Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.
Judge dismisses Comey and James casesA federal judge tossed out separate criminal charges against the former F.B.I. director James Comey and New York’s attorney general, Letitia James. The judge said the charges were invalid because the prosecutor who signed the filings, a loyalist installed by President Trump, had been put into her job unlawfully. The two rulings left open the possibility that another prosecutor could refile the charges against both Comey and James. And many legal experts believe that the dismissals could be appealed to the Supreme Court. (Read the Comey ruling and the James ruling.) The orders by the judge, Cameron McGowan Currie, a Clinton appointee from South Carolina, center on Trump’s unorthodox decision to appoint the prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, in an interim capacity. She replaced Trump’s previous pick, who was also serving in a temporary role. The law does not permit the appointment of successive interim prosecutors, the judge said, or else a president could keep installing pliant appointees and get around the constitutional requirement for the Senate to confirm them. In other Trump administration news:
Ukraine offered its changes to a peace planUkrainian and U.S. mediators emerged from two days of talks today with a slimmed-down peace framework to end the war with Russia. The new proposal shifts some of the most contentious issues onto a separate negotiating track. Trump, who is pushing Ukraine to agree to a settlement by Thanksgiving, said that “something good just may be happening.” The initial 28-point plan, drafted by the Trump administration with Russian input, called for Ukraine to cede land, shrink its army and forswear membership in NATO. U.S. officials declined to say what parts of the proposal were adjusted in Geneva. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, said that Kyiv had “managed to keep extremely sensitive points on the table,” including the release of all Ukrainian prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. For more: In our newsletter The World, Katrin Bennhold talked to Andrew Kramer, our Ukraine bureau chief, and Anatoly Kurmanaev, a longtime correspondent in Russia, about what each side wants in a deal. Analysis: Vladimir Putin still believes time is on his side. In other diplomacy news: Trump said he would visit Beijing in April.
N.Y. prison guards’ brutality has increasedEven in a system known for its brutality, the deaths of two handcuffed inmates at the hands of New York State prison guards caused something of a reckoning this year. Now, a Times investigation reveals that guards have been credibly accused of engaging in such behavior far more often than previously known. Drawing on court records, disciplinary data and interviews with current and former inmates, our journalists identified more than 120 instances in the past decade in which restrained inmates were assaulted. Prisoners and prisoners’ advocates said that an uptick in more egregious abuse has occurred since 2021, when the state began limiting guards’ use of solitary confinement.
In the classroom, evidence of why children are strugglingNearly 32 percent of adolescents have been diagnosed at some point with anxiety. More than one in 10 have experienced a major depressive disorder. Screens get a lot of blame. But what about where children spend most of their time? There is growing evidence that school itself is essential to understanding the rise in mental health issues among the young. It can cause stress that exacerbates anxiety or depression, and it’s also where disorders often first show up. We took a closer look at the research. Related: A study found that young adults who engaged in a social media “detox” reported reductions in depression, anxiety and insomnia. More top news
Jimmy Cliff, a breakthrough reggae star, dies at 81In 1972, Jimmy Cliff, a young R&B and ska singer with a couple of hits in his native Jamaica and the U.K., took a role in a low-budget movie about a struggling musician who turns to a life of crime. It was called “The Harder They Come,” and it became a cult hit in the U.S., running for years in midnight slots at theaters. The film also introduced much of the world to reggae and made Cliff a figurehead of the genre. He became the second reggae musician inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, preceded only by a star Cliff had scouted as a teenager: Bob Marley. Cliff’s wife announced today that he had died at 81. For more: Listen to eight essential Jimmy Cliff songs.
For holiday family time, consider an interviewFamily gatherings over the holidays are a chance to catch up and tell stories. If there’s anything you’ve ever wanted to know about the lives of your older relatives, consider interviewing them — it’s quality time together now, a window into the past and the preservation of memories for the future. Here are five questions to start you off.
Dinner table topics
Cook: This street-corn pudding adopts the flavors of elotes. Listen: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sara Bareilles and other musical theater experts recommended songs to make you love the genre. Watch: Wong Kar-wai’s 30-episode series “Blossoms Shanghai” premieres on the Criterion Channel tonight. Read: These holiday romance books are pure magic. Carry: This season’s must-have accessory is a chain bag. Game: Ghost of Yotei is a violent revenge story tempered by tender moments and beautiful terrain. Save: Try these six ways to save money on skiing. |
