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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Fri Dec 1 2023

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

War resumes

This picture taken from southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip shows smoke rising from buildings after being hit by Israeli strikes, as battles resume between Israel and Hamas militants, on December 1, 2023.

Renewed hostilities raise concerns over remaining hostages.

Israeli fighter jets hit targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after a weeklong truce expired on Friday, signaling that the war with Hamas has resumed in full force. Also in the news: Rep. George Santos of New York is set to face a third attempt to expel him from the House and ''Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé'' arrives in theaters.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. What happens when AI helps with holiday shopping?

Here is Friday's news to know.

Israeli military strikes minutes after truce expired

One day after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli officials and urged them to do more to protect Palestinian civilians, Israel has resumed its offensive in the region.

Israel dropped leaflets over parts of southern Gaza urging people to leave their homes, an indication it was preparing to widen its effort to destroy Hamas.

•	Earlier Friday, there had been no word from mediator Qatar on another truce extension, and the Israeli military said its aerial defense system intercepted a rocket launched from Gaza. Hamas did not immediately comment.
•	Representatives of Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. have toiled for weeks trying to bring stability to the region and accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
•	About 140 hostages remain in Gaza: Hamas released eight Israeli prisoners Thursday, two fewer than the agreed-upon daily number. As part of the deal, another group of Palestinian women and children was let out of Israeli prisons early Friday, hours before the truce ended.

Palestinians evacuate wounded in Israeli bombardment Rafah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.

Hatem Ali, AP

George Santos expected to see expulsion vote Friday

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has expressed hesitancy about the House voting to expel embattled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., as the lower chamber gears up to potentially oust the Long Island Republican on Friday. ''I'm concerned about a precedent that may be set for that,'' Johnson said. Members expelled from Congress in recent times have only been removed after being convicted of a crime. While Santos has been charged with multiple federal crimes, he has denied all wrongdoing and has yet to go through a trial. Read more

•	Santos defended himself in a fiery debate ahead of a vote to expel him from Congress.
•	A tense phone call between former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former President Donald Trump is making ripples between key GOP players.

Rep. George Santos (R-NY) departs the United States Capitol on Nov. 1, 2023.

Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

More news to know now

•	The country's largest publisher and bestselling authors have sued over an Iowa book ban.
•	Here are five takeaways from the DeSantis and Newsom debate: ''Neither of us will be our party's nominee in 2024.''
•	Here's what's at stake in Donald Trump's New York civil trial.
•	Here's why a Florida mayor will attend a major United Nations climate summit.
•	For subscribers: ''Pump the brakes'' doesn't mean what you think.
•	On today's The Excerpt podcast, we meet the USA TODAY Network's new Beyoncé reporter, Caché McClay. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

The EPA wants to remove all lead water pipes across America

Lead water pipes nationwide could be replaced within 10 years in order to prevent public health catastrophes such as the one in Flint, Michigan, under a new proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency. The rule would advance President Joe Biden's years-long goal of removing lead from drinking water by compelling local utilities across the United States to dig up and replace about 9 million aging pipes. The massive undertaking, estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars, is meant to protect the public, particularly children, from the hazardous neurotoxin. Read more

•	Millions of older Americans will face a housing crisis in coming years.
•	Across America, high mortgage rates keep buying a house out of reach.

Biden administration asks Supreme Court to keep abortion access in red-state emergency rooms

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday defended a move to require emergency room doctors to provide stabilizing care to pregnant patients and perform abortions in some circumstances, even if the procedure is illegal in the state where they practice. That administration guidance, announced last year in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, is being challenged at the Supreme Court by Republicans in Idaho in a case that experts say could affect emergency rooms across the nation. Read more

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Cowboys' 14th straight win at home in Thursday Night Football

The Dallas Cowboys won their league-best 14th consecutive game at home Thursday night, outlasting the Seattle Seahawks, 41-35. In a wild affair that didn't include a single punt for either team yet had more than 250 combined penalty yards, ''America;s Team'' solidified its hold on the NFC's top wild-card spot. Next up? The Cowboys will host the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 10 in a bid to draw closer to the NFC East leaders. Read more

•	Here's who is playing in NFL Week 13.
•	College football head coaches at public schools are earning millions in bonuses.

CeeDee Lamb celebrates during the Cowboys' "Thursday Night Football" win over the Seahawks.

Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

Photo of the day: Taylor Swift is bejeweled at Beyoncé's London 'Renaissance' movie premiere

Taylor Swift showed up to the London premiere of "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé" to support the release of Beyoncé's concert movie on Thursday. The two queens of music have openly supported each other over the years. Most recently, Beyoncé attended Swift's "The Eras Tour" movie premiere in Los Angeles in October. The "Renaissance" movie hits theaters Friday and features songs from Beyoncé's 56-stop global tour plus behind-the-scenes footage. Read more

Taylor Swift attends the London premiere of "RENAISSANCE: A Film By Beyoncé" on Nov. 30, 2023.

Gareth Cattermole/WireImage for Parkwood

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.