The 7 from The Washington Post

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Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross">

By Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross

Listen to this briefing

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Dec. 9 and if you think you’re coming down with a cold, taking zinc could help — if you do it correctly. Now, let’s get to the news.

President Donald Trump’s plan to end Russia’s war with Ukraine could collapse.

What happened? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country will not cede land to Russia. That is a key Russian demand that Trump incorporated into his latest plan.
Zooming in: Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has been a central player in the Ukraine talks. His reemergence has sparked questions about his overseas financial interests.

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The Supreme Court is poised to expand Trump’s power over independent agencies.

Yesterday: Justices seemed open to allowing Trump to fire an FTC leader. Their ruling, expected in June or July, could hand the president more power to dismiss agency heads.
More legal news: Trump loyalist Alina Habba resigned yesterday as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor. Her decision followed a ruling that she had been serving unlawfully.

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A police investigation faulted Rep. Nancy Mace for a profanity-laced airport tirade.

The encounter left employees “visibly upset,” according to an internal investigation by the Charleston Airport Police Department. (Charleston Regional Aviation Authority)

Back in October: The South Carolina Republican berated officers with demeaning insults during a chaotic airport encounter, according to an internal report seen by The Post.
In other news: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. yesterday unveiled a MAHA plan to improve airports for passengers. He and other officials did pull-ups for the cameras.

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Paramount launched a hostile bid yesterday for Warner Bros. Discovery.

What to know: The Paramount bid comes days after Netflix struck an $83 billion deal to acquire the media conglomerate. Kushner is among the Paramount bid’s financial backers.
Over at ABC: Jimmy Kimmel, whose talk show was briefly taken off the air in September over his remarks about the killing of Charlie Kirk, extended his contract through May 2027.

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“Forever chemicals” could cause more infant deaths and preterm births.

A troubling discovery: Mothers in New Hampshire who were downstream of sites contaminated with the chemicals had triple the rate of infant deaths, a new study found.
What are “forever chemicals”? Also known as PFAS, they are class of compounds that have been widely used in nonstick cookware, food packaging and waterproof clothing.
You can reduce your exposure: Follow these six steps.

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“One Battle After Another” dominated the 2026 Golden Globe nominations.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars in “One Battle After Another.” (Warner Bros. Pictures/AP)

Yesterday: The Paul Thomas Anderson thriller earned nine nods, followed by “Sentimental Value.” See all the nominations here — and the biggest snubs and surprises.
In the TV categories: “White Lotus,” “Adolescence” and “Only Murders in the Building” led the charge. Only one of those made it onto The Post’s list of the 10 best shows of 2025.

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The human brain is still in adolescence into your 30s, a new study says.

The study suggests that brain development is not as linear as you might think. (Washington Post illustration; iStock)

How we know: Researchers looked at 4,000 scans and found four distinct turning points in the brain’s life, showing our brains aren’t fully developed until long past legal adulthood.
How to keep your brain healthy: Experts recommend this recipe to keep you sharp. It involves a mix of exercise,