Tuesday: Greenland's ice sheets are melting fast

Brexit, Chinese Economy, U.S. Shutdown View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Tuesday, January 22, 2019 [NYTimes.com »]( ADVERTISEMENT Asia Edition [Your Tuesday Briefing]( By ALISHA HARIDASANI GUPTA Good morning. Brexit remains in limbo, the U.S. government shutdown grinds on and China’s economy slows down. Here’s the latest: [Prime Minister Theresa May unveiling her new plan in Parliament.]Prime Minister Theresa May unveiling her new plan in Parliament. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images May returns with Brexit Plan B Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Parliament with [an alternative blueprint for Britain’s withdrawal from the E.U.]( Infuriating some lawmakers, it looked a lot like her initial plan, which was voted down last week in the most resounding parliamentary defeat in British history. Why it matters: The face off could become another epic political showdown that leaves the Brexit process where it has been for months — stuck in limbo with no obvious path forward. Go deeper: The speaker of the House of Commons, [John Bercrow]( has emerged as the surprise star of Brexit after he broke with precedent to wrest some control over the decision-making process. ______ [President Trump at the White House, announcing his offer to address border security.]President Trump at the White House, announcing his offer to address border security. Tom Brenner for The New York Times U.S. government shutdown entering fifth week President Trump, faced with increasing backlash over the longest shutdown in U.S. history, [made an offer]( over the weekend: temporary protections for roughly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants, known as “Dreamers,” in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for his border wall. Democrats called it “hostage taking” and refused to negotiate until the government reopens. Some of the 800,000 furloughed federal employees are turning to [pawnshops and brokers]( for short-term loans. Go deeper: People who have done business with Mr. Trump over the years say his uncompromising fixation on a southern border wall is consistent with [the negotiating tactics he used for decades in the private sector]( focused foremost on claiming victory. In other U.S. news: In a rare public statement, the office of the special counsel running the Russia investigation [disputed a BuzzFeed News report]( that claimed Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump’s former personal lawyer, had told prosecutors the president directed him to lie in Congress. ______ [A shipping port in east China.]A shipping port in east China. Chinatopix, via Associated Press China’s economy could be worse than it looks The Chinese economy grew by [6.6 percent in 2018]( according to official numbers released on Monday — the slowest pace of growth since 1990. But many economists, citing detailed data, see more slowing than government figures show. Retail figures slowed markedly in the second half of the year, weighed down by a steep tumble in car and smartphone sales. Activity at factories has slowed as the trade war with the U.S. begins to bite. And the real estate market has stagnated. Why it matters: China’s economy has always been [a major driver for growth around the world]( and a slowdown there is one of the many reasons the global economy is decelerating. What’s next? The Chinese government is already trying to help the economy reverse course. It has green lighted big-ticket projects, like new subway lines in many cities, to move forward, and pumped more money into the financial system. China’s leaders have also pledged to cut taxes to shore up sagging business sentiment. Go deeper: After decades of functioning as the world’s cheap factory, China must now embrace high-value manufacturing to maintain growth, writes [our New New World columnist, Li Yuan](. ______ [A floating iceberg in Greenland.]A floating iceberg in Greenland. Lucas Jackson/Reuters Greenland’s melting ice nears “tipping point” A just-published study warns that the ice sheet covering the massive island, which lies mainly above the Arctic Circle, is melting at such an accelerated rate that it may become [“a major contributor to sea level rise”]( around the world within two decades. The study’s authors found that ice loss in 2012 was nearly four times the rate in 2003, adding to research showing that the melting is speeding up as the warming increases. Another study has found Greenland’s ice loss had reached its fastest rate in at least 350 years. Why it matters: The study is the latest in a series of papers published this month suggesting that scientific estimates of the effects of a warming planet have been, if anything, too conservative. Researchers say they collectively underline the need for a sharp reduction in emissions. Here’s what else is happening Warning to Beijing: More than 100 prominent scholars and former diplomats, including two former U.S. ambassadors, [signed an open letter]( cautioning that the detention of two Canadians threatens the flow of ideas with China essential for policy work and research aimed at narrowing international rifts. The letter calls for the immediate release of the Canadians, who were detained last month after Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, was arrested in Canada. Crackdown on young communists: Chinese activists say the authorities have been forcing them to watch [taped confessions from fellow student activists]( who say they spread false information and violated the law. It’s the government’s latest effort to quell a resilient pro-labor movement fed by the ideas of Mao, Marx and Lenin, which are required subjects at China’s universities. Genetically edited babies: He Jiankui, the Chinese scientist who said in November that he had used the Crispr gene-editing technique to alter human embryos, “seriously violated” state regulations, according to [an initial government report](. The findings indicate that he and his collaborators are likely to face criminal charges. Carlos Ghosn: The former chairman of Nissan, who has been charged with financial misconduct, [offered a higher bail amount]( and pledged to hire private security guards in a bid to be freed from jail. A Tokyo court is expected to rule this week. Google: French authorities [fined Google about $57 million]( for not properly telling users how it collects data across its services, including its search engine, Google Maps and YouTube, to present personalized advertisements. It is the largest penalty to date under the E.U.’s privacy law known as G.D.P.R. [Senator Kamala Harris is the fourth woman in Congress running for president next year.]Senator Kamala Harris is the fourth woman in Congress running for president next year. Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times Kamala Harris: The Democratic senator from California who became the second black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate declared that she’ll be [running for president in the 2020 race]( in an increasingly crowded field. (Here’s [our candidate tracker]( Meng Hongwei: Nearly four months after the Interpol president was detained in China on corruption charges, his wife, Grace Meng, applied for asylum in France. “I cannot go back to China; such strange things happen there, and fundamental rights are not respected,” [Ms. Meng told a French newspaper](. North Korea: Kim Jong-un and President Trump will meet again next month, the White House announced last week, despite [a lack of progress]( in eliminating Mr. Kim’s nuclear arsenal. [Here’s why Vietnam]( could be the leading contender for the summit location. India: Bindu Ammini, who this month became one of the first women to enter a Hindu shrine in south India that for centuries had barred women of childbearing age, has been [bouncing from one safe house to the next]( fleeing angry mobs. Vulgar question: The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal by a clothing line whose brand name, “Fuct,” was rejected by the trademark office as [the “phonetic twin” of the most versatile Anglo-Saxon curse word](. Teresa Teng: The hugely popular Taiwanese pop singer died in 1995 of an asthma attack, but her rabid fan base lives on, [even in Beijing](. Halal tourism: Muslims now make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry. Hotels, flights and tour operators are beginning to [cater to their dietary and religious needs](. ______ Smarter Living Tips for a more fulfilling life. David Malosh for The New York Times Recipe of the day: Pan-seared chicken comes alive with a [lemon-anchovy sauce](. (Our[Five Weeknight Dishes]( newsletter has more recommendations.) Classic bow shoes are back in style. Here are [eight options](. Meaningful relationships with robots? Here’s[a deeper look at “digisexuals.”]( Back Story The Australian Open, once the least grand of tennis’s four Grand Slam events, has fully caught up. When the tournament [began in the early 20th century]( travel time for Americans and Europeans could be more than a month, so play was largely limited to Australians and New Zealanders. Jet travel made the trip easier. But for decades, low prize money and dates around the Christmas holidays kept many players above the Equator. Chris Evert played the Australian Open just six times; John McEnroe five; Bjorn Borg once. [The Australian Open moved to a new home in Melbourne in 1988, and things just kept getting bigger from there.]The Australian Open moved to a new home in Melbourne in 1988, and things just kept getting bigger from there. Professional Sport/Popperfoto/Getty Images Over time, the prize money and ranking points increased, and the tournament shifted to the third and fourth weeks of January. In 1988, its home moved to the brand-new Melbourne Park. Today, the “Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific” lures business support and fans from across the region. And now the stars line up. Serena Williams is seeking her eighth title and Novak Djokovic is vying for his seventh. Catch up with our latest coverage [here](. Ben Rothenberg, who’s covering the Australian Open for The Times, wrote today’s Back Story. ______ This briefing was prepared for the Asian morning. You can also [sign up]( to get the briefing in the Australian, European or American morning. [Sign up here]( to receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights. Browse our full range of Times newsletters [here](. What would you like to see here? Contact us at [asiabriefing@nytimes.com](mailto:asiabriefing@nytimes.com?subject=Briefing%20Feedback%20(Asia)). LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. 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