Since before Russia invaded Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked to join NATO – an aspiration enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine since 2019. Today, at the summit of the alliance in Vilnius, Lithuania, all 31 NATO leaders agreed to offer an invitation. However, Zelensky remained disappointed.
Without offering any timeline, NATO said it would allow Ukraine to join only “when allies agree and conditions are met.” The move would be a major blow to President Vladimir Putin – bringing the Western alliance to his doorstep – but it could be a very long time before Ukraine is eligible to join.
Zelensky called NATO’s lack of specifics “absurd,” but softened his tone when he arrived at the summit.
The main reason for denying Ukraine membership is because of the ongoing war with Russia. “NATO’s collective defense pledge, the famous Article V, would mean that every NATO member is obligated to fight for Ukraine,” said my colleague Steven Erlanger. “And nobody wants to do that.”
Elsewhere at the summit, Turkey’s sudden decision to back Sweden’s entry into NATO was seen by some as a sign that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could be scaling back his close ties with Russia.
Vermont sent helicopters and boats to rescue residents
The downtown streets of Vermont’s capital, Montpelier, were under water today after days of slow downpours drenched the Northeast. Rescuers in helicopters and boats headed to remote mountain towns to help residents trapped in dangerous floodwaters. (This is where the heaviest rain fell.)
“The devastation and flooding we are experiencing across Vermont is historic and catastrophic,” said the state’s governor, Phil Scott. But with rain expected to hit the area again this week, he added: “This is nowhere close.”
The flood revealed how unprepared the United States is for the extreme weather events caused by climate change. The country lacks up-to-date maps showing flood risks and rainfall data. Financing for climate resilience also falls far short of the need.
Trump seeks to delay his sentencing
Lawyers for Donald Trump have asked the judge overseeing his trial on charges of illegally keeping classified documents for an indefinite delay until all “substantive motions” are resolved. The request was in response to a special counsel request for a December 11 trial date.
Trump’s request presents an early test for Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by the former president. If approved, it could push the trial to the final stages of the 2024 campaign or possibly until after the election.
Iowa is poised to sharply limit abortion access
After the Iowa Supreme Court ruled last month to allow abortion up to 20 weeks into pregnancy, state lawmakers returned to the Capitol today to advance an almost identical set of restrictions. A new bill would ban almost all abortions after six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. With large Republican majorities in both chambers, the legislation is very likely to pass, further eroding access to abortions in the Midwest, where the procedure is already restricted.
Taylor Swift broke Ticketmaster on another continent
Tickets to six shows of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour next year in France were released today on Ticketmaster. But the site apparently wasn’t ready for the full force of her fandom. It quickly closed the sale after customers were met with almost endless waiting times (one buyer was told there were 1,023,504 people ahead of them).
The incident – a repeat of the problems that faced Swift’s North American pre-sale in November – is both a sign of the pop star’s popularity and also a failure of the most dominant company in tickets to protect its platform. Last year, a source of the problems was an onslaught of bots built to buy tickets quickly and resell them at higher prices.
Losing hair? It can be stress.
Everyone loses some hair. The healthiest among us shed about 50 to 100 strands each day. But if you notice you’re losing more than that, it could be a sign of a condition called telogen flow, or excess hair. Although it’s hard to know exactly what causes it, stress is definitely one reason.
Fortunately, however, the condition is usually temporary. Normal hair growth usually returns after a few months after a stressful event such as pregnancy or a death in the family. One doctor we spoke with recommends taking a daily multivitamin containing vitamin D and vitamin B12, but staying away from over-the-counter hair loss supplements.
to cook: This oh-so-easy sesame salmon bowl feels fantastic.
Check out: The last episode of “Iconic America” on PBS tonight explores the symbolism behind the Statue of Liberty.
This is where you can trade a cat for a funeral
If you listen to local radio in much of rural America, you might hear a host haggling with a caller about the price of a tractor. Or maybe a caller trying to trade a few bales of hay for a wheelchair lift.
These “tradio” programs, where sellers sometimes share delightful stories about their items, offer a more personal touch to buying and selling than sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Many callers are also more comfortable exchanging items with a voice and name, rather than an anonymous face on the internet.
Have an entrepreneurial evening.
Thanks for reading. Sarah Hughes was our photo editor today. I’ll be back tomorrow. – Matthew
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