Friday Briefing: A manhunt continues

Plus, a defiant Emmanuel Macron

View in browser|nytimes.com December 6, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the second day of a manhunt in Manhattan and President Emmanuel Macron's plans. Plus: The year's most stylish people. Investigators have not established a motive in the shooting. Caitlin Ochs for The New York Times A manhunt continued in New York City A day after a health care executive was assassinated outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan, a frantic manhunt for the gunman continued. The authorities released two images that they said showed the face of the suspect, and a senior law enforcement official said he used a fake New Jersey identification to book a room at a hostel the night before the killing. The man arrived in New York on a bus from somewhere south of the city on Nov. 24, the official said, and checked into the hostel on the Upper West Side. He checked out on Nov. 29, and checked back in the next day, the official added. See a visual timeline of the shooting. Investigators have not established a motive in the shooting, but the authorities have said that the gunman appeared to have targeted the executive, Brian Thompson, 50, of UnitedHealthcare, by waiting for him early Wednesday morning. The gunman fired several shots that left Thompson crumpled and dying on the pavement. Details: Bullet casings found near the scene were inscribed with the words "deny" and "delay" — possible references to ways that insurance companies seek to avoid paying patients' medical claims. Response: The shooting has unleashed Americans' frustrations with a health insurance industry that often denies coverage and reimbursement for medical claims. French President Emmanuel Macron in a televised address yesterday. Christian Hartmann/Reuters Macron vowed to stay on A day after his government fell in a no-confidence vote, forcing the prime minister to resign, President Emmanuel Macron of France lashed out at his political opponents and declared that he would not step down. Macron attempted to calm the country and sketch a way out of the chaos created by a deadlocked, angry lower house of Parliament. He promised to appoint a new prime minister in the coming days who could form a government that reflected a broad cross-section of parties, and who could pass an emergency budget to avoid a shutdown of essential state services. Many blame Macron for France's political turmoil — first for unbridled government spending since the Covid lockdowns, and then for calling a snap election last summer that resulted in a divided Parliament, with no clear majority. He has flatly refused to take the blame for the current chaos. Quotable: "A new era must start, in which everyone must work for France and where new compromises must be built," Macron said in a 10-minute televised address. "We can't afford divisions or inaction." Syrian rebels on the streets of Hama yesterday. Abdulaziz Ketaz/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Syrian rebels advanced toward Damascus Syrian rebels stormed into the city of Hama yesterday as government forces withdrew, in another stunning setback for President Bashar al-Assad. A rebel commander said on social media that their adversaries were in "a significant state of confusion," with government soldiers and commanders abandoning their posts. The advance on Hama comes just days after the rebels seized Aleppo, a major hub in the north. It has also shifted the front lines for the first time in years in the 13-year civil war, which has ravaged Syria and created a refugee crisis for many of its neighbors. What's next: In a video circulated by the rebel group leading the offensive, its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, called for a push toward other cities, including the capital, Damascus. Read more about the rebels leading the offensive. Context: Analysts attribute the rebels' shocking success to the attrition of the civil war on al-Assad's forces. In addition, the allies who have supported Syria — notably Russia, Iran and Hezbollah — are now preoccupied with their own crises. In other news from the region: Amnesty International accused Israel of carrying out genocide in Gaza. An Israeli strike on a humanitarian zone in Gaza left at least 20 people dead, local health officials said. MORE TOP NEWS Loren Elliott for The New York Times U.S.: Officials issued a brief tsunami warning for coastal counties in Northern California after a magnitude 7 earthquake rattled the region. South Korea: The leader of President Yoon Suk Yeol's governing party said that he supported the impeachment of the president, calling him unfit to lead South Korea. Ukraine: Senior officials from Kyiv met with members of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team, and the Russian general who planned the invasion of Ukraine called President Biden's top military adviser last week, defense and military officials said. South Africa: The consultancy firm McKinsey was accused of bribing foreign government officials. A former senior partner in Johannesburg pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge. Venezuela: The police are cutting off basic services to the Argentine diplomatic residence after six leading opposition activists and advisers sought refuge there. Ethiopia: We took a rare look inside a region still reckoning with the toll of war crimes, even as the nation deals with new conflicts. Air travel: A woman who stowed away on a flight from New York to France last week managed to do so without a passport, much less a boarding pass, federal prosecutors said. China: In a largely symbolic move, Beijing imposed sanctions on 13 U.S. defense firms and several American defense industry executives. Kenya: The roommate of a prominent gay activist was convicted of murdering him in 2023. Books: Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour Book" sold 814,000 print copies over the weekend — the largest total in first-week print sales in 2024, according to Circana Bookscan. Art: The Dakar Biennale draws wealthy collectors to exhibitions in Senegal's capital. This year, teenagers and young people were on the invite list. SPORTS NEWS Formula 1: George Russell said that Max Verstappen threatened to put him "in the wall" after a Qatar Grand Prix stewards' meeting. Olympics: The former equestrian champion Charlotte Dujardin has been suspended for a year after a video surfaced of her repeatedly whipping a horse. Baseball: Players who challenged leadership at the Major League Baseball Players Association have left their positions in a top union committee. MORNING READ Paul Natkin/Getty Images The year 1984 was a watershed in pop music, as the 1970s rockers who'd made it big the previous decade had to embrace new instruments and MTV — or risk being left behind. "The '80s ushered in a whole new paradigm," said Don Henley of The Eagles. "We all sort of had to get with the program. Some people got with the program, and some didn't." Lives lived: Rohit Bal, who created modern Indian couture by updating traditional garments, died at 63. CONVERSATION STARTERS Spotify Wrapped: Some users are disappointed with the music app's annual roundup of their streaming habits. Review culture: Dentists, doctors, professors, dry cleaners — what can't you rate anymore? Convenient loopholes: How one of the world's richest men is avoiding $8 billion in taxes. A shade of brown: We debated Mocha Mousse, Pantone's 2025 color of the year. ARTS AND IDEAS The New York Times The most stylish people of 2024 In an election year, an Olympic year, a year of brats and cowboys, witches and swans, a few fashionable people, characters and things stood out. Our Styles desk made a list of the 63 people whose sartorial choices encapsulated 2024. The list includes Kim Yeji, the South Korean sharpshooter who came to the Olympics with a stuffed elephant and eyewear out of "Mad Max," as well as the "Wicked" stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who raised the bar for dressing the part with their steadfast commitment to wearing pink and green. Everyone — or everything — on the list made us look, think and talk about the clothes we wear, the ways we live or the approaches we take to personal style and self-expression. Check out the full list here. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: Salmon with anchovy-garlic butter is a crowd-pleaser for a reason. Listen: Jennifer Hudson shared a playlist of festive holiday songs. Game: These are the best video games of 2024. Consider: Does microdosing weight loss medications like Ozempic work? 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. — Natasha P.S. We're asking readers about their favorite holiday traditions. Share yours here. 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. 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