A Times investigation found that troops were disorganized, out of position and relied on social media to choose targets. Behind the failure: Israel had no battle plan for a massive Hamas invasion.

Where Was the Israeli Military?

With its beguiling octopus narrator, Shelby Van Pelt’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures” has notable staying power and is back on the best-seller list — a year and a half after its release.

How ‘That Octopus Book’ Won Over More Than a Million Readers

Some critics say the battles over the former president’s ballot status are turning him into a martyr and eroding faith in American elections.

Would Keeping Trump Off the Ballot Hurt or Help Democracy?

Quotation of the Day for Saturday, December 30, 2023.

Quotation of the Day: America’s Diet Is Feeding a Groundwater Crisis

Peter Goldwasser, the executive director of Together for Safer Roads, spends his weekends running around Brooklyn — literally.

How a Traffic Safety Guru Spends His Sundays

Paying an unexpected price for a novelty crown.

The Statue of Liberty Hat

Besides creating a nuisance to people, cats who roam freely can damage populations of birds and other wildlife.

My Neighbor Is Feeding Stray Cats, and My Yard Is Their Bathroom

Child mortality and extreme poverty appear to have reached record lows in the history of civilization.

This Was a Terrible Year, and Also Maybe the Best One Yet for Humanity

As we raise a glass to the past year and the one ahead, let’s explore the history of the tradition and its name.

A Toast to a Year and a Word

Stony Brook University, one of two state schools designated as flagships, has aggressively fund-raised and recruited students.

Can an Ambitious Public University Still Be a Place for All Students?

Each day, Times Insider editors scour the newspaper for the most interesting facts to appear in articles. Tidbits about Cookie Monster, the ‘Sodfather’ and leaf blowers surprised, enlightened and entertained us this year.

72 of Our Favorite Facts of 2023

Gleefully vulgar, the genre known as “Cinepanettone” once dominated Italy over the holidays. Italian revelers recently flocked to the alpine town where many of the films were set.

Italy’s Raucous Holiday Classics Are Not Your Standard Hallmark Movies

A festive pop-up restaurant is the latest crowd-pleasing stunt from Greggs, a mass-market bakery that is riding out Britain’s cost-of-living crisis with gusto.

How a Super Affordable Bakery Chain Became a British Culinary Icon

Alexander Reben is taking his tech-savvy perspective to OpenAI, a company that some in the art world believe is a threat to their future.

An Artist in Residence on A.I.’s Territory

In one of the war’s largest bombardments, 35 missiles slipped through Ukraine’s air cover on Friday, killing dozens. Ukraine responded with shelling on the Russian region of Belgorod, killing at least 22.

How a Russian Barrage Evaded Ukraine’s Defenses to Wreak Deadly Chaos

The conflict and surging arms production in Russia have spurred demand for ammunition manufacturing across Europe.

As War Rages in Ukraine, Denmark Turns an Office Park Back Into an Arsenal

The bombardment of Belgorod on Saturday, apparently in response to an enormous air assault by Moscow a day earlier, appeared to be the deadliest single attack on Russian soil since the start of the war.

Ukrainian Missile Attack on a Russian City Kills at Least 22, Officials Say

Assistance with school supplies and other essentials helped set a student up for college.

A Nursing Student Dreams of Her Own Clinic in Haiti

Readers respond to a guest essay by a philosophy professor about difficulties defending the humanities.

Why the Humanities Are Indeed Worth Teaching

Eduardo Kac found an unusual public space for his artwork — orbiting the sun. Celebrated fellow travelers on the rocket: the creator of “Star Trek” and some of the show’s cast.

A ‘Holopoem’ for the Cosmos

Corrections that appeared in print on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023.

Corrections: Dec. 30, 2023

The cases in Colorado, Maine and other states are requiring former President Donald J. Trump to devote resources already spread thin across four criminal indictments.

Trump’s Team Prepares to File Challenges on Ballot Decisions Soon

Republicans are pushing for the removal of Kristina Karamo, an election-denying activist who rose to lead the state party this year, amid mounting financial problems and persistent infighting.

Mutiny Erupts in a Michigan G.O.P. Overtaken by Chaos

The filing by the special counsel, Jack Smith, was the latest move in an ongoing battle over whether former presidents can be criminally liable for things they did while in office.

Prosecutors Ask Appeals Court to Reject Trump’s Immunity Claims in Election Case

A master of the French horn, a rarity in jazz, he toured the world with the pianist Dwike Mitchell and taught music at Yale.

December 30, 2023

Headlines from December 30, 2023

Where Was the Israeli Military?

How ‘That Octopus Book’ Won Over More Than a Million Readers

Would Keeping Trump Off the Ballot Hurt or Help Democracy?

Quotation of the Day: America’s Diet Is Feeding a Groundwater Crisis

How a Traffic Safety Guru Spends His Sundays

Billboard 200

1989 (Taylor's Version)

Pink Friday 2

Midnights

Christmas

One Thing At A Time

Historical Context for December 30, 2023