The Morning: The most-read Times journalism of 2023

Plus, Benjamin Netanyahu, Aleksei Navalny and supper clubs.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 26, 2023 By the staff of The Morning Good morning. We're covering the most-read Times journalism of 2023 — as well as Benjamin Netanyahu, Aleksei Navalny and supper clubs. The Titan submersible in an undated image. OceanGate Expeditions Four rankings This was the year when many Times readers began to care about artificial intelligence. It was also a year when they wanted their friends and family members to care about the subject. In today's newsletter, we're ranking the most popular Times articles of 2023 in four different ways. One of the rankings is based on "gift-sharing" — when Times subscribers send free copies of articles to friends and family who don't have a subscription. Among the most gift shared articles of 2023 were those that covered the perils of artificial intelligence, a reporter's unsettling chat with an A.I. bot and professors' efforts to prevent A.I.-enabled cheating. Below are the gift-shared list as well as three others: the most-read articles; the most-read interactive features and trackers; and the articles that readers spent the most cumulative time reading. That last list includes many in-depth projects. (We have omitted some articles that were follow-ups to running news stories, such as updates on the missing submersible.) We hope you'll find some stories to enjoy that you might have missed the first time around. Most read articles 1. Titan submersible rescuers detect "underwater noise" in search area and redirect efforts. (June 20) 2. Matthew Perry, star of "Friends," is dead at 54. (Oct. 29) 3. Damar Hamlin of Buffalo Bills in critical condition after collapsing during N.F.L. game. (Jan. 2) 4. Trump decries charges after pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts. (April 4) 5. House adjourns again with no resolution on speaker. (Jan. 5) 6. Agents search suspect's properties as manhunt continues after Maine shootings. (Oct. 25) 7. Lisa Marie Presley, singer-songwriter and daughter of Elvis, dies at 54. (Jan. 12) 8. Paramilitary chief abruptly ends standoff in Russia. (June 24) 9. Tucker Carlson's text that alarmed Fox leaders: "It's not how white men fight." (May 2) 10. Six killed in Nashville school shooting, including three children. (March 27) Top trackers and interactives 1. Spelling Bee Buddy: Personalized Hints That Update as You Play 2. Who's Running for President in 2024? 3. Tracking Air Quality and Smoke From Wildfires 4. Tracking the Attacks in Israel and Gaza 5. Vote Count: McCarthy Elected House Speaker After 15 Ballots (WordleBot also had a huge audience, but doesn't qualify because it was not originally published in 2023.) Most gift-shared 1. Women have been misled about menopause. (Feb. 1) 2. A conversation with Bing's chatbot left me deeply unsettled. (Feb. 16) 3. Why did 488 golden retrievers gather in Scotland? (July 19) 4. 52 Places to Go in 2023. (Jan. 12) 5. Five exercises to keep an aging body strong and fit. (March 1) 6. Even a little alcohol can harm your health. (Jan. 13) 7. Noam Chomsky: The false promise of ChatGPT. (March 8) 8. For a stable, strong core, forget about crunches. (Feb. 8) 9. How do you serve a friend in despair? (Feb. 9) 10. Alarmed by A.I. chatbots, universities start revamping how they teach. (Jan. 16) Most time spent 1. Nancy Pelosi, liberated and loving it. (Jan. 21) 2. Battling a cartel in a horrifying quest to find her daughter. (Sept. 24) 3. Ghosts on the glacier: New clues in an old climbing mystery. (Dec. 9) 4. The mother who changed: A story of dementia. (May 9) 5. Mel Brooks isn't done punching up the history of the world. (March 11) 6. 2023 Met Gala red carpet roundup. (May 1) 7. A homeless man attacked him. But was there more to the story? (Nov. 16) 8. The Polygon and the Avalanche: How the Gilgo Beach suspect was found. (July 20) 9. America, China and a crisis of trust. (April 14) 10. Can you survive summer? Take the quiz. (June 2) Programming note: This week, we will be using The Morning to highlight The Times's best journalism of 2023, especially work that we think is worth revisiting. As always, The Morning will also provide you with a summary of the day's news and links to full Times coverage. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Israel-Hamas War After a strike in central Gaza. Mahmud Hams/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Benjamin Netanyahu made his second known visit to Gaza since the war began. He said Israel would "deepen" the fighting in the coming days. In Israel, the Oct. 7 attacks continue to unify a country that earlier this year was divided over political debates. Amid fears of a wider regional conflict, Iran said Israel had killed one of its high-level military officials in Syria. The U.S. struck Iran-backed groups in Iraq, destroying three facilities used by Iranian proxies that had been targeting American and coalition troops, U.S. officials said. Politics "You almost feel like you're family": Members of Congress who have children with disabilities find common ground despite political differences. If Donald Trump wins another term, he has said he plans to bar Americans from investing in China and ban imports of key categories of Chinese-made goods. With the January caucuses less than a month away, Nikki Haley's campaign is trying to capitalize on the momentum that her presidential bid has gained in recent months. War in Ukraine Ukraine said it had hit a warship in Crimea, potentially one of the most significant strikes against Moscow's Black Sea Fleet in months. Aleksei Navalny, the imprisoned Russian opposition leader, was moved to a remote Arctic prison. He published a letter describing his transfer. Other Big Stories Americans increased their spending during the holidays despite lingering inflation, spurred by a healthy labor market and wage gains. More than a million people across the Northern and Central Plains remained under blizzard or ice storm warnings early Tuesday. (New York City has not seen more than an inch of snow in more than 680 days.) Opinions Polls reveal an Achilles' heel for Trump: If he is convicted by a jury, voters say they are likely to punish him for it, Norman Eisen, Celinda Lake and Anat Shenker-Osorio write. People have used meals for political ends for centuries. Culinary diplomacy is a vital tool in this time of sharp partisan divisions, Alex Prud'homme writes. All of The Times. All in one subscription. Enjoy unlimited access to everything we offer — with this introductory offer. You'll benefit from more of the insights that you find in The Morning, every morning. MORNING READS In Mexico City.  Marian Carrasquero for The New York Times Vocholandia: The Volkswagen Beetle remains a favorite in one northern Mexico City community. Best of TV: Episodes of "Australian Survivor" and "Bob's Burgers" made it onto the Times's list of the best of the year. Good Tech Awards: The technological breakthroughs of 2023 that might make the world a better place. Lives Lived: Carlos Lyra was part of a circle of musicians who in the 1950s blended the samba sounds of Brazil with American jazz and European classical influences. He died at 90. SPORTS N.F.L.: The Philadelphia Eagles held on to defeat the New York Giants, 33-25. And the Kansas City Chiefs failed to clinch their eighth consecutive AFC West crown, losing to the Las Vegas Raiders, 20-14. N.B.A.: The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 126-115. And the Denver Nuggets bested the Golden State Warriors, 120-114. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS The Tube Supper Club. Lauren Fleishman for The New York Times Food and company: London's supper club scene grew in popularity in the 2000s, pushed by critics and food bloggers as an alternative to fancy restaurants. The events, which are usually held in the homes of amateur chefs, were forced to stop during the pandemic, but now they're back — and evolving. The Times reporter Isabella Kwai spent a recent afternoon on a repurposed 1970s London Tube train enjoying a meal with eight strangers. More on culture In "Ferrari," Adam Driver looms like a colossus as Enzo Ferrari, Manohla Dargis writes in a review of the movie. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Cook perfect salmon in the air fryer. Recreate the luxury Airbnb from Netflix's "Leave the World Behind." Make homemade popcorn. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was flowing, following and wolfing. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Lauren Jackson, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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