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What to watch for today
Notre-Dame skips Christmas mass. This is the first time in more than two centuries that the cathedral in Paris will not hold a Christmas service. It suffered a massive fire in April and has been closed ever since. Meanwhile in Hong Kong, Christmas masses will be held early due to the protests.
The UN could vote on a controversial internet policy. The Russia-backed resolution, which is on the agenda today, would take a step toward a global “cybercrime” treaty. The US fears it could be used to stifle online dissent.
The US tracks a possible “Christmas gift” from Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang warned this month that its actions will depend on how naughty or nice Washington is—raising concerns that the isolated country could “gift” the world a weapons test over the holidays.
While you were sleeping
Shinzo Abe and Moon Jae-in promised closer ties. The leaders of Japan and South Korea had their first formal talks in more than a year, on the sidelines of a summit in China. Moon said that they are close neighbors and, despite recent attrition, “we never can be far away.” Abe echoed the statement.
Buckingham Palace released excerpts of the Queen’s Christmas message. The monarch urges Brits to overcome their differences and describes the year as “quite bumpy.” Meanwhile, her 98-year-old husband Prince Phillip has left hospital after a four-day stay.
The IMF said India must act urgently on its economy. Declining consumption, investment, and revenue have driven India into a significant slowdown, the fund said. Prime minister Narendra Modi has spent the first months of his second term focused on his Hindu nationalist agenda.
New Zealand suspended its search for missing White Island victims. Police said they had given up searching for the bodies of an Australian teen and a New Zealand man, after a volcanic eruption killed 19 people.
The US launched an investigation into BMW. The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into allegations that the German automaker juiced its US sales numbers by telling dealers to register cars as sold when they were still on lots.
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Matters of debate
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? You can do better than that. The Bruce Willis action classic is just one of many movies tangentially related to Christmas.
One-day delivery is a disaster for cities. Sorting packages outside city centers, pooling data, and creating universal lockers would go a long way to help.
Can the swastika reclaim its original meaning? Before the Nazis got involved, it was an eastern symbol of good fortune and prosperity.
Surprising discoveries
In a village in India, peaceful relations with leopards are the rule, not the exception. The secret is observing the large carnivores closely and treating them as conscious thinkers.
Australia depends on a largely unpaid force to tackle its massive bushfires. Almost nine out of ten firefighters battling the blazes are volunteers.
Cats receives a “software update.” After a dismal opening weekend, the movie is getting “improved visual effects.”
The US refuses to send sniffer dogs to Egypt and Jordan. A report said that trained animals in those countries weren’t properly cared for.
If you can make it there, you won’t leave. The New York metropolitan area has the lowest rate of population turnover of any large US city.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, controversial Christmas movies, chili-spiked hot chocolate to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android, and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Luiz Romero and Hasit Shah.