The Morning: 2024 in photos

Plus, Trump lawsuits, Elon Musk and the best dishes of the year.

View in browser|nytimes.com December 18, 2024 Good morning. Today, we're looking back on the photos that defined 2024. We're also covering Trump lawsuits, Elon Musk and the best dishes of the year. —David Leonhardt The New York Times The year in pictures By Carolyn Ryan I'm a managing editor at The Times. When shots were fired at a campaign rally for Donald Trump on a July evening in Butler, Pa., the veteran New York Times photographer Doug Mills was just a few feet from him. The Secret Service rushed toward Trump. Doug's heart pounded when he realized what was happening. Then instinct took over. Doug kept taking pictures, at a shutter speed of one eight-thousandth of a second, capturing an image that illustrates the magnitude of that moment: Trump, his face streaked with blood, his fist raised in defiance. Doug Mills/The New York Times This year was made up of such extraordinary moments. And Times photographers captured them in extraordinary images. "The Year in Pictures" brings you the most powerful, evocative and history-making of those images — and allows you to see the biggest stories of 2024 through our photographers' eyes. The presidential campaign — full of twists and turns — provided some of our most memorable photos. Kenny Holston captured a shaky President Biden struggling to find his footing in what turned out to be his only debate of the 2024 election. Todd Heisler brought home the excitement of an 8-year-old girl in pigtails, Kamala Harris's great-niece, who watched with pride as Harris accepted her party's nomination for president. Todd Heisler/The New York Times Yet even as the American political campaign intensified, wars ground on overseas, creating new dangers and obstacles for our photojournalists determined to document the fighting. The war between Hamas and Israel escalated into a regional conflict, and our photographers depicted the Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, the families forced to flee their homes and the neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Omar Al-Qatta/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images When Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, our photographers revealed the pain of the captives' families as they cried out at their loved ones' funerals after 11 months of anguished waiting. And last month, Samar Abu Elouf, a Palestinian photographer for The Times, delivered some of the most indelible images of the year: a series of portraits of Gazans horribly injured in the war, including children who had lost arms, legs or eyes. Samar Abu Elouf and Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times Children were also central to the work of Lynsey Addario, a veteran photographer who has been chronicling the war in Ukraine since Russia first invaded in 2022. Lynsey's images tell the stories of young Ukrainians with cancer whose treatment was disrupted by the war, often with devastating results. One, a 5-year-old girl whose chemotherapy was upended by the Russian invasion, ultimately lost her life. Lynsey Addario for The New York Times Our photographers embrace their calling of bearing witness to history, showing readers the atrocities and the suffering that might otherwise be overlooked. But they also see their mission more broadly, and aim to depict the richness and color of life by regularly bringing us pictures that delight and surprise. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Take the photo by Hiroko Masuike from the ticker-tape parade in October for the New York Liberty women's basketball team. The young fans pictured radiate a kind of awe-struck joy, screaming to the players by name. Or the photographs that show the sense of wonder on the faces of people at Niagara Falls as they bask in the magic of a solar eclipse in April. Ashley Gilbertson for The New York Times I recommend that you spend some time with these and many more images in our "Year in Pictures" feature, which also includes our photographers' reflections on taking them. This collection of images is a way to remember the year, but it is also, we hope, an opportunity to better understand their craft and their devotion to producing the world's best photojournalism. Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times THE LATEST NEWS Trump Appointments Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  Kenny Holston/The New York Times Republican senators expressed support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for health secretary. Senator Roger Marshall, a physician, pledged to back him. "I'm all for the polio vaccine," Kennedy insisted this week. But he's made dubious claims about it in recent years, including suggesting that it cost more lives than it saved. Herschel Walker, a former N.F.L. player from Georgia who lost a Senate election in 2022, is Trump's pick to be the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas. More on Trump After Trump sued ABC News, Disney — which owns ABC — chose to settle, determining that a fight might hurt its own brand. See inside the $16 million decision. The money Congress has allocated for Ukraine probably won't all be spent before Trump takes office. It's unclear if he'll continue the aid. Trump sued The Des Moines Register for publishing a pre-election poll that showed him behind Harris in Iowa. Lawyers for Trump accused a juror in his Manhattan criminal case of misconduct, their latest effort to overturn his conviction. Faith in the U.S. electoral system has risen, surveys find. Trump's win this year erased Republicans' post-2020 distrust. More on Politics Congressional leaders unveiled a bill to would keep the government open into March, ahead of a Friday shutdown deadline. It would also aid hurricane-damaged communities. Biden, in the twilight of his presidency, appears weary but hopes to get a cease-fire in Gaza. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lost a secret ballot to become the House Oversight Committee's top Democrat. Gerry Connolly, her 74-year-old colleague, won. In a report, House Republicans said that former Representative Liz Cheney should face criminal investigation for her role in the Jan. 6 select committee. Syria In Latakia, Syria.  Ivor Prickett for The New York Times Syria's new rulers have promised amnesty to rank-and-file soldiers conscripted under Bashar al-Assad. Hundreds lined up to learn whether this promise applies to them. The Islamists who now govern Syria have controlled the city of Idlib for years. Its residents say they have imposed some strict laws there but also improved public services. Benjamin Netanyahu, in territory Israel recently seized in Syria, vowed that Israeli troops would remain in the country for the foreseeable future. More International News In Congo.  Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times Measles is killing thousands of children in Congo, where there are problems getting vaccines to families. The Russian authorities said they had detained a suspect — a 29-year-old Uzbek — in the killing of a general in Moscow. They said he had confessed to acting on the orders of Ukrainian agents. Business The Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan are discussing a merger to compete with China's electric vehicle industry. Elon Musk and SpaceX failed to comply with federal reporting protocols meant to protect state secrets. Among other violations, Musk did not provide some details of meetings with foreign leaders. New U.S. vehicles will have to sound a warning if back-seat passengers are unbuckled under a rule that will take effect in 2027. Other Big Stories A grand jury indicted Luigi Mangione in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive. He faces a charge of first-degree murder that also brands him a terrorist. "We're all a family": Families at a tightknit private school in Wisconsin are grieving as they wait to learn more about a shooting that left a student and a teacher dead. A lawsuit accuses Georgetown, M.I.T. and other selective universities of privileging wealthy students who might not otherwise have gotten in. Opinions Humor is a powerful instrument in overcoming the temptation toward narcissism, Pope Francis writes. Here are columns by Bret Stephens on the problem with Never Trumpers and Thomas Friedman on Chinese manufacturing. Ends soon: Our best rate on unlimited access for Morning readers. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS Isabella Cotier Closer read: Will you fall in love with a poem about falling in love with a poet? Our critic did. A year of eating: See a list of the 26 best dishes Times writers ate across the U.S. in 2024. "Life changing": People are turning to psilocybin and ketamine for end-of-life care. Ask Well: "Can you be allergic to your Christmas tree?" Lives Lived: As a writer for The New Yorker, Arlene Croce became the most revered and feared dance critic in the U.S. She died at 90. SPORTS N.B.A.: The Bucks are N.B.A. Cup champions after trouncing the Thunder, 97-81, a remarkable turnaround for the team that started the year 2-8. N.F.L.: The Falcons benched their quarterback Kirk Cousins after giving him $100 million guaranteed this offseason. Instead Michael Penix Jr., a rookie, will start. M.L.B.: After missing out on Juan Soto, the Yankees traded for the Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger. Read analysis of the deal. ARTS AND IDEAS Fans gave images to Karolyn Grimes to autograph. Fiona Szende for The New York Times Since the 1990s, a small town in the Finger Lakes region of New York has hosted a festival celebrating the 1946 holiday classic "It's a Wonderful Life." While the film has a comforting message, it's also dark: At its heart, it's about a man who almost dies by suicide. This year — for the first time — the festival has addressed that difficult subject. More on culture Disney removed a transgender story line from an upcoming animated series about a middle school softball team. "That's right, Christmas is almost here and this year, Santa really knows who's been naughty or nice thanks to those drones spying in New Jersey," Jimmy Fallon joked on his late night show. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Joel Goldberg for The New York Times Fry perfectly crispy potato latkes. Loosen up at a party without alcohol. Maximize space in a small bathroom. Clean your refrigerator. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was alchemy. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. 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. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, 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. 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