Plane Crash Investigators Look at Russian Antiaircraft Systems

Also, Israel bombed an airport and ports in Yemen. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.

Authorities in several countries are working to determine what caused the deadly crash of a passenger plane yesterday in Kazakhstan. Russian aviation officials initially blamed birds, but investigators are now focusing on the possibility that a Russian air defense system struck the plane.

The jet was flying from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny, in Russia’s Chechnya republic. At the same time, drone strikes were taking place around Grozny and Russian air defense systems were responding. Of the 62 passengers and five crew members aboard, 38 were killed, local authorities said.

Two Azerbaijanis briefed on the country’s investigation said that its government now believes that a Russian missile had damaged the plane. U.S. officials also said that there are preliminary indications that the plane had been shot down by a Russian antiaircraft system. And aviation experts said that images of the plane showed holes that appeared unlikely to have been caused by birds.

The Kremlin warned against making any immediate judgments about the cause, but some Russian pro-military bloggers have also pointed the finger at the country’s air defenses.

In related news, Finnish authorities seized an oil tanker today on the suspicion that it was involved in cutting vital undersea cables. They said the ship might have been part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” aimed at evading Western sanctions.

Israel bombed an airport and ports in Yemen

The Israeli military unleashed a significant air assault today on parts of Yemen controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, retaliating for the group’s frequent attacks on Israel. At least four people were killed and 21 others injured in an attack on the airport in the capital, Sana, according to a Houthi-affiliated report.

In related news: A Times investigation found that the Israeli military issued an order after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that weakened its safeguards meant to protect civilians. The order gave officers the authority to risk killing up to 20 civilians in strikes targeting Hamas militants. One of the deadliest bombardments of the 21st century followed.

Israeli military leadership said the change was made because they believed the country faced an existential threat.

Hollywood has struggled to bounce back

The economic outlook of the Los Angeles area, which has a population larger than most states, has been clouded in recent years by events that have upended the entertainment industry. First, there was the streaming upheaval, then the pandemic and finally the monthslong writers and actors strikes.

This year, workers hoped things would begin to improve, but for many they only got worse. At the same time, competition from other locales has gotten stiffer.

In other economic news: Total spending for this year’s holiday season rose 3.8 percent, beating projections. Discounts may have helped.

Some doctors have moved away from the weigh-in

Several large medical groups have recently eliminated routine weigh-ins in an effort to make visits to the doctor less taxing for obese patients. Proponents of the change say that weight measurements are driving patients away from seeking care.

Critics argue that obesity is the top health concern in the U.S. and addressing it should be the No. 1 priority for physicians.

More top news

• Syria: Security forces for Syria’s new government are hunting officials from the ousted dictatorship, including a former official in charge of military justice.
• Diplomacy: President Biden and his aides have praised the strength of U.S. alliances, but many of those same allies have undermined U.S. goals.
• Mozambique: The nation is reeling under its worst election-related violence since its civil war ended 32 years ago.
• Law: The murder case against Luigi Mangione will test New York’s antiterrorism laws and could have sweeping legal consequences.
• Tech: Taiwan’s FoxConn, a major Apple supplier, has spent millions in the U.S., India and Mexico over the past two years to lessen its dependence on China.
• Climate: Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York signed a law that requires companies that are big fossil fuel polluters to help pay to repair damage caused by extreme weather.
• Mexico: Cartels are innovating how they make fentanyl, testing the risky new formulas on rabbits and chickens — and people.
• Airlines: A dead body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane that landed in Hawaii after flying from Chicago, the authorities said.
• Obituaries: Donald Bitzer, a long overlooked pioneer of interactive computing, has died at 90.

TIME TO UNWIND

‘Squid Game’ is back

The dystopian show from South Korea was a surprise worldwide sensation when it debuted in September 2021, becoming the most-watched show or film ever on Netflix.

The second season, which premieres today, reunites audiences with Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), who returns to the “Squid Game” arena in an effort to stop the deadly competition forever. With a far bigger marketing budget this time, Netflix is pulling out all the stops to recapture the world’s attention.

Here’s our review.

The year of Charli XCX

At the beginning of 2024, the pop singer and songwriter Charli XCX was an underground star — a self-proclaimed “cult classic.” By the end of the year, she had become a genuine superstar.

Our music critic Lindsay Zoladz explained Charli’s rise to fame and her next hurdle: how to remain subversively cool inside pop culture’s molten core.

Your holiday traditions

We asked readers about the traditions they are most looking forward to this year. We’re featuring their responses this week.

Everyone in our extended family provides a list of 10 great things — large and small — from the past year for our Advent calendar. Through December, my husband and I get to read and celebrate these as we open each door. We had several significant deaths in our family this year, so it’s been even more poignant to reflect on all the good moments amid all the tough ones. — Elizabeth Lancaster, Prince Edward County, Canada

Also: Tell us about your New Year’s resolutions.

Dinner table topics

• Prime Time: For more than three decades, Deion Sanders has mastered the attention economy, first as an athlete, then as a broadcaster and now as a coach.
• Look back: These 71 photos defined the year in arts.
• Times Magazine: A story about a kidnapping inspired readers to share their experiences with trauma.
• Do my laundry?: Some expectant parents are opting for low-key nesting parties centering on household tasks.

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

Cook: Molasses and boiled water are a reliable base for a moist, tender gingerbread.

Watch: “2073,” a documentary-fiction hybrid, visualizes a dystopian San Francisco.

Listen: Igor Levit’s Brahms concertos made up one of the best classical music albums of the year.

Prepare: Here’s what to know before you start Dry January.

Browse: These Wirecutter-approved picks make travel less of a headache.

Hunt: Look back at our favorite home-buying selections of 2024.

Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.

ONE LAST THING

Sounding young at 85

When she steps up to a microphone, Midori Kato has the cheerful, slightly nasal voice of a 24-year-old. It’s the same voice she has been performing since 1969, when she debuted as the titular character in the popular Japanese cartoon “Sazae-san.”

Now 85, Kato has voiced Sazae for 55 years — a television record. Her character never ages, and the plot remains frozen in a staunchly traditional era in Tokyo. But Kato still enjoys heading into the studio to record a new episode every week. “I never get bored,” she said. “Never.”

Have a steady evening.

Thanks for reading. My colleague Justin Porter will write this newsletter tomorrow. I’ll be back in the new year. — Matthew

Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today.

We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.