Wednesday Briefing: Lebanon pager explosions injure thousands

Plus, Dominique Pelicot testifies

View in browser|nytimes.com September 18, 2024 SUPPORTED BY ROHDE & SCHWARZ By Whet Moser Good morning. We're covering a pager attack in Lebanon and Dominique Pelicot's testimony. Plus: Our Cooking app's best recipes. At least 11 people were killed and more than 2,700 were injured by the explosions. Wael Hamzeh/EPA, via Shutterstock Thousands injured by exploding pagers in Lebanon Hundreds of pagers blew up at the same time across Lebanon yesterday in an apparent operation against Hezbollah. Israel hid small amounts of explosives in the pagers, which were made in Taiwan, before they were imported into Lebanon, U.S. and other officials said. At 3:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the pagers received a message that appeared as though it was coming from Hezbollah's leadership. Instead, the message activated the explosives. At least 11 people, including a young girl, were killed, and more than 2,700 were injured, the country's health minister said. Iran's ambassador to Lebanon was also wounded, and Hezbollah said that at least eight of its fighters had been killed. The Israeli military has not commented or claimed responsibility. Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from people's pockets, followed by small blasts. Videos showed people being knocked off their feet. A doctor who visited hospitals where some of the wounded were taken said so many people had suffered wounds to their eyes that there was a shortage of eye surgeons. What's next: Lebanon's foreign minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, said the country was bracing for a major retaliation by Hezbollah. In Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to be considering firing his defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Pennsylvania last week. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Harris, Trump and their allies planned $500 million in ads Over the final seven weeks of the campaign, groups backing Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have reserved more than half a billion dollars in television and radio ads — 63 percent of which will support Harris. Democrats have significantly outraised Republicans since Harris succeeded President Biden on the ticket, and groups supporting her have reserved $332 million worth of airtime. Just about $194 million will come from groups backing Trump. The candidates and their allies plan to spend $133 million in Pennsylvania. Democrats have an advantage of about $21 million in the state. The next noisiest state will be Michigan, where about $95 million will be spent on television, and Democrats have a $23 million advantage there. More on the U.S. election Americans head to the polls in less than seven weeks. Harris condemned Trump's "hateful" unfounded claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, where bomb threats have closed schools and hospitals. The apparent second assassination attempt on Trump caused alarm in Europe about the fragility of American democracy. Meta and YouTube cracked down on Russian media outlets, including RT. Three experts told us what to expect about misinformation. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Stay up to date: See our poll tracker. Listen to "The Run-Up" podcast. Sign up for the On Politics newsletter. Gisèle Pelicot arriving at court yesterday. Christophe Simon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Dominique Pelicot took the stand in his rape trial Addressing his ex-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, whom he is accused of drugging, raping and inviting other men to rape, Dominique Pelicot said, "I regret what I did and ask for forgiveness, even if it's unforgivable," as she stood in the middle of the court looking directly at him. Testifying for the first time in a trial that has transfixed and horrified France, Pelicot said that he had been controlled by a sex addiction created by traumatic episodes in his childhood, notably a sexual assault he said he had suffered at age 9. Details: A total of 51 men are on trial — a cross-section of working- and middle-class rural France, ranging in age from 26 to 74 — including Pelicot, mostly on charges of the aggravated rape of Dominique Pelicot. More than a dozen have admitted their guilt. A MESSAGE FROM ROHDE & SCHWARZ Protecting the lifelines of society Critical infrastructures, such as power grids, transportation systems and financial networks are increasingly vulnerable to various threats. At Rohde & Schwarz, we recognize the importance of ensuring the reliability, resilience, and security of these essential systems. That's why we're dedicated to providing innovative solutions to support the protection of critical infrastructures. Learn more! MORE TOP NEWS Anthony Gerace Tech: Instagram unveiled sweeping changes to beef up privacy and limit social media's intrusive effects for users under 18. Ukraine: U.S. and European officials are struggling to honor their pledge to use Russian assets to aid Ukraine. Portugal: More than 5,000 workers are battling wildfires that began over the weekend. At least four people have died. E.U.: Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, announced her new team as she navigates challenges like the rise of nationalist forces. Myanmar: The U.N. said that the junta has killed thousands of civilians, but is losing ground and now controls 40 percent of the country. Mali: An Islamist group tied to Al Qaeda said it was responsible for an assault on two military sites in the capital, Bamako. U.S.: At the public hearings on the Titan submersible disaster, a pilot described a harrowing trip in which OceanGate's founder caused a submersible to become stuck. Law: Sean Combs, the American music mogul, was denied bail after pleading not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Rodri, a Manchester City midfielder, said that players are "close" to striking over the expanded soccer schedule. Champions League: The competition is back, with a new format, more games and lots more goals. Basketball: Michael Jordan's Illinois mansion is poised to be sold after 12 years on the market. MORNING READ Philippe Braquenier A group of artists transformed a derelict townhouse in Brussels into the city's most disruptive art project. It took three months to make the place habitable; in the dead of winter, they all slept in one room to conserve body heat. In December, their lease runs out, and the house will be gutted. Their plan: Start again. Lives lived: Derek Boshier, a working-class, left-wing British Pop Art star who collaborated with David Bowie and the Clash, died at 87. CONVERSATION STARTERS Pretty sweet: The artist Noah Verrier has carved out a niche with his still lives of junk food. Dressing up: London Fashion Week just turned 40. What happens when a wild child of dress hits middle age? Book talk: Zadie Smith spoke with Ezra Klein about populists, frauds and freedom. ARTS AND IDEAS Focus Features, via Associated Press After the film festivals, Oscar season takes shape Film festivals in Venice, Telluride, Colo., and Toronto have concluded, which means the countdown to the big prize, the Oscars, has begun. Two movies already look like significant contenders, Kyle Buchanan, our awards season columnist, writes. "Conclave," starring Ralph Fiennes, above, and Stanley Tucci, is a thriller about sneaky cardinals plotting to pick a new pope. Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist" chronicles the epic tribulations of a Jewish architect, played by Adrien Brody, after World War II. Daniel Craig appears likely to earn his first Oscar nomination, for Luca Guadagnino's "Queer." Nicole Kidman won the best actress award at Venice for the erotic "Babygirl," but she faces competition from Angelina Jolie as the opera diva Maria Callas in "Maria," and Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore in Pedro Almodóvar's "The Room Next Door," which won the top prize in Venice. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS The New York Times Cook: Ten years ago we started the NYT Cooking app. To celebrate, we collected the 50 best recipes according to the community. Listen: An album by the Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from 1990 has been discovered in the vaults of Peter Gabriel's label. Read: Check out these 11 fashion books coming out this fall. Exercise: To prevent injury, train your tendons. 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. See you tomorrow. — Whet Reach Whet and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. 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