The Evening: Supreme Court won’t fast-track Trump case

Also, a U.N. aid resolution on Gaza.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 22, 2023 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Friday. Trump's immunity case A U.N. aid resolution on Gaza Plus, movies to watch on Christmas The order was one sentence and gave no reasons, which is typical when the justices deny review. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times The Supreme Court won't fast-track a decision on Trump's immunity The Supreme Court declined today to decide whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. Instead, the case will move forward in an appeals court and will most likely return to the Supreme Court in the coming months. The decision to defer the case — currently scheduled for March — was a major practical victory for Trump, whose lawyers have consistently sought to delay criminal cases against him around the country. Any significant delays could plunge the trial into the heart of the 2024 campaign season or push it past the election, when Trump could order the charges be dropped if he wins the presidency. In related news, Maine's secretary of state is poised to decide next week whether the state will join Colorado in disqualifying Trump from its Republican primary ballot. The site of Israeli strikes in Khan Younis last week. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters The U.N. Security Council passed a Gaza aid resolution The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution today calling for a surge in aid to desperate civilians in Gaza, ending nearly a week of intense diplomatic wrangling intended to avert another U.S. veto. The resolution, which called for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors" to enable "unhindered humanitarian access," was adopted in a vote of 13 to 0 with the U.S. and Russia abstaining. At the insistence of the Americans, the final version of the measure did not demand an immediate truce, omitting earlier language that would have called for the "urgent suspension of hostilities." A Times investigation: An analysis of visual evidence found that Israel routinely used one of its biggest and most destructive bombs in areas it designated as safe for civilians. The Wisconsin Supreme Court in Madison in November. Pool photo by Ruthie Hauge Wisconsin was ordered to redraw its legislative maps The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled today that the state's voting maps, which were drawn to favor Republicans, were unconstitutional. It ordered new maps before the 2024 election, in a ruling that could produce a seismic political shift in a crucial presidential swing state. The court's majority said that Wisconsin's current maps violated a requirement in the State Constitution that districts "be composed of physically adjoining territory." The decision was widely expected from a court that flipped to a 4-to-3 liberal majority this year. A Somali commando unit in Baledogle, Somalia, in February. Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi for The New York Times A U.S. strike killed a leader of a Somali terrorist group A senior leader of the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab, Maalim Ayman, was killed in a U.S. military drone strike last Sunday, according to Somali and American officials. Ayman had been accused of planning multiple attacks that killed 148 Kenyans in a university town and three Americans on a military base. Somalia's government has made defeating al-Shabab a cornerstone of its policy, but the group has proved to be resilient. It continues to carry out deadly attacks in hotels, restaurants and ministries that have left hundreds dead. More top news Economy: A closely watched measure of inflation cooled notably last month. Tech: Apple is in talks with news publishers about using their content to develop its own generative A.I. Ukraine: Russian forces have scored small territorial gains along Ukraine's eastern front in recent weeks. Czech Republic: Investigators were still working to establish a motive for yesterday's deadly gun rampage in Prague. Ron DeSantis: The Florida governor's ground game, one of the most expensive in modern history, shows little sign of creating the momentum it had hoped to achieve. Health: The F.D.A. has seized thousands of units of counterfeit Ozempic, the diabetes drug also widely used for weight loss. Police scanners: American cities are encrypting their emergency radio communications over concerns about safety and privacy. TIME TO UNWIND A scene from "Ferrari." Eros Hoagland/Neon Movies to see over the holidays Several highly anticipated films are coming out on Christmas Day, including "Ferrari" and "The Color Purple," which landed on several Oscar shortlists. One our critic Manohla Dargis particularly enjoyed was Steve McQueen's "Occupied City." It's a rigorous four-and-a-half-hour documentary in which McQueen, the British director, uses everyday scenes from contemporary Amsterdam to map — street by street, address by address — the disastrous fate of the city's Jewish population during World War II. Weston Wei Prepare for holiday travel Over the next week, many of us will travel for the holidays, and inevitably some of us will run into issues. But proper preparation can help. We asked frequent fliers for their best tips on long-haul flights. They recommended doing anything and everything you can to make sure you spend a large chunk of the time onboard asleep, and stocking up on entertainment options. You may also want to think about what food to bring on the road, which can make or break your vacation. UNWIND DURING THE HOLIDAYS We recently asked readers how they unwind during the holidays. (If you'd like to share your story, you can fill out this form.) "For the past few years, I've been trying to establish 'Kubrick Christmas' as a tradition. Each holiday season, I rewatch the films of Stanley Kubrick. I find that his slow, intentional (and, honestly, macabre) cinematography weirdly complements the hustle and bustle of the holiday season." — Jeff from New York City Simbarashe Cha/The New York Times Dinner table topics Christmastime style: Our photographer documented fashion on Fifth Avenue in New York City this month. Pop-punk humor: Olivia Rodrigo and the musical duo 100 gecs have released thrilling, hilarious music that talks back to — and erases — old stereotypes. A tribute to artists: Here's a look at the creative people we lost in 2023, in their own words. Will you have a white Christmas? Probably not. Only about 2 percent of people in the contiguous U.S. are likely to see one this year. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Laurie Ellen Pellicano. Cook: This recipe for cannoli is as close to the real thing as you may get in your own kitchen. Play: The year's surprise video game hit, Baldur's Gate 3, gives players the ability to do just about anything. Watch: This week's picks of streaming science-fiction movies involve artificial youth and alien-discovering elders. Read: Louise Kennedy's "Trespasses" is one of this week's best new paperbacks. Reflect: Here are five health lessons we learned in 2023. Indulge: Caviar doesn't have to cost a fortune. Here's where to get a scoop. Compete: Take this week's news quiz, or test your knowledge of holiday food. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ONE LAST THING Cavan Images Merry Christmas. I got you a tiny cow. They are cute, cuddly and can cost thousands of dollars. Miniature cows, which look like somebody aimed a shrink ray at a regular cow and fired, are a hot-ticket item this holiday season. The popularity of the cows can be credited, at least in part, to TikTok, where cow-fluencers post videos of the creatures that have earned millions of views. "At Christmastime, it really picks up," one rancher said. "Usually, the wife has been wanting one and the husband comes around to it." Have an adorable holiday weekend. Thanks for reading. We'll be off on Monday. Justin Porter will be here on Tuesday. — Matthew We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. 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