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HAPPENING TODAY | December 20

New Deaths in India Protests | Democrats Aim for Buttigieg in Debate

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Deadly Unrest Continues in India

After two more deaths amid unrest over India’s new Muslim-excluding immigration law, demonstrators continued to defy a protest ban. Tens of thousands thronged the streets of New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaluru and Kolkata yesterday. But neither internet and mobile phone shutdowns nor police batons and water cannons deterred the sometimes rock-throwing crowds, which set buildings and buses ablaze. In one viral video, a group of hijab-clad women were seen chasing police away from a bleeding, beaten man.

What’s happening today? More reports of demonstrations are emerging, including that of a Nagpur rally where Muslim clerics are addressing at least 25,000 people.

SOURCES:   CNN  /  Reuters  /  Times of India
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Surging Buttigieg Targeted in Final 2019 Debate

With his recent boost in polls, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was a prime target at last night’s Democratic presidential debate. Sen. Amy Klobuchar called out the fact that he hasn’t won a state-wide race — contrasting her own winning record in conservative districts — while he took heat from Sen. Elizabeth Warren for wooing donors in a “wine cave full of crystals.” Buttigieg fended off the jibes, telling Warren he’d welcome support from anyone anxious to defeat President Donald Trump.

What else happened? Front-runner Joe Biden, who spoke about his battle with stuttering, elicited an apology from former Trump press secretary Sarah Sanders, who mimicked his stammer in a tweet.

SOURCES:   Yahoo  /  The Guardian  /  NYT
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Russian Spy Agency Shooter Called a Loner

Russian media are reporting that the man who sprayed Russia’s FSB spy agency in downtown Moscow with bullets, killing one person and wounding five others Thursday, was a “loner” and gun enthusiast. Police identified Yevgeny Manyurov, 39, who was killed by a sniper, as an unemployed security guard from nearby Podolsk. Authorities said they found five guns and a large quantity of ammunition in his apartment.

What was his motive? Authorities haven’t indicated it was a terror attack — though it came while President Vladimir Putin was at a nearby event honoring the FSB’s efforts to fight terrorism.

OZY profiles a Russian who’s fighting meddling.

SOURCES:   BBC  /  IBT
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New UK Parliament Gets Brexit Bill Vote

With an ironclad parliamentary majority, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is getting an initial vote today on legislation to sever his nation from the European Union by Jan. 31. MPs will then have three days to debate the measure before final approval. Critics, who will surely be drowned out by the Brexit-hardened Conservative majority, say the plan unrealistically expects the EU to agree on trade and other arrangements by next December.

How are markets responding? While global stocks are on a record tear, the pound dropped to a two-week low below $1.30.

SOURCES:   BBC  /  The Guardian  /  CNBC
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Also Important...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will delay sending articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate until it clarifies its trial plans. Australia’s prime minister has apologized for vacationing in Hawaii while bushfires rage in New South Wales. And the U.S. House has passed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade, which will be taken up by the Senate next year.

Try This: Feeling presidential after a week of briefings? Prove it with the PDB Quiz.

How do we look? You may have noticed changes to your news briefing from OZY. The same great summary of headlines from around the globe, with a new, sleeker design. Let us know what you think by replying to this email.

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SOURCES:  Revtown
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Ottawa Court Grants Citizenship to Russian Spy Kid

Fans of The Americans are saying “Da!” The Toronto-born son of the deep-cover Russian spies that inspired the acclaimed FX series can now return home. Canada’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Alexander Vavilov, 25, can regain citizenship, rejecting government arguments that his parents’ “diplomatic” status made him ineligible for birthright citizenship. They were arrested in the U.S. in 2010 and deported to Russia, but Vavilov, like his television counterpart, claimed he was ignorant of his espionage pedigree.

How did he react? With “indescribable” relief, calling the ruling “recognition that not only do I feel Canadian but I am Canadian in eyes of the law.”

SOURCES:  Daily Mail  /  NPR  /  NYT
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Digital Ad Curbs Could Hobble the Left in 2020

The crackdown isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, progressive strategists warn. Twitter and Google have clamped down on political ads, and Facebook is expected to reveal new rules soon, OZY reports. While liberals in the U.S. have pushed for reining in misinformation online, they stand to lose the most from an ad ban, one advocate warns, because conservative candidates have “organic distribution networks we do not have.” That’s often thanks to the biggest viral star of all: @realDonaldTrump.

Who will be the worst hit? Small-town candidates could be forced to pay more to reach new minimum ad buys under Facebook’s proposed rules.

SOURCES:  OZY
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German Court Bans Uber's Ride-Hailing Services

A German court has effectively blocked the ride-hailing service, meaning it’ll face fines in excess of $275,000 per ride if it doesn’t change its ways. In Germany, only professional, government-licensed cars and drivers can sell rides, so Uber operates by contracting with private hire vehicle (PHV) companies. The Frankfurt court found Uber violated rules by letting drivers accept jobs directly through the app rather than via their PHV company.

What’s next? Uber hasn’t indicated whether it will appeal the decision, which started with a complaint from a German taxi association, or if it will comply with the ruling.

Don’t miss this OZY piece that explores why Uber and Lyft are bleeding.

SOURCES:  TechCrunch  /  Engadget
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FDA Approves First Ebola Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted approval for Ebola vaccine Ervebo, developed by German pharma giant Merck, marking the first time any such preventative will be allowed in the United States. Ervebo guards against the most common species, Zaire ebolaviruses — the variety global health authorities have been battling in Congo, where it’s killed 2,200 people.

Where else is it approved? European regulators signed off on Ervebo last month, while more than 258,000 Congolese have already received the single-dose vaccine under a “compassionate use” research protocol.

SOURCES:  STAT  /  Reuters
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Now It's High School, 3 College Games and the NBA

Freshman James Wiseman announced Thursday that he’s leaving Memphis University to prepare for the 2020 NBA draft — where he’s a projected No. 3 pick — after just three college games. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in his truncated undergraduate career. Wiseman also served seven games of a 12-game NCAA suspension for accepting an $11,500 payment from coach Penny Hardaway shortly before the 16-year NBA veteran became the Tigers’ head coach.

What’s the bigger picture? As more players breeze through their campus stints, the NBA may readjust its policy to welcome draft prospects fresh out of high school.

Read OZY’s story about Hardaway trusting his assistant coach.

SOURCES:  ESPN  /  SI
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