The Evening: Escalation in the Middle East

Also, a Midwest blizzard snarled roads and airports.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 12, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Friday. An escalating war in the Middle East A blizzard before the Iowa caucuses Plus, the season finale of "The Curse" The New York Times Biden said the U.S. is ready to strike in Yemen again President Biden, who last night approved air and naval strikes against dozens of targets in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, said today that the U.S. would "make sure that we respond" if the Houthis continue to attack commercial ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis, who have said they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas, vowed to retaliate for the strikes that U.S. officials said hit radars, missile- and drone-launch sites, and weapons storage areas. Follow our live updates. The White House insisted that the U.S. does not want to ignite a wider war. But the military action, carried out by the U.S., Britain and a handful of other allies, confirmed that the Israel-Hamas war had turned into a broader regional conflict. Perhaps the biggest question now is whether that broader conflict — which almost no one wanted — can be contained. Biden administration officials said the strikes were intended to hinder the Houthis' ability to strike Red Sea targets. A Houthi spokesman said at least five of the group's fighters were killed. At least one close U.S. ally, Oman, expressed concerns that the attacks would not deter the Houthis but would further inflame regional tensions. Des Moines, Iowa today.  Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times A Midwest blizzard snarled roads and airports A winter storm described by forecasters as "life threatening" delivered high winds and several inches of snow to much of the Midwest and the Great Plains today. Schools were closed for millions of Americans, and major airports in the region came to a near standstill. Temperatures plunged to minus 20 degrees in Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Minnesota and Nebraska. See how much snow is coming to your area. The storm also effectively put a pause on campaigning in Iowa, where the Republican caucuses are just three days away and every candidate not named Donald Trump could use a last-minute push. In the South, severe storms, with the possibility of tornadoes, are expected to continue into the night. A campaign rally in Taiwan for the Nationalist Party's presidential candidate, Hou Yu-ih.  Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times Taiwan will vote for a new president As we send this newsletter, polls are about to open in Taiwan to elect a new president and legislature. The outcome of the election on Saturday is likely to affect the island's relations with China, which claims it as part of its territory. All of the major candidates reject China's demands for unification. "But there are important differences in how they propose to deal with Beijing," said my colleague Chris Buckley, who is based in Taipei. The Nationalist Party favors expanded ties with China, while Lai Ching-te, the Democratic Progressive Party's candidate, has promised to keep China at arm's length. "China would most likely step up pressure on Taiwan if he wins," Chris said. Polls suggest Lai leads by a narrow margin. Oil pumpjacks in the Permian Basin in Midland, Texas. David Goldman/Associated Press The U.S. said it will fine methane emitters The Biden administration announced a plan to issue fines to oil and gas companies for releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is responsible for more than a quarter of the warming the planet is currently experiencing. The proposed fee, which was already approved by Congress, would be the first tax imposed by the federal government on emissions. When the plan is finalized, the government will begin charging energy producers $900 for every ton of methane emissions that exceed preset levels. The fee would increase to $1,200 in 2025 and plateau in 2026 at $1,500 per ton — most likely forcing the companies to pay millions of dollars every year. More top news Business: Microsoft became the world's most valuable public company, surpassing Apple, a reordering set in motion by the rise of generative A.I. Death penalty: The Justice Department said that it would seek to execute the gunman who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket in May 2022. Politics: Oregon's Supreme Court said that Donald Trump could remain on the state's 2024 primary election ballot, at least for now. International: Israel defended itself at the International Court of Justice against accusations of genocide in Gaza. Ukraine: Britain announced more than $3 billion in military aid to Kyiv, its largest annual commitment since the start of Russia's invasion. Congress: Speaker Mike Johnson said that he stood by the deal he negotiated with Democrats to avert a government shutdown, spurning demands from ultraconservatives. Banking: Morgan Stanley agreed to pay $249 million in penalties to resolve investigations into the firm's practices in handling some large stock trades. Food aid: The Republican governors of 15 states have opted out of a new federal food assistance program, shutting out eight million children from low-income families. Education: Student loan borrowers who took out $12,000 or less may be eligible for debt cancellation sooner than they anticipated, the Education Department said. Sports: The New England Patriots hired Jerod Mayo, one of Bill Belichick's most trusted assistants, as head coach. TIME TO UNWIND Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone play married aspiring HGTV stars in "The Curse." Richard Foreman Jr./A24 and Paramount+ with Showtime What to binge this weekend "The Curse," starring Nathan Fielder, Emma Stone and Benny Safdie, is a dark comedy about aspiring HGTV hosts that takes home-renovation TV into the heart of darkness. It is also about other wild things that we are bound by spoiler etiquette not to reveal. Its first season, streaming on Showtime and Paramount+, ended today. For the uninitiated, our critic James Poniewozik explained what makes the show so breathtaking and uncomfortable. For fans, James and other critics discussed the last episode's thoroughly unexpected ending. Illustration by Nicolás Ortega; Photograph by Getty Images How to reset your relationship with tech My colleague Melissa Kirsch recently spent a whole week offline, away from the phones, tablets and laptops that consume so much of modern life. She said it was surprisingly easy: The physical world, and the people in it, provided more than enough entertainment. For tips on replicating that feeling in her regular life, she turned to experts. One suggestion: use social media only in certain spaces, making it something you visit rather than carry around. Bryan Johnson's longevity methods are far from accepted by the scientific community. Dustin Gia Dinner table topics "Snake oil": The meme king of longevity now wants to sell you olive oil. A bipartisan bar: In New York's capital, Democrats and Republicans have something in common: the War Room Tavern. Tiny living: See how a small apartment in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was transformed into a calm living space. Uncharted waters: Tomorrow, for the first time, an N.F.L. playoff game will appear exclusively on a streaming service. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND James Ransom for The New York Times Cook: The secret ingredient in these Rice Krispies treats is butter-fried black sesame seeds. Watch: "So Much Tenderness" is one of the best international movies to stream right now. Read: Our columnist recommends four fiendish tales of murder. Listen: Arnold Schwarzenegger's new audiobook is bizarre and entertainingly honest. Budget: Make a plan to reduce your credit card debt. Exercise: We have a Pilates routine that you can do anywhere in under 10 minutes. Compete: Take this week's news quiz. 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 From left, Bebe Wood, Renée Rapp and Avantika Vandanapu in "Mean Girls." Jojo Whilden/Paramount Pictures Why are movie studios disguising musicals? If you're heading to the theater this weekend to see a buzzy recent release like "Mean Girls," "Wonka" or "The Color Purple," you may be in for a surprise. All three are movie musicals, in which characters burst out in song and dance — though you might not know that based on their marketing. That's not by mistake: The Hollywood publication Deadline recently wrote that test audiences tend to snub musicals and that the only way to attract ticket buyers is to conceal the song and dance, like sneaking grated vegetables into brownie batter. Have a surprising weekend. Thanks for reading. We'll be off on Monday for Martin Luther King's Birthday. I'll be back 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. 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