Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.
Russia threatens to harden its stance on UkraineRussia accused Ukraine of targeting a rural residence of Vladimir Putin’s in a drone attack, and officials informed the U.S. that they plan to revise “a number of previously reached agreements” in response. Russia has not shown clear-cut evidence of the attack, however, and Ukraine said Moscow had offered a fabrication in order to undermine peace talks. President Trump and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had both given an upbeat assessment of their meeting at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. No concrete progress was reported on the two thorniest issues — Russia’s demands for territory in southeast Ukraine, and security guarantees that would protect Ukraine against Russia — but for Zelensky, even a stalemate is a measure of success. The security guarantees present the most complex obstacles, David Sanger writes. Zelensky has insisted that the U.S. protect Ukraine as if it were a member of NATO, a proposition Trump could find difficult selling to his base. Russia has not yet given up anything, and has not been formally asked to do so.
The first evidence from a U.S. boat strike washes ashoreWatching from a remote Colombian peninsula on Nov. 6, Erika Palacio Fernández whipped out her phone and unwittingly recorded the only verified and independent video of one of the Trump administration’s strikes in the Caribbean on boats the U.S. has accused of running drugs. Soon after, a scorched boat and two mangled bodies washed up. The assortment of singed flotsam appears to be the first physical evidence of the U.S. campaign, which has destroyed 29 vessels and killed more than 100 people. Plastic packets that washed up were partly burned or melted and were empty except for sand, but some had traces of marijuana. Here’s what our reporters learned firsthand. Related: Today, Trump reiterated his statement from Friday that the U.S. had attacked a drug trafficking facility in Venezuela, which would be the first known U.S. attack on land since he began his military campaign against the country. U.S. and Venezuelan officials have not confirmed the strike.
White House tells U.N. agencies to ‘adapt, shrink or die’The Trump administration said it would provide $2 billion next year to fund U.N. humanitarian aid. The sum, though lower than past contributions, is likely to keep the U.S. as the biggest international donor. Humanitarian groups welcomed the news with cautious optimism. A State Department official described the $2 billion as an initial commitment that could grow, but the department also warned that the funding was contingent on the U.N. making changes to reduce bureaucracy and that individual agencies would have to “adapt, shrink or die.”
The U.S. may follow Denmark on vaccines, alarming expertsIn the new year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. health secretary, is expected to announce that the country will adopt the childhood vaccine recommendations used in Denmark. Such a move would reduce the number of immunizations required for American children to 10 from 17, without the deliberative process that the U.S. has relied on for decades. Public health experts point out that Denmark is an outlier among its European peers and wealthy nations, and that its minimal vaccine schedule is tailored to its universal health care system, which allows for more accessible and affordable disease screening and treatment. More top news
What we’ll eat in 2026Every year, my colleague Kim Severson consults an army of market researchers, food company executives, restaurant publicists and cooks to see how eating will change when the calendar flips. Right now, they see 2025’s wild ride of flavors giving way to “quiet luxury.” That means warm, grounding foods that your grandma might have made, like sourdough bread and sauerkraut (call it “nonna-stalgia.”) Vinegar could be the ingredient of the year, and diners will seek out hands-on rituals like tea ceremonies.
A year of ruckus in rock musicThe 21st century has not been kind to rock. In recent years, the Grammy Awards haven’t even handed out the best rock album trophy during prime time. Generations of listeners have been trained on computer-tuned voices and metronomic beats, and A.I. promises more. But that means there’s still traction in the longtime archetype of the rock band as a gang of unruly outsiders. The divisive critic’s darling Geese, the grungy, twangy Wednesday and the hardcore veterans Turnstile, who highlighted the year for Jon Pareles, are welcome signs of humanist obstinacy. Dinner table topics
Cook: To cover the New Year’s tradition of black-eyed peas, you can make Hoppin’ John. Watch: Here are three great documentaries to stream. Listen: We found seven podcasts for bookworms. Read: Ben Markovitz’s poignant “The Rest of Our Lives” is shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Exercise: Try these 10 tips to get moving in 2026. Clean: Your clothes dryer is a great dusting tool. Travel: Let an airline pilot be your guide to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Play: Today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. For more, find all our games here. |
