The Evening: Biden commutes 1,500 sentences

Also, Israel said it would stay in Syria for now.

View in browser|nytimes.com December 12, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday. 1,500 sentences commuted by Biden Israel's plans in Syria Plus, the hottest job in fashion President Biden at the White House yesterday. Eric Lee/The New York Times Biden commuted the sentences of 1,500 Americans, a record President Biden announced today that he would pardon 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes and commute the sentences of 1,499 others. The White House said it was the largest number of commutations by an American president in a single day. The act of clemency targeted those who had been released from prison and placed in home confinement during the pandemic. Recipients include people who were convicted of drug crimes, Medicare fraud and illegally prescribing opioids. Some were convicted as young adults only to serve in the military, help charities or train local firefighters. In a statement, Biden said that many of the people would have received lower sentences if they had been charged under current laws. "America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances," he said. Some Democrats have called on Biden to reduce the sentences of all 40 people on death row to life without parole because Donald Trump supports the death penalty. Members of Biden's staff have been debating whether he should issue blanket pardons for a number of Trump's perceived enemies to protect them from retribution. Rioters storm the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Erin Schaff/The New York Times Trump said he'd begin his term with Jan. 6 pardons Donald Trump promised to start pardoning participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol during the "first hour" he returns to office. He also said he would use his first day to begin deportations of undocumented immigrants. Trump's comments were published today in an interview with Time magazine, which named him person of the year. Today, the president-elect also rang the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange. More than a dozen people close to Trump told my colleagues that he sees the market as a barometer of his success and abhors the idea that his policies might hurt stock prices. That may prove more of a guardrail than institutional constraints. In other politics news: Trump's incoming Middle East adviser has enjoyed a reputation as a billionaire mogul. He's actually a small-time truck salesman. The Senate embrace of Kash Patel, Trump's pick for F.B.I. director, reflects the Republican Party's turn against the bureau. After Trump was persuaded to stick with his embattled choice to lead the Pentagon, a group of supporters mobilized to pressure senators. The F.A.A. administrator said he will resign before Trump takes office. The president-elect tapped Kari Lake to lead Voice of America. Trump's pick for energy secretary said oil, gas and coal are key to solving global poverty. Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wants to curb water fluoridation nationwide. Here's what the science shows. Israeli military vehicles near the Syrian border, today. Shir Torem/Reuters Israel said it would stay in Syria for now Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, said today that troops who seized a buffer zone in Syria after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government would remain until the establishment of a force that meets Israel's security demands. Any deal between Israel and the Islamist rebels who led the offensive against al-Assad appears distant, given their mutual animosity. Here's the latest. In related news, a man freed from prison in Syria appeared to be a missing American, who said he had been detained for months. Also, a prominent activist who told the world about torture in Syria was found dead. Mullah Osman Jawhari, a Taliban commander, near his home in Afghanistan. Bryan Denton for The New York Times How the U.S. sabotaged itself in Afghanistan American troops pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021. But the U.S. has never fully grappled with how it lost its way in the country's longest war. So my colleagues spent a year visiting the Waygal Valley, the site of one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. forces. They asked locals, officials and former fighters — including a famed Taliban commander — for answers. By all accounts, the Americans virtually ensured their own defeat: They killed and maimed the very people who supported them most, turning allies into enemies. More top news Luigi Mangione: Months before a health care executive was fatally shot in Manhattan, the man charged in the case went silent. A portrait of his life is beginning to emerge. F.B.I.: Contrary to widespread conspiracy theories, the bureau did not instruct informants to encourage violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a new Justice Department watchdog report. Ukraine: Russian troops advanced to within three miles of the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk, a key transit hub. Media: BuzzFeed agreed to sell the company behind the popular interview show "Hot Ones" for $82.5 million. Philanthropy: Private foundations must donate 5 percent of their assets every year. Elon Musk's enormous charity missed that standard for three consecutive years. Workers: The National Labor Relations Board classified contestants on the show "Love Is Blind" as employees, which could have ripple effects across reality television. Tech: American firms have battled the U.S. government over the sales of advanced technology to China. Their chief complaint is that the U.S. industry is the only one facing restrictions. China: At an annual Communist Party gathering, top leaders pledged more stimulus measures to shore up the country's economy. Education: More adolescents than ever are watching pornography. What's needed, researchers say, are frank conversations and "porn literacy." Chess: Dommaraju Gukesh, an 18-year-old Indian grandmaster, became the game's youngest-ever world champion. TIME TO UNWIND Cole Escola as Mary Todd Lincoln in the play "Oh, Mary!" At the Lyceum Theater. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times The vision behind Broadway's surprise hit "Oh, Mary!" is this year's most surprising Broadway sensation. It's an outlandish comedy with an ahistorical premise, depicting the onetime first lady, Mary Todd Lincoln, as a self-involved alcoholic who dreams of becoming a cabaret star. The show is the brainchild of Cole Escola, an alt-cabaret performer who wrote the show and stars as Mary. We talked to Escola about what inspired the character. Matthieu Blazy in September 2023. Carmine Romano for The New York Times The hottest job in fashion was just filled Chanel has been without an artistic director for six months, and almost every top designer interviewed for the role. The wait is now over. Today, the luxury fashion brand announced that Matthieu Blazy, most recently of Bottega Veneta, is getting the coveted post. His hiring is the biggest change in what has been the most disruptive year in fashion in decades, with seven other fashion houses naming new designers. It's also clear that Blazy has been charged with sending Chanel in a new direction, our critic Vanessa Friedman writes. Lisa Sorgini for The New York Times Dinner table topics Female facial hair: Is it the last taboo in women's beauty? A missing daughter: His child disappeared in 1999. He couldn't let it go. Hot food in the fridge: You may have heard that it's unsafe, but that's not necessarily true. The compliment market is booming: Don't underestimate the simple power of boosting a stranger. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Mark Weinberg for The New York Times Cook: Add drama to appetizer hour by making a tower of crispy prosciutto. Watch: "Nickel Boys" follows two boys at an abusive school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Read: Our critics discussed the books that left an impression on them this year. Relinquish: Some people respond to holiday stress by adopting a Marie Kondo approach. Pack: It might be worth preparing a "go bag" in case of extreme weather. Here's how. Hunt: Which New York-area home would you buy? Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING Kelly Marshall for The New York Times This baffling drink is beloved in Boston A bar in Boston's North End serves an indulgent drink with a scoop of pistachio ice cream melting into vanilla vodka. Nearby, other bars offer a greenish drink with Irish cream liqueur and blue Curaçao. Both are called pistachio martinis, and they are adored by locals. Bartenders credit the drink's popularity to the neighborhood's heavily Italian population. But pistachios aren't Italian. In reality, it probably has more to do with the fact that a glass of dessert can be hard to turn down, especially this time of year. Have a tempting evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Vi Nguyen was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe 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. 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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