China Furious Over Trump’s HK Bills | Thanksgiving Travel Chaos

www.ozy.com [ozy.com]( YOUR PRESIDENTIAL DAILY BRIEF [sponsor][sponsor]( Thursday Nov 28, 2019 [LISTEN FROM 8:00AM EST]( [GettyImages-1185046863.jpg]( Iraqi protesters set fire to the Iranian consulate in the southern city of Najaf Wednesday. Source: Getty IMPORTANT 01 [China Furious as Trump Signs Hong Kong Bills]( President Donald Trump should expect "firm countermeasures," Beijing warned Thursday, after he approved legislation supporting pro-democracy protesters [in China's crisis-stricken semi-autonomous territory](. Among other measures, the new laws threaten sanctions for human rights violations. Trump, who acknowledged the move might rattle China, said he hoped all involved in the monthslong unrest could "amicably settle their differences." Why does it matter? It could seriously derail trade talks between Beijing and Washington — shortly after both sides hailed signs of progress SOURCES: [AP]( / [REUTERS]( 02 [Iraqi Protests Marred by More Deadly Violence]( At least 13 people were killed early today as security forces cracked down on anti-government protests in the southern city of Nasiriya. That came shortly after demonstrators set fire to the Iranian Consulate in Najaf Wednesday. In response to the fresh escalation of the unrest that's left hundreds dead in recent weeks, the Iraqi government says it's setting up military "crisis cells" to address the violence. What's driving the turmoil? Protesters in Baghdad and predominantly Shiite southern Iraq [are raging against unemployment](— and a corruption-riddled government they believe is supported by Iran. SOURCES: [AL JAZEERA]( / [BBC]( 03 [North Korea Fires Two Projectiles]( South Korea's military says the Hermit Kingdom launched another two unidentified projectiles today. If confirmed to be a missile test, it would be Pyongyang's 13th since May — and a stark reminder that it's serious about getting Washington to ease pressure off the regime amid denuclearization talks. What's next? The two sides are down to the wire as their year-end deadline for a resolution approaches, with some reports suggesting Seoul is considering "contingency plans" with the U.S. if talks fall through. Check out [OZY's Special Briefing]( on North Korea's economy. SOURCES: [ABC]( / [CBS]( / [CNN]( 04 [Rudy Giuliani's Ukraine Buisiness Dealings Under Spotlight]( Responding to reports that he pursued private business deals with Ukrainian officials, President Trump's personal lawyer said he never followed through because of conflicting interests. "I never received a penny," said Giuliani, who considered representing the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice as well as the prosecutor general personally. Critics say that was during the same period that he was guiding White House efforts [to pressure Ukraine]( into probing Trump's opponents. Is Giuliani in legal trouble? He hasn't been formally accused of any wrongdoing, but his ties to two Ukraine-linked associates — who've been charged with campaign finance violations — are coming under increasing scrutiny. SOURCES: [NYT]( / [WASHINGTON POST]( / [WSJ (SUB)]( 05 [Also Important...]( Three women [have accused U.S. Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland of sexual misconduct]( before he entered public life, though he denies the allegations. The death toll from [the earthquake that struck Albania this week]( has risen to 40. And winter storms in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest [have jammed up Thanksgiving travel plans]( for many Americans. #OZYfact: The NFL's first-ever two-point conversion was scored in 1994. Read more [on OZY](. OZY is changing! And we'd love to hear your feedback as we evolve and improve: [Click here]( to fill out our 2019 User Survey. It should take no longer than 10 minutes, and you could win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards — or even an all-expenses-paid trip to meet the OZY team in California! [Sponsored by: MassMutual]( [She’s Bringing Financial Literacy to Those Who Need It Most]( As a Wall Street trader by day, Chloe McKenzie managed millions of dollars. By night, she volunteered at a homeless shelter. The contrast shocked the 27-year-old into leaving her job to launch BlackFem, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching financial literacy to disadvantaged students. Working with kids as young as 4, McKenzie is planting the seeds of financial knowledge so these children will grow up understanding the basics of money, savings and how they can translate to economic power. [Read more.]( SOURCES: [MassMutual]( [facebook]( [twitter]( INTRIGUING 01 [Experts: Climate 'Tipping Points' Are Coming]( Warning that we're in "a state of planetary emergency," climate researchers writing in the journal Nature say [the world is approaching catastrophe]( faster than expected. They believe the unchecked release of greenhouse gases alone could result in a "global cascade of tipping points" as the collapse of interconnected ecosystems triggers further damage. Preventing this chain reaction, scientists say, requires a worldwide emergency response to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Have we already reached a tipping point? Even if warming is kept to 1.5 degrees C, the Greenland ice sheet could pass the point of no return by 2030. SOURCES: [MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW]( / [NATURE]( 02 [TikTok Sorry for Blocking Video About Uighurs]( The Chinese-owned social media platform has apologized for suspending a teenager's account after she posted a video asking viewers to learn more about the persecution of Muslim Uighurs in China's Xinjiang province. Her account was reinstated and TikTok blamed the brief suspension on a "human moderation error," noting the video didn't violate its terms. But user Feroza Aziz claims it wasn't the first time the platform has suppressed her commentary on the issue. What's the bigger picture? TikTok is already under scrutiny by a Beijing-wary U.S. government over how it handles user data. Read [OZY's story]( about how Telegram conquered Uzbekistan. SOURCES: [ENGADGET]( / [TECHCRUNCH]( 03 [Can This City-Boosting Program Survive Partisan Politics?]( John Legend and President Trump aren’t natural bedfellows — but on the federal Opportunity Zone program, they've found common ground. The initiative is coaxing investment to nearly 9,000 cash-strapped towns and cities across all 50 states, [OZY reports](. But cracks are starting to appear: Democrats have raised questions about the involvement of politically connected companies, while some critics worry the tax benefits could hasten gentrification. Is it worth the political drama? Local leaders say any partisan headaches are outweighed by the cash that's helping lift their communities out of poverty. SOURCES: [OZY]( 04 [Author, Broadcaster Clive James Dies at 80]( The funeral of the Australian expat who forged a career in Britain as a poet, critic and TV personality was held yesterday at his adopted home in Cambridge. James, who died Sunday, rose to fame as a literary critic and will be remembered for his dry wit. For nearly a decade, he battled leukemia, kidney failure and lung disease, [but he coped by writing]( about his illness. What's his legacy? James helped change the perception of television, which high-brow editors previously believed appealed only to the working class. SOURCES: [BBC]( / [THE CONVERSATION]( / [THR]( 05 [Statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic Set Ablaze]( A bronze statue of the Swedish soccer star in his native Malmo was set on fire — apparently as a reaction to his purchase of a stake in rival team Hammarby. The striker, who holds Sweden's record for most international goals, started his career in Malmo and was honored with the statue in October. "So he basically stuck a knife in our backs," said a member of the team's official fan club. What's on Ibrahimovic's resume? The 38-year-old has played for major clubs including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, L.A. Galaxy and Manchester United. Read [OZY's story]( about when an East German soccer star ditched the GDR. SOURCES: [Bleacher Report]( / [ESPN]( OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Unsubscribe from this email](