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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Aleppo, Berlin, Russia: Your Morning Briefing | Aleppo, Berlin, Russia: Your Morning Briefing |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Good morning. | Good morning. |
| Here’s what you need to know: | Here’s what you need to know: |
| • Details were still emerging after Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was fatally shot while giving a speech in Ankara, an attack a Russian official characterized as a terror attack. | • Details were still emerging after Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was fatally shot while giving a speech in Ankara, an attack a Russian official characterized as a terror attack. |
| The gunman shouted “God is great!” in Arabic and “don’t forget Aleppo, don’t forget Syria!” in Turkish, as captured in this video (warning, graphic images). | |
| Russia has long backed Syria’s government in that country’s brutal civil war. | Russia has long backed Syria’s government in that country’s brutal civil war. |
| _____ | _____ |
| • Hours earlier, the United Nations passed a resolution to monitor the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians from the fallen city of Aleppo. Russia signed on only after a compromise that could allow Syrian soldiers and allied Shiite militias to block the monitors’ access. | • Hours earlier, the United Nations passed a resolution to monitor the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians from the fallen city of Aleppo. Russia signed on only after a compromise that could allow Syrian soldiers and allied Shiite militias to block the monitors’ access. |
| One of the civilians saved is a 7-year-old girl whose tweets describing life in wartime have drawn comparisons to Anne Frank. | One of the civilians saved is a 7-year-old girl whose tweets describing life in wartime have drawn comparisons to Anne Frank. |
| In Iraq, where the urban war against the Islamic State is grinding on, up to one million people are trapped in the city of Mosul, running low on food and water. | In Iraq, where the urban war against the Islamic State is grinding on, up to one million people are trapped in the city of Mosul, running low on food and water. |
| _____ | _____ |
| • The world of global finance was rocked as Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was found guilty of criminal charges. | • The world of global finance was rocked as Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was found guilty of criminal charges. |
| Here are the basics of the case, involving the misuse of public funds when she served as France’s finance minister. | Here are the basics of the case, involving the misuse of public funds when she served as France’s finance minister. |
| The judge declined to impose a fine or any jail time, but the conviction could destabilize the I.M.F. at a critical time. | The judge declined to impose a fine or any jail time, but the conviction could destabilize the I.M.F. at a critical time. |
| _____ | _____ |
| • “I could not think of two more different protagonists in the great drama of U.S.-China relations.” | • “I could not think of two more different protagonists in the great drama of U.S.-China relations.” |
| The analyst quoted was referring to China’s steely, calculated and scripted president, Xi Jinping, and the brash, ad-libbing Donald J. Trump, whose election was formally validated amid protests today. | The analyst quoted was referring to China’s steely, calculated and scripted president, Xi Jinping, and the brash, ad-libbing Donald J. Trump, whose election was formally validated amid protests today. |
| The dispute over China’s seizure of U.S. underwater drone this week offers hints at the possibly combustible mix of their different styles in the case of bigger tensions | The dispute over China’s seizure of U.S. underwater drone this week offers hints at the possibly combustible mix of their different styles in the case of bigger tensions |
| _____ | _____ |
| • Indonesia’s daunting shortage of skilled workers — in fields ranging from medical services to agriculture — could thwart President Joko Widodo’s ambitious plans to upgrade the country’s outdated infrastructure. | • Indonesia’s daunting shortage of skilled workers — in fields ranging from medical services to agriculture — could thwart President Joko Widodo’s ambitious plans to upgrade the country’s outdated infrastructure. |
| • A founder of the New York-based hedge fund Platinum Partners, along with six others, was arrested and charged with a $1 billion fraud. | • A founder of the New York-based hedge fund Platinum Partners, along with six others, was arrested and charged with a $1 billion fraud. |
| • The founder of Blued, China’s most popular gay dating app, is a former police officer who secretly ran a website for gay people for 16 years. | • The founder of Blued, China’s most popular gay dating app, is a former police officer who secretly ran a website for gay people for 16 years. |
| • Wall Street forecasters are delivering their market predictions for the coming year —which our columnist reminds to take with more than a grain of salt. Remember 2008? Stocks were supposed to be great that year. | • Wall Street forecasters are delivering their market predictions for the coming year —which our columnist reminds to take with more than a grain of salt. Remember 2008? Stocks were supposed to be great that year. |
| • Malaysia’s ringgit hit its lowest level since the Asian financial crisis in 1998. | • Malaysia’s ringgit hit its lowest level since the Asian financial crisis in 1998. |
| • The dollar fell against the yen as the Bank of Japan prepares to conclude a two-day meeting on the state of the country’s economy and announce its latest policy decision. | • The dollar fell against the yen as the Bank of Japan prepares to conclude a two-day meeting on the state of the country’s economy and announce its latest policy decision. |
| • Wall Street was up. Here’s a snapshot of global markets. | • Wall Street was up. Here’s a snapshot of global markets. |
| • Nine people were killed in Berlin after a truck driver plowed into a Christmas market. [The New York Times] | • Nine people were killed in Berlin after a truck driver plowed into a Christmas market. [The New York Times] |
| • Gunmen involved in a terrorist attack in Jordan on Sunday had a stash of weapons, explosives and suicide vests, suggesting plans for more attacks. [The New York Times] | • Gunmen involved in a terrorist attack in Jordan on Sunday had a stash of weapons, explosives and suicide vests, suggesting plans for more attacks. [The New York Times] |
| • Australians reported the highest levels of life satisfaction yet in the 16 years of an annual survey. [Australian Associated Press] | • Australians reported the highest levels of life satisfaction yet in the 16 years of an annual survey. [Australian Associated Press] |
| • Thailand is slowly showing signs of moving on after the death of the long-serving king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and the succession of his son. [The New York Times] | • Thailand is slowly showing signs of moving on after the death of the long-serving king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and the succession of his son. [The New York Times] |
| • Tokyo estimates that it will cost $3.2 billion over 30 years to decommission a problem-plagued prototype fast-breeder reactor. [Asahi Shimbun] | • Tokyo estimates that it will cost $3.2 billion over 30 years to decommission a problem-plagued prototype fast-breeder reactor. [Asahi Shimbun] |
| • In the Siberian city of Irkutsk, at least 48 people died after drinking scented bath lotion as a cheap substitute for alcohol. [The New York Times] | • In the Siberian city of Irkutsk, at least 48 people died after drinking scented bath lotion as a cheap substitute for alcohol. [The New York Times] |
| • Norway and China normalized diplomatic and political ties, frozen since 2010 when Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. [The New York Times] | • Norway and China normalized diplomatic and political ties, frozen since 2010 when Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. [The New York Times] |
| • New legislation in the U.S. is expected to worsen the water wars among farmers, fishing industries and environmentalists. [The Associated Press] | • New legislation in the U.S. is expected to worsen the water wars among farmers, fishing industries and environmentalists. [The Associated Press] |
| • Free-spending Chinese tourists are becoming an ever-larger force in New York. [The New York Times] | • Free-spending Chinese tourists are becoming an ever-larger force in New York. [The New York Times] |
| • The Year in News. The U.S. presidential election and the candidates were popular subjects for Times readers this year, but our most-read article, like last year, was about love. Here’s the full list — with a “no politics” option. | • The Year in News. The U.S. presidential election and the candidates were popular subjects for Times readers this year, but our most-read article, like last year, was about love. Here’s the full list — with a “no politics” option. |
| • Pregnancy alters the size and structure of a woman’s brain in ways that may make it easier to recognize an infant’s needs, researchers say. | • Pregnancy alters the size and structure of a woman’s brain in ways that may make it easier to recognize an infant’s needs, researchers say. |
| • A new series of books aims to make challenging adult literary classics accessible to very young readers, minus the R-rated material. | • A new series of books aims to make challenging adult literary classics accessible to very young readers, minus the R-rated material. |
| • Our Daily 360 video offers a glimpse of reproductions of the prehistoric art in the Lascaux caves in France, circa 15,000 B.C. The actual caves were closed to the public more than 50 years ago. | • Our Daily 360 video offers a glimpse of reproductions of the prehistoric art in the Lascaux caves in France, circa 15,000 B.C. The actual caves were closed to the public more than 50 years ago. |
| When is a phone call like a diplomatic life preserver? | When is a phone call like a diplomatic life preserver? |
| When you’re Taiwan, and on the other end of the line is President-elect Donald J. Trump, the first American leader to speak to you in 37 years. Above, President Tsai Ing-wen during the call. | When you’re Taiwan, and on the other end of the line is President-elect Donald J. Trump, the first American leader to speak to you in 37 years. Above, President Tsai Ing-wen during the call. |
| “When you are small and fighting a much bigger adversary,” a Taiwanese diplomat told The Times a few months ago, “you had better use your wisdom.” | “When you are small and fighting a much bigger adversary,” a Taiwanese diplomat told The Times a few months ago, “you had better use your wisdom.” |
| China considers the island, ruled by Nationalists who fled the Communist takeover in 1949, a renegade province. So when the U.S. and China opened diplomatic relations in 1979, the U.S. had to cut off Taiwan. | China considers the island, ruled by Nationalists who fled the Communist takeover in 1949, a renegade province. So when the U.S. and China opened diplomatic relations in 1979, the U.S. had to cut off Taiwan. |
| As China’s might and markets grew, most other countries followed suit. | As China’s might and markets grew, most other countries followed suit. |
| Taiwan is now recognized by just 22 countries, mostly tiny island nations in the Caribbean and Pacific swayed by Taipei’s aid packages. Two years ago, a former Guatemalan leader admitted to accepting Taiwanese bribes for diplomatic recognition. | Taiwan is now recognized by just 22 countries, mostly tiny island nations in the Caribbean and Pacific swayed by Taipei’s aid packages. Two years ago, a former Guatemalan leader admitted to accepting Taiwanese bribes for diplomatic recognition. |
| Taiwan’s last ally in Europe is the Vatican. But there too, officials have made overtures toward China, which has a vigorous, if partly underground, Catholic community. | Taiwan’s last ally in Europe is the Vatican. But there too, officials have made overtures toward China, which has a vigorous, if partly underground, Catholic community. |
| For now, Nicaragua remains with Taiwan. But it may sway: A mainland Chinese company has pledged to create a transoceanic shipping route through it, to rival the Panama Canal. | For now, Nicaragua remains with Taiwan. But it may sway: A mainland Chinese company has pledged to create a transoceanic shipping route through it, to rival the Panama Canal. |
| Patrick Boehler contributed reporting. | Patrick Boehler contributed reporting. |
| _____ | _____ |
| Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings. | Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings. |
| What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com. | What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com. |