Friday Briefing: Day 2 of Lebanon’s cease-fire

November 29, 2024

	By Gaya Gupta

Good morning. We’re covering Day 2 of the cease-fire in Lebanon and a major Russian attack on Ukraine.

Plus, the gangs stealing hiring exams in India.

People in a car with a collapsed minaret and other rubble in the background.

Residents driving past a mosque in southern Lebanon, yesterday. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times

Lebanon’s cease-fire appeared to hold

The uneasy truce between Israel and Hezbollah largely held through its second day in Lebanon yesterday, though Israel conducted an airstrike that it said targeted militants violating terms of the cease-fire deal.

The Israeli strike was the first of its kind since the cease-fire went into effect before dawn on Wednesday. But despite an exchange of blame between two parties of the deal — Israel and Lebanon — neither of the war’s combatants, Israel or Hezbollah, seemed keen to return to full-scale fighting.

The Israeli military said its airstrike, near the border in southern Lebanon, had targeted two militants arriving at a Hezbollah rocket facility that had been used to fire into Israel. Lebanon’s army, which is set to play a major role in enforcing the truce, accused Israel of violating the cease-fire “several times” yesterday. Hezbollah did not immediately comment.

Across Lebanon, people greeted the cease-fire that ended the country’s deadliest war in three decades with relief, hoping that some sense of normalcy would return.

Joy and tears: Many Lebanese returned to their towns and villages to find homes that would require costly repairs to make them livable again. Some found no homes at all, just piles of concrete and twisted metal with their possessions somewhere beneath. 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.
With Hezbollah weakened, Iran’s bellicose rhetoric has given way to signs that it wants less confrontation.

A woman standing in a dimly lit restaurant.

A restaurant in Kyiv, Ukraine, during a power blackout yesterday. Roman Pilipey/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

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.

Ukraine’s energy ministry said it was the 11th major attack on the country’s energy infrastructure this year. During a visit to Kazakhstan, Putin said that strikes on Ukraine could intensify, with possible missile attacks on Kyiv.

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.

Two boys wearing school uniforms looking at their phones.

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

Two photos of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade showing crowds with umbrellas and a balloon of Monkey D. Luffy, the main character from the “One Piece” anime series.

Graham Dickie/The New York Times

In the U.S.

Thanksgiving: Millions of people in the streets and at home watched the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade held in rain-soaked New York City.
Transition: Several people selected for Trump’s cabinet faced bomb threats.
Family: Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect’s son, has made a name for himself as the person who can best assess loyalty to the Trump political brand.
Tech: Mark Zuckerberg met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Zuckerberg is trying to forge a better relationship with the president-elect.

Elsewhere

Britain: After an emotional public debate, lawmakers are scheduled to vote today on whether to permit assisted dying for the terminally ill.
China: A senior member of the military elite has been suspended under suspicion of “serious violations of discipline,” the government said.
Europe: Investigators are trying to determine if a Chinese commercial ship’s crew intentionally cut two undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea.
South Asia: India and Bangladesh exchanged angry accusations after a Hindu priest was arrested in Bangladesh on charges of sedition.
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.
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.
London: The city’s 850-year-old Smithfield Meat Market is set to close.

Sports

Tennis: Iga Swiatek received a doping ban after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.
Soccer: Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City fans have joined forces to protest ticket price increases.
Formula 1: Mick Schumacher will leave his role as Mercedes’s reserve driver. Valtteri Bottas confirmed that he is in talks about the position.

MORNING READ

People sit head down while studying in rows of small orange and blue cubicles.

Atul Loke for The New York Times

In India, where government jobs are highly coveted, leaking the tests that determine hiring are a lucrative target for criminal gangs. The thieves who get their hands on the entrance tests capitalize on what has long been a problem in the economy: too many educated young people, too few jobs.

The most sought-after jobs in the civil service are beyond the reach of many. Last year, there were 1.3 million applicants for 1,000 positions. Read more about the cutthroat competition for jobs in India.

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

Four photos of Cher with different hairstyles.

From top left, ABC Photo Archives/Disney and CBS via Getty Images; MGM/Everett Collection; Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images; Gareth Davies/Mission Pictures via Getty Images

Cher in images: What makes the singer the icon that she is today? Take a look at the things that make Cher Cher.
Anubis, is that you?: A stray dog that climbed to the top of a pyramid in Giza was captured by a passing paraglider. Social media went nuts.
Ken Burns’s house: The filmmaker’s success has long afforded him the ability to move. But something has kept him in Walpole, N.H.
Status sleepwear: Pajama sets from small European labels have become a new souvenir of choice that signals a discerning taste.

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

ARTS AND IDEAS

Kendrick Lamar leaning against a car in a black and white photo.

Dave Free, via Associated Press

Kendrick Lamar’s never-ending battles

Last week, Kendrick Lamar released his sixth album, “GNX,” with no advance notice. There’s been a heavy anticipation hovering over him since his feud with Drake reached new heights earlier this year, leaving Lamar with a No. 1 hit and Drake with spiritual and professional bruises.

“GNX” extends this tension but doesn’t necessarily deepen it. Joe Coscarelli, our pop music reporter, takes a deep dive into Lamar’s new album and the beef with Drake on this week’s Popcast.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Several pieces of baked goods, which are crispy and beige on the outside and red and jammy on the inside, are stacked on top of one another.

Johnny Miller for The New York Times

Bake: These cranberry lemon bars are delicious, and pretty to boot.

Listen: Shostakovich string quartets are among the five classical musical albums you can listen to right now.

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

That’s it for today. See you Monday. — Gaya

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions 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: Asia Pacific Edition from The New York Times.

To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific 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 Times Get The New York Times app

Connect with us on: