Trump Talks To Putin

Good Monday morning. Today is Veterans Day. You can learn more about the origins of the national holiday here. Have a great start to your week.

In Today’s Brief

• Seattle: Stabbing attacks

• Equatorial Guinea: Sex tape leaks

• Oakland: Mayor recalled

• American Airlines: Appeal denied

• Beyonce: Grammys history

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Red phone

President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone last week, according to The Washington Post.

• Key context: The call is effectively the most significant publicly-known interaction between the Kremlin and the U.S. government (and NATO, for that matter) in over two years. President Biden and Putin have not spoken since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022; Putin broke off communications with French President Emmanuel Macron a few months later. Trump previously denied a report he repeatedly spoke with Putin after leaving office.

• The news: Trump reportedly warned Putin against escalating the war in Ukraine and reminded him of the U.S. military presence in Europe before expressing an interest in future talks regarding peace in Ukraine. The call occurred after Putin publicly congratulated Trump on his re-election.

• On the ground: Ukraine carried out its biggest drone attack on Moscow since the start of the war over the weekend. And Russian forces appear to be preparing a counterassault (with North Korean assistance) to reclaim Russian territory captured by the Ukrainians in the Kursk region.

• Big picture: How Trump will approach the war in Ukraine -- one he has boasted about being to end quickly in the past -- is arguably the biggest question the world has about his return to power. Ukraine was reportedly encouraged by Trump's recent call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the president-elect has also suggested he would be OK with Russia continuing to occupy Ukrainian territory as a result of a negotiated ceasefire.

2) Soccer saga

The Netherlands have been rocked by antisemitic protests and violence in Amsterdam following a high-profile sporting event.

• The news: Mayhem broke out after host team Ajax defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv in a UEFA Europa League match last Thursday night, with Israeli citizens appearing to be targeted after pre-match online threats. At least five people were hospitalized and dozens were arrested; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered evacuation plans for visiting fans. The incidents happened near the 86th commemoration of Kristallnacht.

• Key context: Israel's soccer federation is a member of UEFA, Europe's governing body for the sport. So Israeli national and professional teams participate in European competitions. Israel originally competed in Asian competitions following its founding, but tensions with Arab nations eventually made the setup untenable.

• The aftermath: Amsterdam temporarily banned public assembly for safety precautions after the "hit and run" attacks, but pro-Palestinian demonstrators defied the order over the weekend, leading to arrests. Some protesters reportedly engaged in antisemitic chanting. Israel's government has warned citizens abroad to "categorically avoid" Israeli cultural and sporting events. The French and Israeli national teams are scheduled to play in Paris on Thursday; France has pledged extra security.

3) Wrapping up

The book is all but closed on last week's election.

• In the Senate: Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego and Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, both Democrats, were declared victors over the weekend. Republicans will have a 52-48 majority in the upper chamber next year. The big questions now: Who will Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a member of the GOP, appoint to replace Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, and when will the incoming veep resign? 

• In the House: The GOP is closing in on securing another majority in the lower chamber, but Democrats still have a narrow path. Most media outlets have the Republicans between 212-215 seats currently with a little under two dozen races outstanding. A majority is clinched at 218.

• Presidential bookkeeping: President-elect Trump has officially won Arizona and Nevada, giving him a 312-226 Electoral College victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. It is the biggest win by a Republican since former President George H.W. Bush received 426 electoral votes in 1988.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• A man accused of stabbing at least five people in Seattle is being held on $2M bail. The suspect may have stabbed an additional four victims with all the attacks coming in the city's Chinatown district; the man has nine past felony convictions according to prosecutors (More)

• Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat, said he was the target of an apparent assassination attempt. A convicted felon was arrested near his home in possession of a rifle and an antisemitic manifesto with apparent plans to harm the Democrat, who is Jewish (More)

• Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is not expected to retire. She is the oldest liberal justice at 70; there was speculation she would be pressured to leave so President Biden could try to appoint a replacement before he exits office (More)

World News

• Equatorial Guinea is being roiled by a sex tape scandal. Dozens of videos involving the politically connected nephew of longtime President Teodoro Obiang Nguema have surfaced in a potential effort to influence who succeeds the 82-year-old dictator (More)

• Cuba was hit by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries; the quake comes after the island nation has struggled with blackouts and storms in recent weeks (More)

• Qatar has withdrawn as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, accusing both sides of negotiating in bad faith. The Gulf nation also signaled it will no longer allow members of the terrorist group's political wing to live in the country (More)

Political News

• Oakland, California's district attorney and mayor were recalled by voters. Mayor Sheng Thao is under FBI investigation and her home was raided in June; DA Pamela Price has been criticized for her criminal justice reform stances (More)

• President Biden and President-elect Trump will meet Wednesday at the White House. Trump did not invite Biden to the traditional transition summit between the incoming and outgoing presidents following the 2020 election; Biden is expected to ask Trump to continue supporting Ukraine’s war effort (More)

• Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and ex-UN Ambassador Nikki Haley will not return to Trump's administration. There are conflicting reports regarding whether former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will resume that position (More | More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes closed higher on Friday. All three posted all-time intraday highs during trading as the post-election surge continued (Dow +0.59%, Nasdaq +0.09%, S&P 500 +0.38%).

• American Airlines' effort to revive its rejected JetBlue Airways partnership was denied. A federal appeals court found the proposed joint venture violated antitrust laws, siding with the Department of Justice; the carriers planned to coordinate schedules and pool revenues for flights in and out of Boston and New York (More)

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is not personally liable in lawsuits alleging the Facebook parent company addicted children to social media. A federal judge rejected accusations by plaintiffs that the billionaire ignored internal warnings from his staff (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• Beyonce received 11 nominations for the 67th Grammy Awards, becoming the most-nominated artist in history with 99 for her career. Taylor Swift received six nominations; the awards show will be held Feb. 2 in Los Angeles (More)

• Actor Tony Todd died at 69. He was best known as the star of the Candyman horror film franchise; NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, a three-time Daytona 500 champion, passed away at 86 (More | More)

• Star Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki will be made available to Major League teams this winter. The 23-year-old right-hander led Japan to the 2023 World Baseball Classic title, but has struggled with injuries during his time with the Chiba Lotte Marines (More)

Quick Hitters

• Fun Stuff: A dad was filming his 2-year-old dancing at a wedding reception. And then the little guy snagged the cell phone. The results were incredible.

• Take Note: If you are ready to put your Christmas tree up, don't hesitate. There are many good reasons to stretch out the holiday season.

• Go Deep: We often feature new ideas and innovations in this section of the newsletter. Here is a rundown of 200 of the most notable inventions unveiled this year.

• History Lesson: People often use "snake oil" and "snake oil salesman" to describe deception, fraud and other lies. Here is the story of the man who inspired the terms. 

• Life Hack: Are you a fast eater? Here are some tips on how to be more mindful when dining, which will lead to more fulfilling (and healthier) experiences.

Watch This

Talk about a near-miss.

Links

• Checking in on the South Carolina monkey escapes 🙊

• Amazon deforestation is at a nine-year low 🌴

• Tactile controls are making a comeback 🕹️

• An ex-FEMA employee tried to ignore pro-Trump storm victims 👷‍♂️

• Barnes and Noble is experiencing a boom 📚

• Retro photos of weird and wonderful gatherings 📸

• A penguin from Antarctica is visiting Australia 🐧

• What happens when you eat spicy food 🌶️

• Bitcoin hit $80K for the first time 📈

• The Winnipeg Jets are off to the best start in NHL history 🏒

Looking Ahead …

Disgraced former Democratic New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, currently hosting a radio show in the Big Apple, is flirting with yet another political comeback attempt -- this time a potential city council run.

Question of the Day

Yesterday’s results:

Have you ever traveled via overnight train?

• No (61%)

• Yes (39%)