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| Iran, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle: Your Thursday Briefing | |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| (Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.) | |
| Good morning. | |
| We’re covering the latest developments in the Iran crisis, the fallout from a plane crash outside Tehran, and a jarring announcement by Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan. | We’re covering the latest developments in the Iran crisis, the fallout from a plane crash outside Tehran, and a jarring announcement by Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan. |
| Congressional Democrats plan to hold a vote in Washington today that would rein in President Trump’s war-making authority in the wake of his decision to kill a top Iranian commander last week. The killing, which some called an assassination, prompted Iran to launch more than 20 ballistic missiles on Wednesday at two Iraqi military bases that house U.S. personnel. | Congressional Democrats plan to hold a vote in Washington today that would rein in President Trump’s war-making authority in the wake of his decision to kill a top Iranian commander last week. The killing, which some called an assassination, prompted Iran to launch more than 20 ballistic missiles on Wednesday at two Iraqi military bases that house U.S. personnel. |
| Mr. Trump mostly avoided making new threats against Iran in a televised statement a few hours after the missile attack — a sign that the two nations were backing away from violent confrontation. But their conflict could very well play out in other ways in the weeks and months to come, analysts say, and Iran could then have stealthier options than ballistic missiles — including cyberattacks — that it could use if hostilities escalated again. | Mr. Trump mostly avoided making new threats against Iran in a televised statement a few hours after the missile attack — a sign that the two nations were backing away from violent confrontation. But their conflict could very well play out in other ways in the weeks and months to come, analysts say, and Iran could then have stealthier options than ballistic missiles — including cyberattacks — that it could use if hostilities escalated again. |
| Related: Mr. Trump called on the remaining signatories of an imperiled 2015 nuclear deal with Iran to recognize that it was effectively dead. That puts him at odd with top E.U. officials who say the deal should be preserved. | Related: Mr. Trump called on the remaining signatories of an imperiled 2015 nuclear deal with Iran to recognize that it was effectively dead. That puts him at odd with top E.U. officials who say the deal should be preserved. |
| It’s unclear why a Ukraine International Airlines plane that left Tehran on Wednesday morning crashed, in flames, within minutes of takeoff, killing all 176 people on board. | It’s unclear why a Ukraine International Airlines plane that left Tehran on Wednesday morning crashed, in flames, within minutes of takeoff, killing all 176 people on board. |
| The crash came mere hours after Iran’s missile attack on the Iraqi military bases, and experts now say the aircraft may well have been attacked. “Planes just don’t blow up in midair,” one of them, Richard Aboulafia, told The Times. “It doesn’t work like that.” | The crash came mere hours after Iran’s missile attack on the Iraqi military bases, and experts now say the aircraft may well have been attacked. “Planes just don’t blow up in midair,” one of them, Richard Aboulafia, told The Times. “It doesn’t work like that.” |
| The mystery may not be resolved anytime soon: Iran has said it will not send the plane’s “black boxes,” or flight data recorders, to Boeing, the American company that manufactured the plane. | The mystery may not be resolved anytime soon: Iran has said it will not send the plane’s “black boxes,” or flight data recorders, to Boeing, the American company that manufactured the plane. |
| Catch up: Here’s what we know about the crash and the victims, at least 63 of whom were Canadian. | Catch up: Here’s what we know about the crash and the victims, at least 63 of whom were Canadian. |
| Iran’s view: State-affiliated Iranian news organizations initially blamed the crash on technical problems with the plane, without elaborating, but a top official later said there was no evidence of that. A spokesman for Iran’s armed forces said the crash was not a result of any military action. | Iran’s view: State-affiliated Iranian news organizations initially blamed the crash on technical problems with the plane, without elaborating, but a top official later said there was no evidence of that. A spokesman for Iran’s armed forces said the crash was not a result of any military action. |
| What’s next: The disaster may add to the crisis at Boeing, which has been dealing with the fallout from two fatal crashes involving a different model of jet, the 737 Max, for which software has been blamed. | What’s next: The disaster may add to the crisis at Boeing, which has been dealing with the fallout from two fatal crashes involving a different model of jet, the 737 Max, for which software has been blamed. |
| Prince Harry and his American wife, the actress Meghan Markle, said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that they would “step back” as senior members of Britain’s royal family and “carve out a progressive new role within this institution.” | Prince Harry and his American wife, the actress Meghan Markle, said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that they would “step back” as senior members of Britain’s royal family and “carve out a progressive new role within this institution.” |
| The announcement appeared to catch the royal family off guard, and the couple’s “half-in, half-out arrangement” will surely jolt one of Britain’s most immutable institutions, our London bureau chief writes. | The announcement appeared to catch the royal family off guard, and the couple’s “half-in, half-out arrangement” will surely jolt one of Britain’s most immutable institutions, our London bureau chief writes. |
| #Megxit analysis: Other royals have left the family before, but there is no precedent for the new arrangement that Harry and Meghan have proposed, writes Sarah Lyall, a former correspondent in our London bureau. | #Megxit analysis: Other royals have left the family before, but there is no precedent for the new arrangement that Harry and Meghan have proposed, writes Sarah Lyall, a former correspondent in our London bureau. |
| Background: The couple’s 2018 wedding was a global sensation, arguably making them the most popular members of the family after Queen Elizabeth II. But they have grown isolated amid spats with the tabloid press, and persistent rumors of tensions between them and the prince’s brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate. | Background: The couple’s 2018 wedding was a global sensation, arguably making them the most popular members of the family after Queen Elizabeth II. But they have grown isolated amid spats with the tabloid press, and persistent rumors of tensions between them and the prince’s brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate. |
| The European Union spent 20 million euros last year on equipment and materials to build a road in Eritrea — part of a €4.6 billion trust fund for Africa that was created at the height of the 2015 refugee crisis to “address the root causes of migration.” | The European Union spent 20 million euros last year on equipment and materials to build a road in Eritrea — part of a €4.6 billion trust fund for Africa that was created at the height of the 2015 refugee crisis to “address the root causes of migration.” |
| Many workers on the project turned out to be forced conscripts, but that didn’t stop the E.U. from giving Eritrea, a repressive East African country, another €95 million to finance a system of forced conscription that the United Nations has described as “tantamount to enslavement.” | Many workers on the project turned out to be forced conscripts, but that didn’t stop the E.U. from giving Eritrea, a repressive East African country, another €95 million to finance a system of forced conscription that the United Nations has described as “tantamount to enslavement.” |
| In an exclusive report, our Brussels correspondent calls the additional aid a “jarring example” of the quandary that the bloc faces as it scrambles to drastically curb migration. The aid also raises questions about whether that €4.6 billion fund — which does not require guarantees of democratic reforms — has become counterproductive. | In an exclusive report, our Brussels correspondent calls the additional aid a “jarring example” of the quandary that the bloc faces as it scrambles to drastically curb migration. The aid also raises questions about whether that €4.6 billion fund — which does not require guarantees of democratic reforms — has become counterproductive. |
| Response: The European Commission said it paid “particular attention” to protecting the health and safety rights of workers on the road construction project. But a U.N. agency that manages the project said that the Eritrean government was monitoring itself. | Response: The European Commission said it paid “particular attention” to protecting the health and safety rights of workers on the road construction project. But a U.N. agency that manages the project said that the Eritrean government was monitoring itself. |
| On Jan. 1, a Warsaw museum that has exhibited Poland’s leading experimental artists got a new director: Piotr Bernatowicz. | On Jan. 1, a Warsaw museum that has exhibited Poland’s leading experimental artists got a new director: Piotr Bernatowicz. |
| Mr. Bernatowicz, above, who was appointed by the culture minister in Poland’s populist government, wants to show conservative works and challenge left-wing positions. But Polish artists and curators, some of whom petitioned against his appointment, say his vision doesn’t fit with the museum’s background. | Mr. Bernatowicz, above, who was appointed by the culture minister in Poland’s populist government, wants to show conservative works and challenge left-wing positions. But Polish artists and curators, some of whom petitioned against his appointment, say his vision doesn’t fit with the museum’s background. |
| “To put this man on top is like putting a cork in the bottle,” one critic said. | “To put this man on top is like putting a cork in the bottle,” one critic said. |
| Brexit: During a visit to London by Ursula von der Leyen, the new president of the European Commission, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain offered no hint of flexibility on his campaign to negotiate a trade deal with the E.U. by the end of 2020. And Dr. von der Leyen made it clear that she thought Mr. Johnson’s timetable for negotiating a comprehensive agreement was unrealistic. | Brexit: During a visit to London by Ursula von der Leyen, the new president of the European Commission, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain offered no hint of flexibility on his campaign to negotiate a trade deal with the E.U. by the end of 2020. And Dr. von der Leyen made it clear that she thought Mr. Johnson’s timetable for negotiating a comprehensive agreement was unrealistic. |
| Carlos Ghosn: Instead of detailing his daring escape from Japan, the fallen auto executive railed at a news conference in Lebanon — in English, French and Arabic — against the authorities in Tokyo and executives at Nissan, his former employer. He portrayed himself as the victim of a rigged justice system and a corporate coup by disloyal underlings. | Carlos Ghosn: Instead of detailing his daring escape from Japan, the fallen auto executive railed at a news conference in Lebanon — in English, French and Arabic — against the authorities in Tokyo and executives at Nissan, his former employer. He portrayed himself as the victim of a rigged justice system and a corporate coup by disloyal underlings. |
| Libya: Russia and Turkey, which are said to be seeking to exploit a diplomatic void left by Europe’s failure to end the fighting in Libya, have called for a cease-fire to begin in the country this weekend. | Libya: Russia and Turkey, which are said to be seeking to exploit a diplomatic void left by Europe’s failure to end the fighting in Libya, have called for a cease-fire to begin in the country this weekend. |
| Taiwan: As the island democracy gears up for an election on Saturday, China’s hostility and months of protests in Hong Kong have reversed the political fortunes of President Tsai Ing-wen. | Taiwan: As the island democracy gears up for an election on Saturday, China’s hostility and months of protests in Hong Kong have reversed the political fortunes of President Tsai Ing-wen. |
| Climate change: Last year was the second hottest on record, and Europe had its warmest year ever, according to an intergovernmental agency that is supported by the European Union. | Climate change: Last year was the second hottest on record, and Europe had its warmest year ever, according to an intergovernmental agency that is supported by the European Union. |
| Snapshot: Above, a cuttlefish in 3-D glasses, part of researchers’ attempts to test the animals’ depth perception. The cephalopods, unlike their squid and octopus cousins, can see in three dimensions, according to a new study. | Snapshot: Above, a cuttlefish in 3-D glasses, part of researchers’ attempts to test the animals’ depth perception. The cephalopods, unlike their squid and octopus cousins, can see in three dimensions, according to a new study. |
| What we’re reading: This exhaustive ranking of every Adam Sandler movie in Vulture. Tom Wright-Piersanti, a briefings editor, says: “What’s great about this list is that the comedies that made him a household name are given the same attention as his acclaimed indie roles.” | What we’re reading: This exhaustive ranking of every Adam Sandler movie in Vulture. Tom Wright-Piersanti, a briefings editor, says: “What’s great about this list is that the comedies that made him a household name are given the same attention as his acclaimed indie roles.” |
| Cook: Meaty mushrooms simmered with pearl onions, wine and carrots make for a rich, meatless, Bourguignon-style stew. | Cook: Meaty mushrooms simmered with pearl onions, wine and carrots make for a rich, meatless, Bourguignon-style stew. |
| Read: Our pop culture reporter profiled the actress Florence Pugh, who stars in “Little Women” and “Midsommar.” | Read: Our pop culture reporter profiled the actress Florence Pugh, who stars in “Little Women” and “Midsommar.” |
| Smarter Living: If you’re one of the many who went a little too far with holiday shopping, here’s how to get back on track with your finances. | Smarter Living: If you’re one of the many who went a little too far with holiday shopping, here’s how to get back on track with your finances. |
| When the news broke that a Ukrainian jet had gone down after taking off from Tehran, Times reporters and editors around the world sprang into action — including our increasingly sophisticated visual investigations team. | When the news broke that a Ukrainian jet had gone down after taking off from Tehran, Times reporters and editors around the world sprang into action — including our increasingly sophisticated visual investigations team. |
| The plane crashed a little after 6 a.m. Wednesday local time (shortly before 10 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday). Malachy Browne, a senior producer who previously investigated the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the Las Vegas shooting, was at home in New York, where he quickly got to work. | The plane crashed a little after 6 a.m. Wednesday local time (shortly before 10 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday). Malachy Browne, a senior producer who previously investigated the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the Las Vegas shooting, was at home in New York, where he quickly got to work. |
| On Flightradar24, which tracks aircraft by their radio signals, he surveyed the recent flights out of Tehran. One had stopped transmitting close to Tehran’s international airport, over the village of Parand. On social media, he quickly began sifting through accounts of what had happened. | On Flightradar24, which tracks aircraft by their radio signals, he surveyed the recent flights out of Tehran. One had stopped transmitting close to Tehran’s international airport, over the village of Parand. On social media, he quickly began sifting through accounts of what had happened. |
| A native of Iran on Malachy’s team, Nilo Tabrizy, spoke with an Instagram user who had posted images of the wreckage. Other accounts and witness videos also helped our team to determine that the plane was on fire with its wings attached as it rapidly descended. | A native of Iran on Malachy’s team, Nilo Tabrizy, spoke with an Instagram user who had posted images of the wreckage. Other accounts and witness videos also helped our team to determine that the plane was on fire with its wings attached as it rapidly descended. |
| And by mapping the photos and analyzing structural damage and blood splatter on the ground, the team confirmed that the plane was turning back toward the airport when it crashed — crucial information in the still-developing account of what happened. | And by mapping the photos and analyzing structural damage and blood splatter on the ground, the team confirmed that the plane was turning back toward the airport when it crashed — crucial information in the still-developing account of what happened. |
| Now they’re mapping where debris landed and working with our reporter James Glanz and other aviation experts to analyze the clues. | Now they’re mapping where debris landed and working with our reporter James Glanz and other aviation experts to analyze the clues. |
| When Nilo called her relatives in Iran to check on them, they told her not to be so “Western.” “Don’t worry!” they told her. They had, after all, lived through the Iran-Iraq war. | When Nilo called her relatives in Iran to check on them, they told her not to be so “Western.” “Don’t worry!” they told her. They had, after all, lived through the Iran-Iraq war. |
| That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. | That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. |
| — Mike | — Mike |
| Thank youTo Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. Andrea Kannapell, the Briefings editor, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com. | Thank youTo Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. Andrea Kannapell, the Briefings editor, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com. |
| P.S.• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about John Bolton’s potential testimony in President Trump’s impeachment trial.• Here’s today’s Mini Crossword puzzle, and a clue: domain (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • The Times Book Review has started a new column, Group Text, that offers recommendations especially geared toward book clubs. | P.S.• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about John Bolton’s potential testimony in President Trump’s impeachment trial.• Here’s today’s Mini Crossword puzzle, and a clue: domain (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • The Times Book Review has started a new column, Group Text, that offers recommendations especially geared toward book clubs. |