Your Tuesday Briefing

> Michael Flynn, Stocks, Les Moonves: Here’s what you need to know. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( [nytimes.com]( [The New York Times]( Tuesday, Dec 18, 2018 | [View in browser]( Supported by Good morning, We start with new details about Russia’s effort to influence the 2016 election, the sentencing today of Michael Flynn and the continued slump in the stock markets. By Chris Stanford Russian influence campaign targeted African-Americans Two reports published on Monday [reveal new details about the Russian effort to sway American opinion]( before the 2016 presidential election. The research was commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee. While “other distinct ethnic and religious groups were the focus of one or two Facebook pages or Instagram accounts,” one of the documents said, “the black community was targeted extensively with dozens.” Here are [five takeaways from the reports](. The background: Russia’s influence campaign was directed by the Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg company owned by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. More than a dozen of the company’s employees have been indicted as part of the investigation by Robert Mueller, the special counsel. The details: The reports identified [some of the most widely shared images and posts]( the Internet Research Agency created. From Opinion: Russian interference is “a chronic, widespread and identifiable condition that we must now aggressively manage,” [the leader of one of the research teams writes](. Michael Flynn, a former three-star general, has pleaded guilty. Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press Michael Flynn is expected to be sentenced today President Trump’s first national security adviser [is set to be sentenced today]( in the special counsel’s investigation of Russian election interference. Mr. Flynn faces up to six months in prison for lying to federal investigators about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. But prosecutors have recommended little or no prison time because he has provided “substantial help” with inquiries. The details: An F.B.I. document released on Monday [outlines some of Mr. Flynn’s lies](. Notable: Mr. Trump has long blamed a “deep state” in the government for his troubles. A growing number of people accused of wrongdoing are [now adopting that defense](. Stocks hit a new low for 2018 This is [shaping up to be Wall Street’s worst year since the financial crisis]( a decade ago, with the S&P 500 down 4.8 percent since January. Driven by economic uncertainty, the slump is likely to be followed by a Federal Reserve decision to raise interest rates on Wednesday. Such moves are traditionally viewed as having a negative effect on stock prices. What’s next: [Markets in Asia and Europe were down]( today, but Wall Street futures suggest that U.S. markets could open higher. The impact: As the Fed pushes up borrowing costs, there is increasing concern that [growth will slow and that the chances of entering a recession will grow](. The Yemeni fishing boat Amira, in the background, was attacked in August. Three fishermen were killed. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times In Yemen, fishermen are also under fire Outrage over the murder of the dissident Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives has drawn attention to the Saudi-led war in Yemen, where airstrikes have targeted weddings, funerals and a school bus. Thousands of civilians have died. Our reporter [found that the conflict is also unfolding at sea](. In August and September, at least six Yemeni fishing boats were attacked, killing a total of 50 fishermen. Though both sides in the conflict have carried out maritime attacks, experts said there was little doubt that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for the violence against fishermen. Yesterday: In an unusually strong statement, Saudi Arabia [lashed out at the U.S. Senate]( for its vote last week to hold the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, responsible for Mr. Khashoggi’s death. If you have 12 minutes, this is worth it The Yoda of Silicon Valley Brian Flaherty for The New York Times For half a century, the Stanford computer scientist Donald Knuth has been the spirit guide of the algorithmic realm. He is the author of “The Art of Computer Programming,” which has sold more than a million copies and is the bible of its field. [Read our profile](. Here’s what else is happening No severance for ex-chief of CBS: Leslie Moonves, the network’s former chief executive, [will not receive a $120 million payout](. The company said he misled investigators about multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. School discipline policies: The Trump administration is [planning to roll back Obama-era policies]( aimed at ensuring that minority children are not unfairly disciplined, arguing that the rules contributed to rising violence in schools. Wireless merger: U.S. regulators have [approved the proposal to combine T-Mobile and Sprint](. The deal still requires the approval of the Federal Communications Commission. Google expansion in New York: The company plans to [open a $1 billion campus near the West Village]( hoping to double its work force in the city to more than 14,000 over the next decade. Chris Mcgrath/Getty Images Snapshot: Above, whirling dervishes during a ceremony in Istanbul on Monday to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, a 13th-century Muslim mystic and Sufi poet. Rumi’s tomb, in the city of Konya, is one of Turkey’s most visited tourist attractions. Saturn without rings: Scientists say that the planet’s icy rings are losing so much water that they [could disappear]( … in 300 million years. Word of the year: “Justice,” [according to Merriam-Webster](. The dictionary publisher said the word was looked up on its website 74 percent more this year than last. Holland Tunnel follow-up: The holiday decorations at the tunnel’s New Jersey entrance [will be rearranged]( after an online poll by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. (The Christmas tree covering the N in “Holland” will be moved to the more Christmas-tree-shaped A.) Late-night comedy: Several [hosts noted President Trump’s continued calls for funding]( his border wall: “Trump is so frustrated right now, he wants to build that wall just to bang his head against it,” Jimmy Kimmel said. What we’re reading: [This piece from HuffPost Highline]( recommended by Max Fisher, one of our Interpreter columnists. He writes: “Clancy Martin, a philosophy professor and author at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, has written a powerful first-person account of his suicide attempts, part of a two-part series on what the site describes as a national suicide crisis.” ADVERTISEMENT Now, a break from the news Julia Gartland for The New York Times Cook: [Hot honey shrimp]( for dinner in 10 minutes. (Our [Five Weeknight Dishes]( newsletter delivers fast recipes to your inbox.) Read: [These books]( if you’ve finished watching the second season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and are looking for more of 1950s New York. Watch: [A clip of the Oscar contender “Roma,”]( narrated by the movie’s director, Alfonso Cuarón, in which shopping for a crib turns violent. Listen: Avril Lavigne’s new track “[Tell Me It’s Over]( is a retro move for her, and it’s a can’t-leave-you song, [Jon Pareles writes](. Smarter Living: Products that we enjoy continue to create privacy, misinformation and workplace issues. Our tech writer Brian X. Chen notes that boycotting apps and developers who are unethical or mistreat their employees, or simply deleting the apps, [sends powerful messages]( to the tech world. We also have tips for [booking a cruise]( on the cheap. And now for the Back Story on … A Rolling Stone who gathered some moss Keith Richards turns 75 today. There are many who consider this achievement nothing short of a miracle. His career has been littered with one near-death experience after the other. Keith Richards, circa 1965. Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images In 1965, he received an electric shock onstage in Sacramento. He recalled lying in the hospital and [overhearing a doctor saying]( “Well, they either wake up or they don’t.” While in the throes of a heroin addiction in the 1970s, he barely escaped several house fires. He once fell asleep at the wheel. He popped in and out of jail on drug possession charges. In 2006, he fell out of a palm tree in Fiji, fracturing his skull. Two years later, he taunted death once more, snorting his dead father’s ashes. “Ashes to ashes, father to son,” he wrote in his memoir. But Richards appears to have mellowed out: Last week, he said he had [mostly stopped drinking alcohol](. “It was time to quit,” he sad. “Just like all the other stuff.” Here’s to the next 75. That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Chris Thank you To Eleanor Stanford for the cultural picks and Kenneth R. Rosen for the Smarter Living ideas. Andrew Chow, from our Culture Desk, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at [briefing@nytimes.com](mailto:briefing@nytimes.com?&te=1&nl=morning-briefing&emc=edit_nn_p_20181218§ion=endNote;section=endNote). P.S. • We’re listening to “[The Daily]( Today’s episode is about developments in the special counsel’s Russia investigation this year, and what to expect in 2019. • Here’s today’s [mini crossword puzzle]( and a clue: Christmas song (5 letters). [You can find all our puzzles here.]( • The first mini crossword was introduced in August 2014 and was the brainchild of Matt Hural, then the product manager. It has since been constructed daily by Joel Fagliano, the digital puzzles editor. [Today's Front Page]( [nytimes.com]( [Subscribe to The Times]( You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Morning Briefing newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( ADVERTISEMENT