Tuesday Briefing: Iranian commanders killed

Movement on U.S. aid to Ukraine and a Beatles confidante tells all (again)

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 2, 2024 SUPPORTED BY META By Daniel E. Slotnik Good morning. We're covering the killing of Iranian officers, and movement on U.S. aid to Ukraine. Plus: An insider opens up about the Beatles. The aftermath of an Israeli strike on a building close to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria. Louai Beshara/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israeli strike killed Iranian commanders, officials said At least three generals and four officers overseeing Iran's covert operations in the Middle East were killed in an Israeli strike in Syria yesterday, according to Iranian and Syrian officials. The strike in Damascus, the Syrian capital, appeared to be among the deadliest attacks in a yearslong shadow war between Israel and Iran that has included the assassinations of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists. Syrian and Iranian officials said that the strike had targeted a diplomatic building, which Israeli officials denied. Iran's foreign minister later said in a post on X that the "U.S. must answer" for Israel's actions. The covert war has moved into the open as tensions have intensified over Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip against Hamas, the Iranian-backed militia that led the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. More news: World Central Kitchen: International aid workers from the disaster relief nonprofit group were killed in an airstrike in Gaza, according to José Andrés, the chef who founded the organization. Al-Shifa: Israeli troops pulled out of a major Gaza hospital complex after a two-week raid in which the military said it had killed about 200 Palestinian militants, but which left the hospital "a wasteland," according to a surgeon there. Al Jazeera: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said he would use a new law to block the Qatar-based news network in Israel. Mike Johnson, the U.S. House speaker, center. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times U.S. closer to passing Ukraine aid Mike Johnson, the U.S. House speaker, has begun laying out conditions for a fresh round of American military assistance to Ukraine, the strongest indication yet that the aid could pass within weeks. The Senate already approved a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, but it has been stalled on Capitol Hill for months amid Republican opposition in the House. Johnson, who is facing pressure from the Biden administration and NATO allies to pass the aid, has been searching for a path forward on the bill that would provoke the least political backlash from the hard-right flank of his party. Now the question appears to be not whether Mr. Johnson will allow aid to come to the floor, but in what form and when. A family in Bolzano, which has emerged as a parallel procreation universe for Italy. Davide Monteleone for The New York Times An Italian province's investment in babies Italy has one of the lowest birthrates in Europe, so low that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis have warned that Italians are in danger of disappearing. But the Alto Adige-South Tyrol area and its capital, Bolzano, bucked the trend, with a birthrate holding steady over decades. The reason, experts said, is that the provincial government has over time developed a network of family-friendly benefits that go far beyond the one-time bonuses for babies that the national government offers. Continue reading the main story A MESSAGE FROM META How the metaverse helps welders train. Professional Welder Shanna Ford gets high-quality practise with a virtual reality training platform powered by ForgeFX. It makes quality welding practice more accessible, giving welders like Shanna more chances to improve. Discover other stories. MORE TOP NEWS Mahesh Kumar A./Associated Press India: India's economy has nearly doubled in size during Narendra Modi's 10 years as prime minister, but wealth gaps have widened. Turkey: Opponents of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan secured a surprising string of victories in local elections, allowing them to serve as a check on Erdogan's domestic power. Abortion: Florida's top court allowed a ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy but will also allow voters to decide this fall whether to expand abortion access. Scotland: A law targeting hate speech went into effect, drawing criticism that it could have a chilling effect on free speech. Health: A person was infected by the H5N1 bird flu in Texas after contact with cattle, the second such case in the U.S. Misinformation: China's increasingly sophisticated efforts to influence the U.S. election are raising alarms in Washington. Trump News Gag order: The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump's upcoming criminal trial barred the former president from attacking the judge's family members. Bond: Trump secured a $175 million bond for a civil fraud penalty that will help him avoid a financial disaster, at least while he appeals. Trump Media: Shares of his social media company fell about 20 percent yesterday as initial excitement faded. 'Finish up': The former president told Israeli journalists "you have to finish up your war," alarming right-wing supporters of Israel. Religion: Trump is infusing his movement with Christianity, ending his rallies by evoking an evangelical altar call. A Morning Read Zhang Zhi/Red Star News/Visual China Group, via Getty Images The video game tycoon Lin Qi dreamed of turning "The Three-Body Problem," one of China's most famous science fiction novels, into a global hit. But he did not live to see "3 Body Problem" premiere on Netflix last month. Lin, 39, was poisoned to death in Shanghai in 2020 by a disgruntled colleague, in a killing that one Chinese news outlet called "as bizarre as a Hollywood blockbuster." Lives lived: Barbara Rush was a supremely poised actress in 1950s films like "Magnificent Obsession" and "The Young Lions." She died at 97. Conversation Starters Literary connection: A book discovered in a market stall in Cairo led the writer Iman Mersal on a 30-year journey to learn about the author, Enayat al-Zayyat. Changing symbols: The peace sign used to be a powerful emblem of the antiwar movement, but now, for some young people, it's as soft as a smiley face. Envy of Trekkies across the universe: When Troy Nelson died at 57, he left behind a vast trove of "Star Trek" memorabilia that might be the largest anywhere. SPORTS NEWS Lake life: Lake Como is a worldwide vacation destination. It also has a soccer team. Money troubles: Everton has reported a loss of more than $110 million. What now? Formula 1 owner buys MotoGP: Liberty Media acquired the motorbike racing series for $4.2 billion. ARTS AND IDEAS Amir Hamja/The New York Times A Beatles confidant tells all (again) Peter Brown was a key figure in the Beatles' secretive inner circle, a former officer at the band's company, Apple Corps, and a trusted keeper of the Fab Four's secrets. But Brown is also a polarizing figure in Beatles history. He became a kind of villain when he published "The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of the Beatles" with the writer Steven Gaines in 1983 — the book was seen by some as tawdry and sensational. Next week, Brown and Gaines are releasing a new book, "All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words," made up of interviews they conducted in 1980 and 1981 with the band and people close to it, including business representatives, lawyers, wives and ex-wives. The new book goes even deeper into Beatles lore than the first. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Matt Taylor-Gross for The New York Times Fry: Add chile crisp to breaded chicken cutlets. Read: "Table for Two," by Amor Towles, is a collection of stories about New York and Los Angeles. Dress: Can I wear open-toed sandals at work? Quiz: Salt is hiding everywhere. Can you spot it? 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. 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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