Tuesday Briefing: Netanyahu disbands his war cabinet

June 18, 2024

	By Amelia Nierenberg

Good morning. We’re covering Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to disband his war cabinet and Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea.

Plus, China’s lust for durian.

Benjamin Netanyahu, surrounded by people, walking.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed the war cabinet in October after the Hamas-led assault on Israel. Abir Sultan/EPA, via Shutterstock

Netanyahu disbanded his war cabinet

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, dissolved his war cabinet. The move was widely expected after two key members resigned.

An Israeli official suggested that Netanyahu’s decision to disband the five-member body was largely symbolic. Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot quit last week over disagreements about the direction of the war in Gaza. Israeli news media reported yesterday that Netanyahu shut down the council 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 — like 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 amid hopes that it would allow more aid to reach residents. The daily pause applies only to a stretch of road in southern Gaza, and not to the central areas where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled since the Rafah invasion.

Two soldiers step in unison while holding a wreath, as several people, including the leaders of North Korea and Russia, walk behind them.

Vladimir Putin last visited North Korea in 2000. Korean Central News Agency, via Associated Press

Putin will visit North Korea

Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, will start a two-day visit to North Korea today in a sign of the two country’s 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 his 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 visit the nation.

Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, speaking and holding a microphone. He is wearing a dark blue military jacket.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Susan Walsh/Associated Press

A warning label for social media

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. 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. Congress has not yet announced any such legislation.

“The platforms are designed to maximize how much time we all spend on them,” Murthy wrote in Times Opinion. “It’s one thing to do that to an adult, and another thing to do it to a child.” Read his full essay here.

Tips for parents: Here are a few ways to wean your kids off social media.

MORE TOP NEWS

The car of one train juts into the air as it rests atop the car of another train as onlookers watch from a green field.

The accident again brings to the fore the issue of rail safety in India. Diptendu Dutta/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

India: At least eight people were killed and dozens more were hurt when two trains collided in West Bengal. The toll is expected to rise, officials said.
South China Sea: Ships from China and the Philippines collided near a disputed archipelago, both nations said. Each blamed the other for the crash.
France: Kylian Mbappe urged young people to vote in the upcoming election.
Russia: A court said the espionage trial of the American journalist Evan Gershkovich would start next week and would be held behind closed doors.
Toyota: Several investors want a vote today to remove Akio Toyoda, the former chief executive and grandson of the company’s founder, from the board.
China: Beijing threatened to impose tariffs on pork imported from Europe after the E.U. last week imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
Taiwan: The U.S. envoy to the island has some advice as she prepares to leave after three years: Don’t panic about China, but don’t grow numb to the risks.
War: Residents of Belgorod, a city near Ukraine’s border, have been forced to adapt to living with a war that much of Russia has never directly felt.
U.S.: A man accused of trying to assassinate a Sikh activist was extradited from the Czech Republic and appeared in a U.S. court. He pleaded not guilty.

The Tony Awards

A large group of about 30 people stand onstage, celebrating and cheering as one man in a tuxedo speaks into the microphone.

“The Outsiders” won the award for best new musical at the Tony Awards. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Big winners: The “Outsiders” took Best New Musical and “Stereophonic” won Best New Play, but they’re not the only ones who had a very good night.
In their words: The night was special for several winners, all of whom were taking home their first Tony. Here’s what they had to say about it.
Get down: Spirited celebrations continued until nearly dawn. At the Carlyle Hotel, revelers broke out in show tunes. We scored an invite.
Unforgettable: When Broadway’s stars stepped out of their costumes, their personal style left us speechless. These are the highlights.

MORNING READ

People wearing green packing green durians into baskets.

Pound for pound, durian has become one of the most expensive fruits on the planet. Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times

China’s demand for durian has razed landscapes and made fortunes in Southeast Asia. Last year, exports to China hit $6.7 billion, a twelvefold increase from $550 million in 2017.

Today, businesses are expanding rapidly — one Thai company is planning an initial public offering this year — and some durian farmers have become millionaires.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Going viral: Some tweens are obsessed with a Brazilian cream designed for firming skin. See why.
Two beds: Couples who sleep in separate bedrooms are more common than one might think. Sex therapists and marriage counselors aren’t sure it’s a healthy choice.
Speak like Bad Bunny: Teachers say more students want to learn Puerto Rican Spanish, a slick, swaggering version of the language, just like their favorite musicians from the island.

SPORTS NEWS

Euro 2024: Romania beat Ukraine at the soccer championships, 3-0. The Times spoke with soldiers watching the game.
Golf: Bryson DeChambeau outlasted Rory McIlroy by one shot to win his second U.S. Open on Sunday.

Cricket: Backers of the sport are negotiating leases and approvals for venues and stadiums across the U.S.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times .

SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA

A nurse prepares to inject a medication into the arm of a patient, who has her left arm outstretched.

A health clinic in Ghana. Natalija Gormalova for The New York Times

Long-acting contraception is changing lives in Africa

Women in Africa are increasingly turning to long-acting contraception, like hormonal implants and injections. Such methods offer a fast, affordable and discreet boost of reproductive autonomy. 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 also more contraceptive options, and improved roads and planning that help these options reach more remote areas.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A bowl of corn salad with peppers, red onion and coriander.

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.

Cook: Shishito peppers give a corn salad a little kick.

Read: In “The Fall of Roe,” two of my Times colleagues explain exactly how Roe v. Wade was made — and unmade.

Camp: Before you head out to the woods or mountains, clean your tent.

Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

P.S. The Times won two awards from the Asian American Journalists Association.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow. — Amelia

Email us at briefing@nytimes.com.

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