The United States pressured Israel to reach a ceasefire agreement
President Biden increased pressure on Israel to limit its operation in Rafah and reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. He made public that he had delayed a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel and sent his CIA chief to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The United States announced that it had withheld delivery of some military aid to Israel last week over fears it would be used in a possible large-scale attack on Rafah. William Burns, head of the CIA, met privately with Netanyahu.
Israel downplayed the pause in arms deliveries.
But experts said the pause shows that the tie is facing new strains, and that further rifts are possible amid waning American public support for the Israeli war effort. They also recognized that such disagreements were unlikely to change the course of the conflict. Biden has made clear that he remains deeply committed to Israel, even as he has signaled that America’s help and patience have limits.
Details: The suspended weapons delivery included 2,000-pound bombs, which are among the most destructive in Israel’s arsenal. In the first six weeks of the war, the country routinely used weapons like these in areas of Gaza designated as safe for civilians, according to a Times investigation.
US-China climate talks begin
John Podesta, the Biden administration’s top climate envoy, met his Beijing counterpart Liu Zhenmin for the first time in Washington yesterday. Talks continue today. And the stakes are high, Somini Sengupta, our international climate reporter, told me.
The two countries are at odds on a variety of geopolitical issues. They are also the world’s leading polluters. “If they can’t do it together,” Somini said, “we’re all toast.”
Trade tensions loom large in the talks. China dominates green energy technology. That could “be a good thing because it makes things cheaper and can accelerate the energy transition,” Somini said.
“But it also presents risks,” he added. “The White House does not want Americans – or the rest of the world – to eat out of China’s hands. It gives Beijing too much power. It is not clear if anyone can really compete with China at this point.”
American Frustrations: A flood of cheap Chinese goods has become the target of the Biden administration, which has warned that they pose a threat to American factories.
Beyond France’s claims of a safely built Olympics
The Olympic flame arrived in France yesterday to begin a week-long relay to Paris as the country prepares for the Summer Games.
And President Emmanuel Macron has declared that these Olympics were built safely, free from the dangers of construction and migrant abuses like the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar. Government data shows fewer than 200 injuries and zero deaths at the Olympic sites during the four years of construction.
But inspection records and other documents suggest a different story. Injuries to undocumented immigrants were often handled off the record, workers and officials say, virtually guaranteeing they won’t show up in government statistics. Even fatal accidents involving workers working legally were sometimes omitted from the Olympic count.
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For years, Japan has promoted women in the workplace in part to address severe labor shortages. Some employers are trying to change a male-dominated work culture.
There has been some progress: since 2020, women have made up almost half of each class of incoming diplomats at the Foreign Office, and many women continue their careers after marrying. But women still struggle to balance their careers with their domestic obligations.
Lives lived: Kim Ki-nam, North Korea’s chief propagandist for decades, has died at 94.
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Gaza looms over Eurovision
The war in Gaza has loomed over the run-up to the Eurovision Song Contest. Pro-Palestinian groups and many fanatics have tried in vain to have Israeli Eden Golan banned from participating. She is ready to perform today.
Some artists have already attempted to protest the war, even though attendees and competitors are not allowed to wave banners and symbols that could provoke tensions. In the first round on Tuesday, a Swedish artist wore a kaffiyeh and the Irish group said they had been banned from displaying a pro-Palestinian slogan.
“The public debate has spread throughout Gaza, almost to an overwhelming extent,” said my colleague Alex Marshall, who covers culture for The Times.
Alex told me that he doesn’t expect any major interruptions during the concert. Two protests are planned away from the contest venue in Malmo, Sweden. He believes the public is more likely to voice its opposition to Israel’s war by voting against the Golan.
But for many attendees, he said, politics will take a backseat.
“Eurovision says it’s about uniting the world through music,” he said, “and many of its fans believe it.”
For more: Alex believes that Croatia, who is currently leading the betting, will win. Here is his song.
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PS: My colleague Priya Krishna wrote about finding closeness with your mother through cooking.
Is all for today. See you tomorrow. —Amelia
Send us an email to information@nytimes.com.
our thanks to Alex Marshall and Somini Sengupta.