Henry Kissinger's legacy and Frances Sternhagen dies at 93: Morning Rundown

The life and legacy of former secretary of state Henry Kissinger. Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom will debate in a battle for the presidency, albeit in different years. And Spotify "sound towns" have people amused and confused.

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Henry Kissinger, former secretary of state both revered and reviled, dies at 100

Henry Kissinger, the former secretary of state who is as admired as he is abhorred, has died at the age of 100. His consulting firm said he died at his home in Connecticut.

Kissinger left an undeniable mark on U.S. history as a secretary of state and national security adviser under two Republican presidents: Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He came to be seen as one of the leading diplomats and international relations intellectuals of the 20th century. He orchestrated the normalization of relations between the U.S. and China and helped ease tensions with the Soviet Union. He won a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the settlement that ended the Vietnam War (he was jointly awarded with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam, who refused the honor).

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Kissinger was also one of the most reviled public figures of his age. In the eyes of critics, he was synonymous with the brutality of American power and responsible for foreign policy decisions that killed millions. He expanded U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, brought a wide-scale bombing campaign to Cambodia and supported brutal regimes in Argentina, Chile, Indonesia and Pakistan. His most vociferous opponents labeled him a war criminal.

Read about Kissinger’s life, from his childhood in Germany, where he faced intense antisemitism, to his rise to power and influence in U.S. foreign policy.

Cease-fire extended another day to release more hostages

The truce between Israel and Hamas has been extended another day after a last-minute agreement for the release of more hostages and Palestinian prisoners. An American Israeli dual citizen who had been held in Gaza was among the hostages freed yesterday. She is the second U.S. citizen released since the cease-fire began.

At least three people were killed in a shooting attack at a bus stop in Jerusalem during rush hour this morning, Israeli authorities said, as fears grew of spiraling violence beyond the Gaza Strip. Palestinian health officials said two boys, including an 8-year-old, were killed amid an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank yesterday. Follow our live blog for updates.

More on the Israel-Hamas war:

• Fears are growing for the youngest Gaza hostage, a 10-month-old who Hamas claimed was killed alongside his 4-year-old brother and their mother.

• In a major speech, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned about repercussions if Americans don’t condemn antisemitism.

DeSantis and Newsom battle for the presidency — in 2024 and 2028

Tonight’s debate between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom will be anything but conventional, senior national politics reporter Jonathan Allen argues in an analysis. DeSantis, who’s fighting for the 2024 Republican nomination, is breaking an iron rule of conventional politics by choosing to debate a person not also running — but he stands to gain support if he can show GOP voters he can land blows on a Democratic proxy for President Joe Biden. Newsom, meanwhile, is widely viewed as a potential 2028 Democratic candidate. It’s a time warp, Allen writes. “What’s truly amazing is that it’s not even the first time that has happened this year, or even this month.” Read the full analysis here.

Vermont shooting suspect’s past offenses resurface

Ten years ago, Syracuse police confiscated a 20-gauge shotgun from Jason Eaton after an ex-girlfriend told police he had a history of domestic violence and wanted the weapon removed from her home, police records show. The ex-girlfriend also mentioned Eaton had a history of mental illness. It wasn’t the first time Eaton was on the Syracuse police blotter.

Now, Eaton’s past is under scrutiny as Vermont authorities investigate the shooting of three Palestinian college students over the weekend in Burlington, where Eaton moved in recent months.

Skepticism hangs over Climate Pledge Arena

The stakes are high at Climate Pledge Arena, the 18,300-seat stadium in Seattle claiming to be the world’s first “zero-carbon” certified arena. The Amazon-backed sporting venue, which claims to produce few direct emissions from its operations, wants to be a monument to the possibilities of a green future. The ice there is made from rainwater. The Zambonis are electric. The roof is essentially recycled. Not to mention the solar panels on the parking garage and free public transit to games.

But calculating carbon credits — and measuring their effectiveness — isn’t an easy task, and the credits have come under scrutiny for reportedly offering a fraction of their claimed benefit.

Today’s Talker : Is Spotify Wrapped suggesting your music taste…

…matches with listeners in Burlington, Vermont? How about Berkeley, California? Or Cambridge, Massachusetts? The platform’s personalized end-of-year streaming data is causing a stir on social media as listeners discussed three cities in particular that were common “sound towns.” For their part, officials in the Vermont and Massachusetts cities are thrilled at the distinction.

Politics in Brief

Jan. 6: A mother and son who aided in the theft of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop during the Capitol riot were sentenced to “jail but at home,” as a federal judge put it. And a member of the Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol in 2021 and shot at law enforcement officers this year after the FBI asked him to surrender was sentenced to two years in prison.

‘Bidenomics’ phased out: Joe Biden had freely peppered the word “Bidenomics” into speeches and remarks mentioning the economy — 101 times since June, to be exact. But the word appears to have been dropped entirely from the president’s comments in recent weeks.

‘Obamacare sucks’: Donald Trump doubled down on his calls to replace the Affordable Care Act if he’s elected president again. While some Republicans are open to revisiting the effort, they have yet to craft a viable alternative.

Staff Pick: A major safety redesign proposed

Infant loungers are linked to dozens of deaths in babies under a year old. After reporters Suzy Khimm and Elizabeth Chuck exposed the extent of the danger earlier this year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted yesterday to advance the first federal safety requirements for loungers and other infant support cushions. The aim is to prevent babies from suffocating on the pillowy cushions. Next up is a public comment period. — Julie Shapiro, assistant managing editor

In Case You Missed It

X owner Elon Musk scoffed at advertisers that are trying to “blackmail” him by leaving the platform over antisemitic posts he amplified: “Go f--- yourself.”

“Cheers” and “ER” star Frances Sternhagen has died at the age of 93.

Police in Jackson, Mississippi adopted a policy outlining how officers notify families when a loved one has died — a response to the public outrage over the death of Dexter Wade, whose mother searched for him for months before learning that he had already been buried.

A recent increase in respiratory illnesses in China is a common issue faced by all countries and Chinese authorities have it under effective control, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, despite Taiwan issuing a travel advisory.

Daryl Hall has accused his longtime music partner John Oates of committing the “ultimate partnership betrayal” by planning to sell his share of their joint venture.

Laser scans have revealed a series of “hidden” geological hazards in Yellowstone National Park.

Actor Shannen Doherty says she’s “not done with living” after revealing her stage 4 breast cancer has spread to her bones.

Federal prosecutors announced charges against a man they said was “recruited” by an Indian government employee to assassinate a Sikh activist in New York City.

Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com