pave his return to the White House in November. He has framed his failed efforts to delay the case as evidence that he cannot receive a fair trial, casting himself as a political martyr under attack from the prosecution and the judge. Win or lose, Trump will be the first presidential candidate whose political fate, before being decided by millions of voters, will be shaped by 12 people in a jury box. Here's what to know about the trial. A memorial at a mall in Bondi Junction, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, the day after a man with a knife killed six people there. Dean Lewins/EPA, via Shutterstock A stabbing rampage shocked Australia One of the deadliest mass killings in Australia's recent history has left many asking how such a thing could happen in a country known for its relative safety. A knife-wielding man at a mall in a Sydney suburb stabbed nearly 20 people, including a 9-month-old girl. Six people died, including the baby's mother. The attacker — whose motives remained unclear — was shot and killed by a police officer, the authorities said. "These things don't happen in Australia," said Kristie Spong, 54, who had been to the mall with her daughter a few days earlier and returned Sunday to lay flowers at a memorial. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MORE TOP NEWS Manan Vatsyayana/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Myanmar: Rebels captured Myawaddy, a key trade hub on the Thai border. Thousands of residents fled in anticipation of a counteroffensive. Ukraine: Young men are fleeing the draft, even if it means crossing a treacherous river. Niger: Thousands of protesters called for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, days after Russian trainers and equipment arrived. Haiti: A governing council, which will try to restore order and appoint a leader, was finalized after a month of negotiations. Turkey: One person died when a cable car broke and dropped passengers onto a rocky hillside above Antalya. U.S. politics: In the latest Times/Siena Poll, Biden's popularity increased slightly. He and Donald Trump are nearly tied — 46 percent to 45 percent. Culture Olivier Awards: A reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Boulevard" that starred the singer Nicole Scherzinger won seven prizes at the Society of London Theater's Olivier Awards. Java: Even in the depths of war, Kyiv's coffee culture remains vibrant. Opinion Bret Stephens writes that prudence should guide Israel's response to Iran's attack over the weekend, and Thomas Friedman argues for a global initiative to isolate Iran. Allowing Russia to defeat Ukraine would be a grievous blow to American interests, writes Dan Coats, a former senator and director of national intelligence. Choking has become a common, troubling trend in teenage sex, explains the author Peggy Orenstein. Morning Read Taiwo Aina for The New York Times Ten years ago, the terrorist group Boko Haram kidnapped nearly 300 girls from a school in Chibok, Nigeria, in the first such mass abduction in the country. Today, kidnapping has become a business there. Saratu Dauda, one of those abducted students, who became known as the Chibok Girls, shared her story. Lives lived: Faith Ringgold's pictorial quilts depicting the African American experience gave rise to a career as a writer and illustrator of children's books. She died on Saturday at 93. CONVERSATION STARTERS Nike: Some of the sporting giant's Olympic outfits drew accusations of sexism. Scrabble: A new version of the classic word game emphasizes cooperation. Unseen films: You may never get to watch the Looney Tunes movie "Coyote vs. Acme," but that's because of accounting, not quality. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT SPORTS NEWS Going with ambition: Georgia at Euro 2024. Formula 1 2025: The 24-race schedule revealed. Searching for peace and money: Tennis leaders are poised for a crucial meeting in London this week. ARTS AND IDEAS Matthew Abbott for The New York Times Changing species to save them Australia, home to some of the most remarkable animals on Earth, has become a case study in what happens when people push biodiversity to the brink. Habitat degradation, invasive species, infectious diseases and climate change have put the survival of many native animals in jeopardy. In some cases, scientists say, the threats are so intractable that the only way to protect Australia's animals is to change them. Using a variety of techniques, including crossbreeding, scientists are altering the genomes of vulnerable animals, such as the helmeted honeyeater and the northern quoll, hoping to arm them with the traits they need to survive. But there can be unforeseen consequences to such interventions. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Bake: These sugar cookie bars are happiness in a pan. Read: In "The Garden," nefarious things are afoot at a gothic maternity hospital. Travel: Plan an accessible road trip. Indulge: Use an excellent ice cream scoop. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's all for today. 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. 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