Good morning. This is the Up First newsletter.
Top stories
Ukraine peace talks: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he’s hopeful an agreement can be reached after U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva to discuss President Trump’s 28-point peace proposal. The president has set a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to accept the offer. European leaders are wary, noting the plan was drafted without broad consultation and would commit other nations to reconstruction costs and possible enforcement roles if violations occur. The Kremlin has not commented on the Geneva discussions; the U.S. says it will hold separate talks with Russia.
MAGA tensions and a resignation: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a prominent defender of Trump, announced she will resign from Congress effective Jan. 5. In recent weeks she’s become one of Trump’s sharpest critics, arguing he abandoned his agenda. NPR reporting suggests Greene’s views haven’t shifted so much as her perception that Trump and others in the party have moved away from America First conservatism. Political observers say differences over governing style and coalition-building have strained the broader MAGA alliance.
Fragile Gaza ceasefire: Israel and Hamas each accused the other of violating the truce over the weekend. The ceasefire has held for just over six weeks but remains precarious: Israel struck Beirut for the first time since June, killing a Hezbollah commander and raising fears the longer-standing Lebanon-Israel front could reignite. Much of the first phase of the Israel-Hamas arrangement—pauses in large-scale fighting—has been implemented. The next stage envisions an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, but major questions persist about which countries would contribute troops, how they would be trained, and how the force would be enforced. Despite ongoing clashes and mutual accusations, the agreement so far has kept a wider war at bay.
Cost of living
NPR’s series Cost of Living: The Price We Pay is examining how rising expenses affect Americans. After adjusting for inflation, average tuition at four-year public and private colleges has roughly doubled over the past 30 years. Many students don’t pay full sticker price because of financial aid and scholarships; that reduced amount is called the net price—but even net prices are higher than they were two decades ago.
Drivers of higher tuition:
– Reduced state funding: Cuts to state support have pushed public colleges to raise tuition to cover budget gaps.
– Prestige pricing: High sticker prices can signal status, and some families pay full cost—about 40 percent of Harvard’s incoming class pays full tuition.
– Opaque pricing: Costs vary widely by institution and state, and families often learn the true price late in the admissions process.
This week’s series will look at holiday shopping costs and other financial pressures. NPR invites readers to share their experiences with rising prices.
Living Better
NPR’s Living Better series focuses on hair loss, a condition that affects an estimated half of all women at some point. Remedies vary in effectiveness depending on the cause, so accurate diagnosis matters.
Key points:
– Normal hair shedding is staggered, so occasional clumps in a shower drain don’t necessarily mean permanent loss.
– The most common cause of permanent thinning is androgenetic alopecia, often showing as widening parts or thinning at the crown.
– If you’re unsure what’s causing hair loss, an in-person dermatologist visit is often best; telehealth can be a useful alternative when specialists have long waitlists.
Three things to know before you go
1. Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy, told The New Yorker she has a rare, terminal form of acute myeloid leukemia.
2. NPR’s Books We Love returns with more than 380 recommended titles for the year, spanning cookbooks, mysteries, thrillers and more.
3. A homeless advocacy group working with Cincinnati Public Schools will open a lot where more than 4,000 homeless students and their families can sleep in cars while awaiting housing; the program is slated to begin in March 2026. (via WBUR)
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.