Good morning. We're covering Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to disband his war cabinet and Vladimir Putin's planned visit to North Korea. Plus: China's surging demand for durian.
Netanyahu disbanded his war cabinetBenjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, dissolved his war cabinet. The move was widely expected after two key members, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, resigned last week over disagreements about the direction of the fighting in Gaza. An Israeli official suggested that Netanyahu's decision to disband the five-member body was largely symbolic. Israeli news media reported yesterday that Netanyahu shut down the cabinet after the far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, the country's minister of national security, demanded a seat. For now, major decisions about the war — such as whether to agree to a cease-fire — will be put to a separate and broader security cabinet. Netanyahu will also rely on an informal group of advisers to make important military decisions, analysts said. A pause in fighting: The Israeli military said that it had halted operations during daylight hours in parts of southern Gaza, a move that aid workers hoped would allow vital supplies to reach residents. The daily pause applies only to a stretch of road, and not to areas in central Gaza where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled since the invasion of Rafah.
Putin to visit North KoreaVladimir Putin, Russia's president, was expected to start a two-day visit to North Korea today in a sign of the countries' deepening military ties. As Russia's war in Ukraine drags on, both sides are firing thousands of artillery shells, missiles and rockets every day. That means that Russia needs ammunition — and North Korea has plenty to offer. For Kim Jong-un, the North's leader, things had looked grim until the war in Ukraine created opportunities for him. He traveled to Russia in September, touring sensitive space and military facilities during a visit that underscored Russia's ability to provide the sort of technology North Korea has long coveted. Putin has indicated that Russia could help North Korea launch spy satellites, which Kim wants to use to monitor military targets. Both Moscow and Pyongyang deny that they are engaged in arms trading, which is banned under U.N. sanctions. Background: Putin last visited North Korea in 2000, when he became the first Russian leader to travel there.
A call for a warning label for social media sitesDr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said he would push Congress to require a warning label on social media platforms, similar to those on tobacco and alcohol products. The labels would advise parents that social media could harm teenagers' mental health. "The platforms are designed to maximize how much time we all spend on them," Murthy said in an interview. "It's one thing to do that to an adult, and another thing to do it to a child." Read his Opinion essay about social media here. Tips for parents: Here's how to wean your children off social media, and how to do a social media reset this summer.
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China's demand for durian has resulted in new fortunes and razed landscapes in Southeast Asia. Last year, the value of durian exports to China hit $6.7 billion, up sharply from $550 million in 2017. Today, businesses are expanding rapidly. Some durian farmers have even become millionaires.
Long-acting contraception is changing lives in AfricaWomen in Africa are increasingly turning to long-acting contraception, like hormonal implants and injections. Over the past decade, the number of women in the region using modern contraception has nearly doubled, to 66 million. "They like the implants and injections best of all," a community health nurse in Ghana told my colleague Stephanie Nolen. "It frees them from worry, and it is private. They don't have to even discuss it with a husband or a partner." A few factors are driving the change: More girls and women are learning about contraceptives, often through social media. They want careers and experiences that having children could complicate. There are more contraceptive options, and improved roads and planning help these options reach more remote areas.
Cook: Shishito peppers give this corn salad a little kick. Read: In "The Fall of Roe," two of my Times colleagues explain how Roe v. Wade was made — and unmade. Camp: Before you head out to the woods or mountains, clean your tent. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. P.S. The Times won two awards from the Asian American Journalists Association. That's all for today. Thank you for reading, and see you tomorrow. — Dan You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
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