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Stephen Bannon, Golden Globes, Consumer Electronics Show: Your Monday Briefing
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Good morning.
Here’s what you need to know:
Bannon’s mea culpa
• Days after Stephen Bannon was quoted in a new book accusing Donald Trump Jr. of treason, the former chief strategist backed away from the comment on Sunday, saying President Trump’s eldest son was “a patriot and a good man.” (Read Mr. Bannon’s statement here.)
Over the weekend, the president and his supporters harshly criticized the book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” which raises questions about the president’s mental fitness. In a tweet, Mr. Trump called himself a “very stable genius.”
• Genius or not, the president has left many countries unsure whether his messages on Twitter reflect U.S. foreign policy or can be safely ignored. If his threats are hollow, what does that do to American credibility? Our chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe explored that question.
A businessman and a diplomat
• A previously undisclosed $30 million deal last spring illustrates the growing financial ties between the family business of Jared Kushner, who has a prominent diplomatic role in the Middle East, and Israeli partners.
The business dealings don’t appear to violate ethics laws, and there is no evidence that Mr. Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, was involved in reaching the deal.
• But the arrangement could undermine the perception of the U.S. as an independent broker in the region. “I think it’s reasonable for people to ask whether his business interests are somehow affecting his judgment,” a lawyer who specializes in government ethics said of Mr. Kushner.
A search for security in Mexico
• It is a quiet but telling trend across the country: Towns and cities are policing and governing themselves, hoping to increase protection against drug cartels — and against the Mexican state.
We visited three enclaves that have created havens of relative safety. But their gains are fragile and have come at significant cost.
• The areas “are exceptions that prove the rule,” our columnists write. “Mexico’s crisis manifests as violence, but it is rooted in the corruption and weakness of the state.”
The Oprah Winfrey show
• The Golden Globes on Sunday were the first major awards show since allegations of sexual misconduct swept Hollywood, but it was a rousing speech by Ms. Winfrey that defined the night and captured the #MeToo mood.
“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have,” Ms. Winfrey said, accepting a lifetime achievement award. “I’m especially proud and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories.” (Read the full speech here.)
• Our journalists discussed the show as it happened. We also have a full list of the winners, and pictures from the red carpet.
U.S. to end protected status for Salvadorans
• Nearly 200,000 people from El Salvador who have been allowed to live in the U.S. legally for more than a decade will have to leave, officials in Washington said today.
Homeland Security is ending a humanitarian program that gave temporary protected status to Salvadorans after a pair of devastating earthquakes struck their country in 2001, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
• It is the Trump administration’s latest reversal of immigration policies, and one of the most consequential to date.
Business
• President Trump heads to Tennessee today, where he is to give a speech intended to cast him as a friend of farmers. But his positions on trade and some parts of the new tax law threaten to undercut farmers’ interests.
• India’s government and global technology companies are trying to coax people to give up their rupee notes, but some say they feel safer with cash.
• The start of the International Consumer Electronics Show is one of the headlines to watch this week.
• U.S. stocks were up on Friday. Here’s a snapshot of global markets today.
Smarter Living
Tips, both new and old, for a more fulfilling life.
• Nine tips for navigating the workplace.
• And eight ways to improve a relationship.
• Recipe of the day: A meatless dinner of chickpea and fennel ratatouille.
Over the Weekend
• At Kennedy International Airport in New York, a broken water main complicated operations that were already in disarray after last week’s snowstorm.
• Australia experienced a short-lived but blistering heat wave, including a high of just over 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.3 degrees Celsius) in a Sydney suburb.
• Carrie Gracie, a senior editor for BBC News, accused the network of operating a “secretive and illegal” salary system that pays men more than women in similar positions.
• Christmas is officially over. Look at Epiphany celebrations around the world.
• The quarterback for the Tennessee Titans caught his own pass for a touchdown, one of the highlights of the first round of the N.F.L. playoffs.
• “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” was No. 1 at the North American box office. But the weekend’s big movie news was in China, where “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” earned only $28.7 million.
Noteworthy
• In memoriam
John Young walked on the moon, commanded the first space shuttle mission and became the first person to fly in space six times. He was 87.
• Southern pride, Northern tune
The Georgia Bulldogs’ unofficial fight song has roots in a Civil War rallying cry for the North. We retraced the song’s history ahead of Georgia’s game tonight against Alabama.
College football’s national championship game begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.
• Quiz time!
Did you keep up with last week’s news? Test yourself.
• Quotation of the day
“You would think with water mains breaking all over town they would have a contingency plan. A couple of guys with squeegees doesn’t seem to do the job.”
— Michael Rossiter, of Jersey City, whose plans were disrupted by a water main break at Kennedy Airport.
Back Story
When unrest recently erupted in Iran, President Trump used Twitter to reach out directly to antigovernment demonstrators in dozens of towns.
Such public outreach is a lot easier than it used to be.
One hundred years ago today, President Woodrow Wilson outlined his terms for an end to World War I in a speech meant to appeal to the war-weary people of America’s European foes.
American newspapers such as The Times printed the 14-point speech in full, but that did not mean the average German would get the message.
A few days later, a report in The Times documented efforts to spread the speech behind enemy lines, after Berlin threatened to execute pilots of planes distributing copies.
“What is now wanted is some kind of flying craft which will travel fifty to a hundred miles or more, dropping propaganda on the way,” The Daily Chronicle, a British paper, reported.
“Here is a chance for ingenious inventors to improve on the existing facilities for invading the enemy countries with moral munitions and scattering broadcast pamphlets, tracts and pictures.”
Patrick Boehler contributed reporting.
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