Monday Briefing: Biden changes tactics in Ukraine

Plus, are women really abandoning men?

View in browser|nytimes.com November 18, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering a major change in U.S. policy on Ukraine and Donald Trump's movements in Washington. Plus: The end of men? A building in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine that Russian officials said was hit by U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles. Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters President Biden changed course on Ukraine President Biden will allow Ukraine for the first time to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, U.S. officials said. The permission to use the missiles, called Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, came in response to Russia's decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight, officials said. The weapons are likely to be initially used in defense of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of western Russia, the officials said. Russian forces are set to launch — with an estimated 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean troops — a major assault on dug-in Ukrainian positions there. The Kremlin's goal is to retake all of the territory Ukrainians seized during their incursion in August. If Kyiv's forces use the ATACMS missiles to strike key Russian and North Korean military targets, they could help the blunt the joint assault. The Ukrainians hope that in future negotiations they would be able to trade any Russian territory they hold in the Kursk region for Ukrainian territory held by Russia. Context: The decision is a major change in U.S. policy. In two months, President-elect Donald Trump will take office, and he has vowed to limit further support for Ukraine. In related coverage: Russia renewed its campaign to destroy Ukraine's battered power grid. "Is everybody alive?" In July, a Russian missile hit a maternity clinic in Ukraine and turned life and death into a lottery. Supporters of Donald Trump are happy he's delivering on his promise to disrupt Washington. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Trump continues to shake up Washington President-elect Donald Trump said he would tap the Colorado gas executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary. Wright, who has no government experience, has been a media-friendly evangelist for fossil fuels and has disparaged climate science. Here's the latest news. Separately, Trump told advisers he was standing by his nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, after the transition team was jolted by an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a woman in an encounter he insists was consensual. Hegseth paid his accuser as part of a settlement agreement. Trump has shown little regard for whether his parade of loyalists, whom he reviews on giant screens at Mar-a-Lago, can pass Senate confirmation. But his supporters are happy he's delivering on his promise to disrupt Washington. Analysis: Trump has "rolled a giant grenade into the middle of the nation's capital and watched with mischievous glee to see who runs away and who throws themselves on it," my colleague Peter Baker writes. Trump has said that "real power" is the ability to engender fear, and he seems to have achieved that. For more: Read about Trump's pick to head the Federal Communications Commission and the candidates for Treasury Secretary. In other politics news: Trump got a warm welcome from tens of thousands of people at a U.F.C. event at Madison Square Garden. "The shackles are off." Wealthy Trump donors anticipate a more business-friendly atmosphere as well as the firing of Biden-era regulators. Vice President Kamala Harris spent $1.5 billion in her 15-week presidential campaign. This is where the money went. Here is a list of Trump nominees. After a deadly Israeli airstrike in Beirut yesterday. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times Israel struck Beirut Two waves of Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut, the Lebanese capital, yesterday, killing at least six people, according to the country's health ministry. Hezbollah and the Israeli military said the first attack killed Mohammed Afif, the head of Hezbollah's media office. Strikes inside the capital have been infrequent, and the attacks revived fears that the city could be consumed by the larger war. An intensified push by the Israeli military appears aimed at pressuring the Lebanese government and Hezbollah to accede to terms for a cease-fire worked out between Israeli and American officials. Other news: Israeli airstrikes hit central Gaza and a town in the north of the enclave, killing more than 30 people, according to local rescue and emergency services. Families of American victims of the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7 and those killed fighting in Gaza sued Iran. An Israeli judge revealed more details in a leaked documents case involving an official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office — an accusation that has roiled the nation. Trump's Middle East agenda isn't clear yet, but the window for deal making has shrunk since the last time he was in office. MORE TOP NEWS The New York Times Shen Yun: State authorities in New York have opened an inquiry into the dance group and its treatment of the children and teenagers who stage shows worldwide. Diplomacy: President Biden and Xi Jinping, China's top leader, met in Peru for what could be the last time on Saturday, and both delivered messages aimed at Trump. China: A former student killed eight people and wounded 17 others in a stabbing rampage at a vocational school in the eastern city of Wuxi. North Korea: Pyongyang is blaring eerie sounds across the border with South Korea; villagers call the barrage "noise bombing." U.S.: A Times investigation found that, for years, the on-demand economy has been fueled by staffing agencies exploiting migrant workers. Haiti: A search for a solution to the crisis is growing more urgent as gangs gain territory and thousands of people flee their homes. Here's what to know. Portugal: Celeste Caeiro, who handed out red carnations to soldiers on their way to ending the country's 40-year right-wing dictatorship, has died at 91. Climate: A global fund for climate disasters has taken shape at the U.N. climate conference in Azerbaijan. Bluesky: The fledgling social media site has been flooded with new users since the election. It is now dealing with explosive growth. Space: For a century, exoplanet hunters have "discovered" planets around a nearby star, only to retract the claims. But the latest find is for real. SPORTS NEWS U.F.C.: The heavyweight champion Jon Jones protected his title with a dominant win over Stipe Miocic. Running: Four female runners have been killed in Kenya after financial disputes. Many there fear violence against women. Premier League: Meet the designer of Manchester United's jersey. MORNING READ Photo illustration by Ricardo Tomas Are women really abandoning men? America's gender divide is stark, as the results of this month's U.S. presidential election showed. In the last year alone, there has been an explosion of young women who say they are deleting dating apps and of female celebrities (among others) who have taken vows of celibacy or identify as "self-partnered." Now, disappointed by the defeat of another female nominee, some liberal women feel numb resignation, while others are channeling their disappointment into anger toward men as a whole. Lives lived: Pat Koch Thaler, a former dean at New York University and the sister and sounding board of the former New York City mayor Edward Koch, chose to die on a Saturday afternoon. First, she contacted The Times's Obituaries desk. CONVERSATION STARTERS Alice in Moominland: See illustrations by Tove Jansson from a rare 1966 edition of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Undercover menagerie: A man was busted in Peru when he tried to get on a flight with 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants in bags under his shirt. Drink up: Malört, a divisive yet beloved liquor once available only in Chicago, has gained wider devotees. Can the drink retain its roots? ARTS AND IDEAS Fairchild Archive/Penske Media, via Getty Images Cher turns back time Cher has yet to read the final version of her memoir. "People can say what they want," she said. "It's who I am. I am who I am. I can't change it." For six decades, the singer and actress has been a household name. She is a chart-topper and the winner of an Emmy, a Grammy and an Oscar. Her face has appeared on screens of all sizes, and her music has been a soundtrack for multiple generations, whether via vinyl, eight-track tape, cassette, compact disc or Spotify. But wrangling a definitive account of her life struck a nerve. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Kelly Marshall for The New York Times Cook: This recipe turns a modest can of beans into a spectacular dinner. Read: These chatty, intimate novels feel almost like book-length letters. Gift: How to choose a wonderful present for those who are not easy to shop for. Economize: A late-in-life divorce doesn't have to ruin your retirement. Snack: Microplastics are everywhere. Here's how to avoid eating them. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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