Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Friday.
Aid for Gazans has come to a near-total haltSouthern Gaza is running dangerously low on essentials like food and medicine, after the flow of aid has come to a near-total stop — first closed off by Israel and then further restricted, officials say, by Egypt. Israel closed the crossing between Egypt and the southern Gazan city of Rafah this week after it sent in tanks and took over the Gazan side of the border. It also temporarily shut down the other crucial southern crossing, known as Kerem Shalom, after a nearby Hamas attack killed four Israeli soldiers on Sunday. Kerem Shalom has since been reopened and some fuel has gone into Gaza, but food and medicine have not been allowed across since last Sunday, according to the main U.N. agency that aids Gaza. Egypt, where most of the aid to Gaza is collected and loaded, is resisting sending trucks toward Kerem Shalom, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. They believe that Egypt is trying to pressure Israel to pull back from its operation in Rafah. Egypt fears that the Rafah operation could push Palestinian refugees onto Egyptian soil — an outcome the country views as a national security threat. A Western official said Israeli military activity near Kerem Shalom has also partly destroyed the roads, making passage extremely difficult for aid trucks. Israeli officials say that they are doing everything they can to get aid into Gaza. In related news, the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to support Palestinian statehood, a symbolic move that the U.S. opposed.
Apple will bring A.I. to iPhonesApple plans to announce next month that it is introducing a new generative A.I. system for iPhones to power a more versatile Siri. The update, according to three people familiar with the company's work, is part of the tech giant's most significant reorganization in more than a decade. Apple's top software executives launched the effort last year after realizing that the new wave of A.I.-powered chatbots were much more useful than Siri, a voice assistant that has been mocked on shows like "Curb Your Enthusiasm." They were worried that the new systems would eventually make the iPhone look like a "dumb brick." That urgency also contributed to Apple's decision to cancel another big bet: a $10 billion project to develop a self-driving car.
A sun storm may bring northern lights to unfamiliar skiesDramatic blasts of particles from the surface of the sun prompted forecasters to issue a severe geomagnetic storm watch, the first since 2005. The material is expected to reach Earth's atmosphere this evening, and the effects could continue through the weekend. Scientists said the storm could disrupt some navigation systems and radio communications, or even cause blackouts. The warnings are designed to help government agencies and companies prepare their systems. On the plus side, the storm could bring the northern lights to places that don't usually see them, as far south as Northern California or Alabama. To catch a glimpse, try to get away from brightly lit cities and find a gap in the cloud cover. More top news
Europe's grandest musical spectacleEurovision, one of the world's most popular singing contests, will conclude tomorrow as 26 acts from around the world represent their countries with maximalist musical performances. Expect wind machines, fur-lined capes and musicians playing upside down in a gigantic hamster wheel. The champion will be chosen by an audience vote, in which Americans can participate for only the second time. This year's contest has, to an extent, been overshadowed by the war in Gaza. Some artists and activists called for Israel's entrant to be banned. However, our culture reporter Alex Marshall said he didn't expect any major disruptions. "Eurovision says it's about bringing the world together in music," he said, "and a lot of its fans believe that." Here are the acts favored to win.
Retirement doesn't have to be scaryWhen people begin planning for retirement, they often start with a number: How much money will I need? Ron Lieber, The Times's Your Money columnist, has a different suggestion. As he explains in a delightful animated column, it's better to start with a retirement mission statement, focused on goals like building relationships.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Of these breakfast favorites, the French toast would be great for Mother's Day this Sunday. (Just a hint.) Drink: Here are 10 great Beaujolais to enjoy now, or in a few years. Watch: "Boiling Point" on Netflix could tide you over until the next season of "The Bear." Read: "Reboot" by Justin Taylor is one of the books our editors and critics recommend. Listen: After playing Billie Holiday onscreen, Andra Day displays a jazz virtuosity all her own on a new album. Beautify: We've got some tips on how to restore old furniture. Compete: Take this week's news quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here.
Britons are fighting to save their apostrophesThe English town of North Yorkshire caused quite a stir when it began removing apostrophes from street signs for thoroughfares like St. Mary's Walk and King's Road. Officials said the decision would make the streets easier to search for in databases. But some locals residents were not happy, calling it "cultural vandalism." Several grammar lovers sent a letter to officials to demand the policy be reversed. Someone took the matter into their own hands and added an apostrophe using a marker. "What's next?" asked one North Yorkshire resident and former teacher. "We just use emojis?" Have a possessive weekend. Thanks for reading. My colleague Justin Porter will write this newsletter on Monday. I'll be back on Tuesday. — Matthew We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.
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