Thousands of Lebanese Head South as a Fragile Peace Begins

Also, Trump picked an envoy for Russia and Ukraine. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.

Roads heading south of Beirut were packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic today as thousands of people returned to war-ravaged towns. The movement came as a cease-fire began to take effect between Israel and Hezbollah after more than 13 months of bloodshed.

Under the agreement — mediated in part by the U.S. and approved by Israel and Lebanon — Israeli forces will withdraw from Lebanon over the next 60 days. Hezbollah, which had been weakened, isolated and desperate for the war to end, will move its fighters north. And the Lebanese Army announced today that it had dispatched some of its forces to the country’s south.

Still, questions remain about the durability of the truce. The Israeli military declared a curfew tonight in southern Lebanon and shelled two villages there, saying that it had identified a vehicle in “a zone prohibited for movement.”

In northern Israel, where tens of thousands of people fled to escape barrages of Hezbollah rockets and drones, there was no apparent rush back to the evacuated towns.

President Biden said he hoped the cease-fire could pave the way to an end to the war in Gaza, but experts doubt it. Palestinians there said that they had lost hope that the war would ever end.

Trump picked an envoy for Russia and Ukraine

Donald Trump announced today that Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who worked in the White House during Trump’s first term, would be his envoy to Russia and Ukraine. In the newly created position, Kellogg is likely to play a crucial role in Trump’s effort to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine.

The president-elect has nearly finished his cabinet picks. He announced his top trade negotiator and the head of the National Economic Council, roles that will be crucial to his plans of imposing heavy tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico and China. He also selected Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford physician who opposed pandemic-related lockdowns, to be the director of the National Institutes of Health.

In other politics news:

• Several Trump administration picks have faced bomb threats and “swatting” incidents.
• The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, with Elon Musk as co-leader, faces big hurdles in its effort to cut costs. Here’s what to know.
• China has a new strategy to counter Trump’s tariff threats: “supply chain warfare.”
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other candidates for top health posts are at odds with the drug industry.
• Some Democratic donors are worried about retribution and are pondering leaving the country.

France’s mass rape trial nears its end

France has been shaken by the trial of Dominique Pelicot, who pleaded guilty to drugging his then-wife and inviting men to rape her. Prosecutors this week requested the maximum sentence for him: 20 years in prison.

The French news media has called the 50 other men on trial “Monsieur Tout-le-monde” — Mr. Every Man — because of how varied the men are, and how ordinary. They appeared in court over 10 weeks, offering small glimpses into their lives. The court is expected to deliver its verdicts next month.

The plastic industry is trying to win over hearts and minds

Documents leaked from an industry group show how some of the world’s largest petrochemical and plastics companies have been waging a campaign to push back against a “tide of anti-plastic sentiment.” The industry group worked with social media influencers to promote plastic bottles and deliberately obscured its connection to the campaign.

This week, nations are gathering in South Korea to hammer out details of a global plastic treaty that would tackle pollution; the industry opposes the deal.

More top news

• Diplomacy: The Biden administration negotiated a prisoner swap with China for the release of three American men, including one who was an F.B.I. informant.
• Inflation: The Fed’s preferred inflation measure sped up in October, highlighting the persistence of price increases after months of steady easing.
• Pakistan: More than 600 people were arrested in an overnight crackdown on supporters of Imran Khan, the former prime minister jailed in Islamabad.
• Politics: Congress is feuding over a new farm bill, leaving American farmers and families on food assistance in limbo.
• New York: A federal judge overseeing the Rikers Island jail complex found the city in contempt for failing to stem violence and excessive force at the facility.
• Britain: Unidentified drones have been sighted flying over four bases used by the U.S. Air Force in England.
• Climate: Maine became the latest state to sue oil and gas companies over climate change.
• Myanmar: The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor sought an arrest warrant for General Min Aung Hlaing, accusing him of crimes against humanity.
• U.S.P.S.: New mail trucks — 10 years in the making — have started rolling into American neighborhoods.

TIME TO UNWIND

It’s time to cook

The countdown to your Thanksgiving meal has begun and the more dishes you can cook ahead of time, the smoother the holiday will go. Many of our Cooking staff’s favorite recipes can be prepared tonight.

If something goes wrong, you can always replace or redo it. Our fastest roasted turkey can be ready to serve in 45 minutes.

If you’re looking for last-minute inspiration, we have dozens of great recipes. We also gathered some of the biggest names in cooking and culture to share their tips. Stephen Colbert urges you to skip the turkey, Dolly Parton shares her cranberry mold recipe and Padma Lakshmi likes mixing global flavors into Thanksgiving staples.

If you make too much, don’t worry. Stuff your leftovers into a tortilla.

Turkey isn’t the only Thanksgiving tradition

Tomorrow morning, tens of millions of Americans will tune in to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — likely more viewers than for the Oscars, the World Series or any live TV show. While the parade has been an annual staple since the 1950s, it only became the most-watched entertainment show in the U.S. the past three years.

This year, forecasters are predicting rain. Here’s how to watch.

When the parade’s over: We have some ideas for what to watch with your family and friends, depending on whether you want to laugh or delve into an adventure.

Dinner table topics

• Making a mega-ship: A hulking European cruise ship is heading to the Caribbean. We took a look inside.
• Stray dog on a pyramid: A video from Egypt took off on social media — but only after it was appropriated and doctored.
• Long flights: It’s not your imagination. Flying in America has become slower.
• Flipping fruit: A 74-year-old sidewalk fruit vendor was stunned to hear that his 25-cent banana was resold for $6.2 million.

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

Cook: Ipo Pain Perdu is French toast with a Polynesian twist.

Watch: “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is a powerful drama about Iran’s government.

Read: These are nine of the most anticipated books of December.

Wear: Teeny, tiny T-shirts are back.

Prepare: Discussing your advance care directive can make life, and death, a bit easier.

Gift: Wirecutter recommends these delightful stocking stuffers.

Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.

ONE LAST THING

Remembering a men’s wear influencer

For more than a decade, the fashion world has been enchanted by a Shiba Inu named Bodhi. He modeled for Coach and Salvatore Ferragamo, wore smartly tailored sport coats and buttery cashmere and even had his own fashion lookbook.

Bodhi, who became better known as the Menswear Dog, died this month at 15. His images will long be remembered. “I can only imagine that wherever he is, he’s still getting ’fits off,” one admirer said.

Have a distinctive holiday.

Thanks for reading. We’ll be off tomorrow for Thanksgiving. My colleague Justin Porter will write this newsletter on Friday. — Matthew

Emree Weaver was our photo editor today.

We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.