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Good morning,
We start today with the naming of an acting defense secretary, the possibility of an extended government shutdown and the aftermath of a deadly tsunami in Indonesia.
President Trump speeds up defense chief’s departure
The president said on Sunday that he would remove Defense Secretary Jim Mattis by Jan. 1, two months earlier than planned, after a parade of defense analysts went on TV over the weekend to praise Mr. Mattis and his resignation letter, which criticized Mr. Trump’s foreign policy.
Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who was Mr. Mattis’s deputy, will serve as acting defense secretary.
Mr. Trump also suggested that the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Syria, which he announced last week over Mr. Mattis’s objection, would not come as soon as promised.
Notable: Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State, sped up his own departure, telling colleagues that he could not in good conscience carry out Mr. Trump’s new Syria policy.
From Opinion: Susan Rice, a former national security adviser, writes that the decision-making process that led to Mr. Mattis’s resignation does more to undermine American national security than any foreign adversary does.
As stocks dive, attention turns to the Fed chairman
Last week was the worst for markets in a decade, and President Trump has become increasingly convinced that one man is to blame: Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve.
After the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate for the fifth consecutive quarter, Mr. Trump told aides that Mr. Powell would “turn me into Hoover,” referring to the president in the early years of the Great Depression. Mr. Trump’s advisers sought over the weekend to offer reassurances that the president wasn’t planning to fire Mr. Powell.
The reaction: Markets in Asia and Europe were quiet today, although several were closed for the holidays. Futures markets suggested Wall Street would open higher.
Go deeper: At the midpoint of his term, the president has become more sure of his own judgment and more isolated from anyone else’s. “I’m doing great, but it’s a war every day,” he has told aides.
Washington shrugs at an extended shutdown
The partial government shutdown will continue until at least Thursday — and most likely into the new year — as negotiations have essentially stopped over President Trump’s demand for $5 billion for a border wall.
Democrats see little reason to compromise given that they take control of the House on Jan. 3. At that point, Representative Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to be the new speaker, could use her majority to approve a measure to fund the government for a year without additional money for a wall.
While about 800,000 federal employees are affected by the shutdown, about three-quarters of the government has been funded, considerably reducing the impact.
Looking back: There have been at least 21 lapses in government funding in the past 40 years. Here’s how shutdowns have evolved over time.
Tsunami in Indonesia kills at least 281
A search for survivors is underway after an enormous wave struck the country’s two most-populous islands over the weekend, killing hundreds of people, injuring more than 1,000 and destroying hundreds of buildings.
It was the second deadly tsunami in Indonesia this year, a time during which the country has also faced earthquakes, floods and an airline crash.
Officials suspect the tsunami was caused by volcanic activity on a nearby island. There was no seismic activity in the area, which means there was no warning that could have prompted an evacuation alert and saved lives.
Explainer: Tsunamis are created when large amounts of water are quickly displaced. One of our science reporters discussed their mechanics.
How banks unwittingly finance mass shootings
A Times examination of mass shootings since the Virginia Tech attack in 2007 shows how credit cards have become a crucial part of the planning of these massacres.
Omar Mateen, who killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016, charged more than $26,000 in the weeks before the shooting, buying guns, magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition. None of the banks, credit-card network operators or payment processors involved alerted law enforcement officials about any of the purchases, though the gunman himself worried they would seem suspicious.
Banks and credit-card networks say it isn’t their responsibility to track gun purchases in such a way as to allow them to report suspicious patterns.
How we know: The Times reviewed hundreds of documents including police reports, bank records and investigator notes from a decade of mass shootings.
If you have 6 minutes, this is worth it
Keeping baby Jesus in the manger
Around the country, nativity scenes are being robbed of their focal figure (and sometimes of Mary, too). The motives aren’t clear. Could it be an erosion of faith? Or mere teenage pranks?
In any case, rattled communities are responding with measures as varied as glue and Jesus cams, as well as a sprinkling of forgiveness.
Here’s what else is happening
Tent city closing: All 2,500 migrant children being housed at a facility in Tornillo, Tex., are expected to be released to a parent or sponsor in the U.S. by Jan. 15, an official with the shelter operator said.
London airport confusion: A couple detained in connection with the illegal use of drones last week at Gatwick Airport were released without charges. The police also said they had recovered a “damaged” drone near the airport, where more than 1,000 flights were disrupted.
Women’s March dispute: Accusations of anti-Semitism have overshadowed the movement as it prepares for its third set of rallies next month.
Journalism scandal: The German newsmagazine Der Spiegel said it would press charges against a former reporter accused of faking interviews and articles, some of the most notable of which were from the U.S.
Snapshot: Above, a Christmas parade in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, on Sunday.
Hollywood rebound: “Aquaman” earned $67.4 million at the domestic box office, capping a year in which ticket sales increased 6 percent from a dismal 2017.
N.F.L. playoff picture: With one week remaining in the regular season, we trace the sometimes convoluted paths that remain for each team with a chance to reach the playoffs.
What we’re watching: This 34-second video by Elle showing 27 women, all members of the most diverse House of Representatives since it first met in 1789, reciting the Preamble to the Constitution. Lynda Richardson, an editor for Travel, called it “chill-worthy.”
Now, a break from the news
Cook: This hearty garlic soup requires only a few staples and comes together fast.
Listen: The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge, will be directed for the last time by Stephen Cleobury and broadcast around the world at 10 a.m. Eastern.
Read: Here’s our reading list if you want to explore the mood and era of Barry Jenkins’s adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
Watch: “Cold War,” a stylized romance set against the backdrops of midcentury Poland and France. In her review, Manohla Dargis calls the movie’s two leads “knockouts.”
Smarter Living: Our subconscious programming — developed through our youth and into adulthood — plays a huge role in how we survive or thrive at work. A time management coach sorted through what psychologists call “attachment” styles and gives advice on identifying your own. One example: People who often work extended hours might be too focused on their own judgment of a project’s importance, and might need to work at accepting the validity of others’ points of view.
And now for the Back Story on …
The origins of “Silent Night”
If you love Christmas carols, thank Oberndorf bei Salzburg, a tiny riverside town in Austria.
That’s because “Silent Night, Holy Night” had its first performance there 200 years ago tonight.
The local priest wrote the words. The organist provided the melody. But the town’s organ was in such poor condition that they first sang it with a guitar.
The carol spread by word of mouth, reaching the U.S. via some Tirolean folk singers in 1839.
The original chapel is long gone, but a new one marks the spot, said Hermann Schneider, a retired baker who now gives tours.
Polish tourists celebrate Masses, he said, bringing their own priests. American brass bands sometimes appear. This month, a Sri Lankan group told him Buddhists sang the carol back in their home.
Why does “Silent Night” have such wide appeal?
“Because the melody’s so simple,” Mr. Schneider said. “You sing it once to someone, they’ll know it.”
That’s it for this briefing. We’ll be off tomorrow for Christmas but will return on Wednesday.
See you then.
— Chris
Thank you
To Aisha Harris for the cultural eye and Kenneth R. Rosen for Smarter Living tips. Alex Marshall, our culture reporter in Europe, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
P.S.
• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is an audio time capsule of 2018.
• Here’s today’s mini crossword puzzle, and a clue: Zodiac sign after Leo (5 letters). You can find all our puzzles here.
• The youngest person to have a crossword puzzle published in The Times is Daniel Larsen, who debuted at 13.
Source : Nytimes
