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| Government Shutdown, Ginsburg, Mattis: Your Weekend Briefing | Government Shutdown, Ginsburg, Mattis: Your Weekend Briefing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Here are the week’s top stories, and a look ahead. | Here are the week’s top stories, and a look ahead. |
| 1. It’s a showdown over President Trump’s wall. | 1. It’s a showdown over President Trump’s wall. |
| The federal government shut down early Saturday after congressional and White House officials could not reach a compromise on a spending bill. The shutdown will continue for the next several days. The White House has indicated that Mr. Trump is sticking to his demand for $5 billion for a border wall. And Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, adjourned the Senate until Thursday. | |
| The shutdown has stopped work at nine federal departments and several other agencies. About 380,000 government employees will not be paid, and 420,000 others considered too essential to be furloughed are being forced to work without pay. (Workers have been reimbursed after past shutdowns.) Here’s a look at how the impasse is affecting federal departments. | The shutdown has stopped work at nine federal departments and several other agencies. About 380,000 government employees will not be paid, and 420,000 others considered too essential to be furloughed are being forced to work without pay. (Workers have been reimbursed after past shutdowns.) Here’s a look at how the impasse is affecting federal departments. |
| The shutdown was part of a chaotic series of events in Washington this week, a fitting end for the 115th Congress and a fractious, emotionally charged year. | The shutdown was part of a chaotic series of events in Washington this week, a fitting end for the 115th Congress and a fractious, emotionally charged year. |
| Have you been keeping up with the headlines? Test your knowledge with our news quiz. And here’s the front page of our Sunday paper, the Sunday Review from Opinion and our crossword puzzles. | Have you been keeping up with the headlines? Test your knowledge with our news quiz. And here’s the front page of our Sunday paper, the Sunday Review from Opinion and our crossword puzzles. |
| ____ | ____ |
| 2. President Trump ordered a full withdrawal from Syria, announcing the return of 2,000 American troops and declaring that the U.S. had “defeated ISIS” there. | 2. President Trump ordered a full withdrawal from Syria, announcing the return of 2,000 American troops and declaring that the U.S. had “defeated ISIS” there. |
| His decision, announced Wednesday over the objections of military and civilian advisers, fulfills his frequently expressed desire to bring troops home. But it also cedes control of Syria to Russia and Iran, and it abandons America’s Kurdish allies. | His decision, announced Wednesday over the objections of military and civilian advisers, fulfills his frequently expressed desire to bring troops home. But it also cedes control of Syria to Russia and Iran, and it abandons America’s Kurdish allies. |
| Jim Mattis, the defense secretary, resigned in protest of the decision, rattling many. The experience and stability of Mr. Mattis, above right, were widely seen as a balance to an unpredictable president. And Brett McGurk, the top diplomat leading the fight against ISIS, sped up his departure because of the policy shift. | Jim Mattis, the defense secretary, resigned in protest of the decision, rattling many. The experience and stability of Mr. Mattis, above right, were widely seen as a balance to an unpredictable president. And Brett McGurk, the top diplomat leading the fight against ISIS, sped up his departure because of the policy shift. |
| Separately, roughly half of the U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan will leave in the coming months, defense officials said. The withdrawal comes at a time when the Taliban have been gaining momentum. | Separately, roughly half of the U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan will leave in the coming months, defense officials said. The withdrawal comes at a time when the Taliban have been gaining momentum. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 3. Stocks are now in an ominous territory that investors have not seen in nearly a decade: a severe decline known as a bear market. | 3. Stocks are now in an ominous territory that investors have not seen in nearly a decade: a severe decline known as a bear market. |
| The good news: The market is well above where it was at the start of 2017. The not-so-good news: The longer that bear markets last, the more pessimism they spread. | The good news: The market is well above where it was at the start of 2017. The not-so-good news: The longer that bear markets last, the more pessimism they spread. |
| Still, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome H. Powell, emphasized the continued strength of economic growth after the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday. | Still, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome H. Powell, emphasized the continued strength of economic growth after the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 4. The sentencing of Michael T. Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, was delayed until at least March, giving Mr. Flynn more time to prove the value of his cooperation with federal prosecutors. Mr. Flynn pleaded guilty last year to lying to the F.B.I. about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in the month after the election. | 4. The sentencing of Michael T. Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, was delayed until at least March, giving Mr. Flynn more time to prove the value of his cooperation with federal prosecutors. Mr. Flynn pleaded guilty last year to lying to the F.B.I. about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in the month after the election. |
| And the Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it intended to lift sanctions against the companies of a Russian oligarch, Oleg V. Deripaska, seen above with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Mr. Deripaska’s business were hit in April in retaliation for Russian interference in the election and other hostile acts by Moscow. | And the Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it intended to lift sanctions against the companies of a Russian oligarch, Oleg V. Deripaska, seen above with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Mr. Deripaska’s business were hit in April in retaliation for Russian interference in the election and other hostile acts by Moscow. |
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| 5. Google, Twitter and Facebook “evaded” and “misrepresented” themselves and the extent of Russian activity on their sites, according to two reports for the Senate Intelligence Committee. | 5. Google, Twitter and Facebook “evaded” and “misrepresented” themselves and the extent of Russian activity on their sites, according to two reports for the Senate Intelligence Committee. |
| The studies renewed questions about whether social media companies have withheld data on Russian activity, and how willing they really are to address the issue. After facing scrutiny over the past two years for distributing inflammatory Russian-made propaganda to Americans, some of the companies — such as Facebook, which owns Instagram — have pledged more transparency. | The studies renewed questions about whether social media companies have withheld data on Russian activity, and how willing they really are to address the issue. After facing scrutiny over the past two years for distributing inflammatory Russian-made propaganda to Americans, some of the companies — such as Facebook, which owns Instagram — have pledged more transparency. |
| The privacy issues keep coming. Our recent investigation found that for years Facebook gave tech companies like Netflix and Spotify more intrusive access to users’ personal data than it has disclosed, essentially exempting those business partners from its usual privacy rules. | The privacy issues keep coming. Our recent investigation found that for years Facebook gave tech companies like Netflix and Spotify more intrusive access to users’ personal data than it has disclosed, essentially exempting those business partners from its usual privacy rules. |
| Here are five takeaways from our investigation, and how to delete Facebook for good. | Here are five takeaways from our investigation, and how to delete Facebook for good. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 6. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce its new policy of denying asylum to migrants who enter the country illegally or do not apply at a port of entry. | 6. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce its new policy of denying asylum to migrants who enter the country illegally or do not apply at a port of entry. |
| Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., now plainly the court’s ideological center, joined the four-member liberal wing in refusing to immediately reinstate the policy. A Justice Department spokesman said the administration would continue to defend the policy. | Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., now plainly the court’s ideological center, joined the four-member liberal wing in refusing to immediately reinstate the policy. A Justice Department spokesman said the administration would continue to defend the policy. |
| Separately, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, above, the senior member of that liberal wing, underwent surgery on Friday to remove two nodules from her left lung. While the nodules were malignant, “there was no evidence of any remaining disease,” a court spokeswoman said. | Separately, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, above, the senior member of that liberal wing, underwent surgery on Friday to remove two nodules from her left lung. While the nodules were malignant, “there was no evidence of any remaining disease,” a court spokeswoman said. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 7. In a rare moment of bipartisanship, President Trump on Friday signed a criminal justice reform bill known as the First Step Act. | 7. In a rare moment of bipartisanship, President Trump on Friday signed a criminal justice reform bill known as the First Step Act. |
| The legislation expands job training and other programs aimed at reducing recidivism among federal prisoners. It also expands early-release programs and modifies sentencing laws to more equitably punish drug offenders. The bill overwhelming passed in the Senate, with every Democrat and all but 12 Republicans voting in favor. Above, senators at a news conference after the bill was passed. | The legislation expands job training and other programs aimed at reducing recidivism among federal prisoners. It also expands early-release programs and modifies sentencing laws to more equitably punish drug offenders. The bill overwhelming passed in the Senate, with every Democrat and all but 12 Republicans voting in favor. Above, senators at a news conference after the bill was passed. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 8. A damning report from the Illinois attorney general said the Roman Catholic Church had withheld the names of at least 500 priests in the state who had been accused of sexual misconduct. | 8. A damning report from the Illinois attorney general said the Roman Catholic Church had withheld the names of at least 500 priests in the state who had been accused of sexual misconduct. |
| On Friday, Pope Francis called on clerics who sexually abuse minors to turn themselves in, saying the Catholic Church would remove priests who prey on their flocks. | On Friday, Pope Francis called on clerics who sexually abuse minors to turn themselves in, saying the Catholic Church would remove priests who prey on their flocks. |
| But some advocates said the pope was misguided in his call. As one advocate for victims put it, “He’s pretending that sick men can suddenly see the light.” | But some advocates said the pope was misguided in his call. As one advocate for victims put it, “He’s pretending that sick men can suddenly see the light.” |
| _____ | _____ |
| 9. It’s the first weekend of winter, and no matter how you’re staying warm, we have plenty of seasonally appropriate guides for your perusal. | 9. It’s the first weekend of winter, and no matter how you’re staying warm, we have plenty of seasonally appropriate guides for your perusal. |
| Our music critics’ playlist features seasonal tracks from Wynton Marsalis, Lucius, Rae Sremmurd and others. If you’ve got cabin fever after time at home and are looking for a field trip, one of our editors in Culture recommended 12 new movies to see. Wary of familiar tropes in holiday movies? Our gender writer has a list of movies that feature women as … people! | Our music critics’ playlist features seasonal tracks from Wynton Marsalis, Lucius, Rae Sremmurd and others. If you’ve got cabin fever after time at home and are looking for a field trip, one of our editors in Culture recommended 12 new movies to see. Wary of familiar tropes in holiday movies? Our gender writer has a list of movies that feature women as … people! |
| _____ | _____ |
| 10. Finally, if you find yourself with a moment to spare this week, don’t miss our Best Weekend Reads. | 10. Finally, if you find yourself with a moment to spare this week, don’t miss our Best Weekend Reads. |
| This week, we’ve got an investigation into the litigious history of a bikini, a story about the 50th anniversary of the Earthrise photograph and how to make a Times crossword. | This week, we’ve got an investigation into the litigious history of a bikini, a story about the 50th anniversary of the Earthrise photograph and how to make a Times crossword. |
| Have a wonderful week and happy holidays, if you celebrate. | Have a wonderful week and happy holidays, if you celebrate. |
| Your Weekend Briefing is published Sundays at 6 a.m. Eastern. | Your Weekend Briefing is published Sundays at 6 a.m. Eastern. |
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| Browse our full range of Times newsletters here. | Browse our full range of Times newsletters here. |
| What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. | What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. |