Friday Briefing: Day 2 of a cease-fire

Plus, an attack on Ukraine's energy bid.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 29, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah and an attack on Ukraine's energy grid. Plus: Haul culture. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times A cease-fire in Lebanon appears to hold After months of fighter jets and rockets in the skies and explosions erupting on the ground, quiet reigned over much of Lebanon and northern Israel yesterday. The uneasy truce between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah largely held through its second day in Lebanon, though Israel conducted an airstrike near the border that it said was aimed at militants violating terms of the cease-fire deal. Still, neither Israel nor Hezbollah seemed keen to immediately return to full-scale fighting. Lebanon's army said that it had moved troops into Hezbollah's strongholds outside Beirut and in the country's south and east, in accordance with the cease-fire. The Lebanese Parliament also extended the term of Joseph Aoun, the military's top commander, for another year. Joy and tears: Many Lebanese returned to their towns and villages to find homes that would require costly repairs to be livable again. "We did not win," one resident said. Read more about their journey home. Also in the Middle East: Syrian opposition forces have launched one of the largest offensives in years and overtaken a Syrian military base, a monitoring group said. Israel's offensive against Hezbollah and the cease-fire in Lebanon have left Hamas in Gaza increasingly isolated. Iran, facing domestic crises and another Donald Trump presidency, is striking a more conciliatory tone. Mykola Tys/EPA, via Shutterstock Russia attacked Ukraine's energy grid More than a million Ukrainians were left without power yesterday after Russia targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure with missiles and drones. President Vladimir Putin said the attack was in retaliation for Kyiv's assaults on Russian territory with long-range U.S. missiles, and he suggested that the strikes could intensify. Ukraine's energy ministry said it was the 11th major attack on the country's energy infrastructure this year. Six people were reported injured across the country, according to the regional authorities. Context: Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in an escalating cycle of strikes in recent weeks. Some analysts say both sides are trying to improve their negotiating position before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. William West/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Australia barred children under 16 from social media Australia's Senate yesterday approved a law that imposes a ban on social media for children under 16, one of the world's most sweeping measures to protect young people online. Under the new law, social media platforms must take "reasonable steps" to prevent anyone under 16 from having an account. Corporations could be fined for failing to implement age requirements, but neither underage users nor their parents will face punishment for violations. What's next: Social media companies have a 12-month period to meet the law's requirements. Critics say big questions remain about how the law will be enforced, and whether it will work. Here's what else to know about the ban. MORE TOP NEWS Graham Dickie/The New York Times U.S.: Despite the rain, crowds turned out for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. See photos. Transition of power: Several people selected for Donald Trump's cabinet faced bomb threats. Tech: Mark Zuckerberg met with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Zuckerberg is trying to forge a better relationship with the president-elect. India: Leaking the tests that determine hiring for in-demand government jobs has become a lucrative activity for criminal gangs. (Read more about the cutthroat competition for jobs in India.) China: A senior member of the military elite has been suspended under suspicion of "serious violations of discipline," the government said. Health: Women in China are calling for boycotts of sanitary pads they deem to be of subpar quality. Climate: Balloon launches from around the world are part of a new kind of global alarm system: one that can detect if another country is trying to dim the sun. Canada: A missing hiker was found alive this week after surviving 50 days in the wilderness. Air travel: Delta Air Lines said it had opened an investigation after an extra passenger was found on a plane to Paris, according to the pilot. News from Europe Baltic Sea: Investigators are trying to determine if a Chinese commercial ship's crew intentionally cut two undersea fiber-optic cables. Britain: After an emotional public debate, lawmakers are scheduled to vote today on whether to permit assisted dying for the terminally ill. Romania: The top court ordered a recount after a little-known ultranationalist took the lead in the first round of a presidential election. Espionage: A former British soldier was found guilty of spying for Iran. He also pleaded guilty to an escape from a London jail. London: The city's 850-year-old Smithfield Meat Market is set to close. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City fans have joined forces to protest ticket price increases. Tennis: Iga Swiatek received a doping ban after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. Formula 1: Mick Schumacher is to leave his role as Mercedes's reserve driver, with Valtteri Bottas confirming that he is in talks about the position. MORNING READ Kevin G. Hatala A discovery in northern Kenya hints that two extinct human species that were our ancient relatives shared the same habitat and possibly interacted. "They might have walked by one another," said Kevin Hatala, an evolutionary anthropologist. "They might have looked up in the distance and seen another member of a closely related species, occupying the same landscape." Lives lived: Jim Abrahams, who with the brothers David and Jerry Zucker formed one of the funniest trios of comedy writers in film history, died at 80. CONVERSATION STARTERS What makes Cher Cher: A visual dictionary to the singer and icon. Status sleepwear: Pajama sets from small European labels have become a new souvenir of choice. A trip: Archaeologists found traces of psychedelics on a mug from ancient Egypt. ARTS AND IDEAS Noah Fecks I haul, therefore I am A few weeks ago, Amazon introduced a new storefront, known as Amazon Haul, where everything is $20 or less. The more you buy, the lower the final price. The term "haul" became popular on YouTube in the early 2000s as a reference to fashion and beauty buying sprees. Vloggers would share their purchases with their followers, tapping into the growing sense of shopping as vicarious thrill and emotional sustenance. In time, hauls became a form of performance art and a shared practice. "It seems that what Amazon thinks customers want isn't just more money in the bank," writes Vanessa Friedman, The Times's chief fashion critic. "It's the ability to acquire more and more stuff." (A very happy Black Friday, to those who are celebrating.) We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Rikki Snyder for The New York Times Cook: Turn leftovers into tikka masala. Watch: The documentary "Beatles '64" revisits the excitement of the Fab Four's first trip to the U.S. Read: Here are nine books out in December. Travel: Spend 36 hours in Honolulu. 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. Have a great weekend. — Natasha Reach Natasha 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