Your Wednesday Briefing: Putin and Xi prepare to meet

By Amelia Nierenberg

Writer, Briefings

Good morning. We’re covering an upcoming meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, and the success of “Squid Game” at the Emmy Awards.

Putin and Xi to meet as war shifts

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, is preparing to meet with Xi Jinping, the leader of China, at an in-person summit in Uzbekistan later this week. The conversation comes at a time of weakness for both autocratic leaders as Russia suffers losses in Ukraine and China endures an economic slowdown.

Putin will most likely go into the meeting looking to Xi as a lifeline. China has emerged as a major purchaser of Russian commodities, which has helped Moscow replenish its coffers and bear the brunt of Western sanctions. But now, Russia is rapidly losing steam in Ukraine, retreating from territory it comfortably held just a few days ago.

Beijing will enter the conversation cautious as it weighs whether to double down or let Russia navigate the setbacks on its own. Moscow has supported its stance on Taiwan, and China can’t afford a humiliating defeat.

But Beijing does not want to risk Western sanctions as the war continues to backfire on Russia. And it has its own slowing economy to worry about: Tens of millions of people remain under pandemic lockdowns and frustration is mounting as Xi prepares to secure a third term in power next month.

Analysis: Tensions between the U.S. and China are fraught as Moscow and Beijing grow closer, a dynamic that’s reminiscent of the Cold War, writes Jane Perlez.

India: Putin will also meet with Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, at the summit to discuss trade and food supplies, Reuters reports.

Other updates:

• Russian shelling escalated sharply in Bakhmut, a key Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern Donbas region. Here’s a map of the invasion.
• Clashes erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan yesterday in the worst fighting between the countries since a war in 2020.
• The U.S. and the U.K. helped Ukraine plan its rapid advance, crucially before the first snowfall.

Kangaroo kills a man in Australia

A 77-year-old man was killed this weekend by a kangaroo in what is believed to be Australia’s first fatal kangaroo attack in 86 years.

The authorities believe that the man, identified as Peter Eades, was keeping the wild animal as a pet, which requires a permit in Australia. The police did not respond to questions about whether he had one.

A wildlife expert said that fatal kangaroo attacks are extremely uncommon because a kangaroo’s first instinct is to flee. The animals will not attack unless they feel cornered.

Details: Paramedics and the police were called to the scene but could not immediately get to the man because the kangaroo was in the way, the police said. Officers fatally shot the kangaroo, and the man was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Sri Lanka’s sports triumph amid crises

The Sri Lankan men’s cricket team on Sunday won the Asia Cup in the T20 format, the game’s shortest version, hours after the country won the equivalent championship in women’s netball.

The victories brought the country a much-needed dash of hope and optimism. For months, crowds have filled the streets of Colombo, its capital, as rage over an economic meltdown led to protests that dethroned a long-ruling political dynasty. Yesterday, people instead took to the streets to celebrate the sports triumphs.

Cricket: The men’s team has been on a somewhat improbable roll. In an upset, it beat Pakistan and took the top spot for the first time in eight years. The tournament had been moved from Sri Lanka to the U.A.E. because of the country’s political crises.

Netball: The women’s squad victory was notable because the team had a limited budget to help its players cope with power cuts and fuel shortages.

Politics: Earlier this month, Sri Lanka and the I.M.F. reached a preliminary agreement on a bailout package worth nearly $3 billion. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the ousted ex-president, also returned home after fleeing the country, a sign of his family’s continued political influence.

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THE LATEST NEWS

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• Stocks plummeted yesterday after fresh data showed the persistence of inflation — and how much the Federal Reserve will need to raise interest rates to combat it.

• The Justice Department issued about 40 subpoenas in a week, and seized the phones of two top advisers to Donald Trump, as the Jan. 6 inquiry escalated before the midterms.
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• William Ruto is now Kenya’s president. He limited the access of local television outlets to his inauguration, an ominous sign for press freedom.
• Liz Truss has had a dizzying first week as Britain’s prime minister, as economic problems loom and mourning continues.
• U.S. officials are looking to Mexico as a strategic partner to create a regional manufacturing hub that can rival China. But Mexico may not want to cater to foreign businesses.
• King Charles III of Britain has built up a portfolio worth more than $1 billion, aided by tax breaks, offshore accounts and real estate investments.

Queen Elizabeth II died almost 25 years to the day after Princess Diana’s shocking death. But in the past quarter-century, outrage at the monarchy has smoothed out into a civil, respectful mourning period, writes Sarah Lyall.

There’s perhaps no better illustration of the change than the public’s reaction to Camilla. Once seen as a homewrecker, she’s now the respected queen consort to her husband, King Charles III.

Lives lived: Jean-Luc Godard radically changed the course of filmmaking. He died in Switzerland by assisted suicide at 91.

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ARTS AND IDEAS

The Emmy success of “Squid Game”

“Squid Game,” the dystopian drama from South Korea, became a global phenomenon and broke records as Netflix’s most watched series ever. On Monday night, it also made history at the Emmy Awards.

The show’s star, Lee Jung-jae, won the Emmy for best actor in a drama, the first time the award has gone to an actor in a foreign-language show. Its writer-director, Hwang Dong-hyuk, also won for drama directing.

“Squid Game” is the latest example of South Korea’s rise as a cultural powerhouse, captivating international audiences with K-pop bands such as BTS, as well as hit TV shows and critically acclaimed movies — some of which also explore inequality and economic struggle. In 2020, “Parasite,” a class satire, became the first foreign-language movie to win the Oscar for best film.

More awards: “Succession” took the top prize for drama and “Ted Lasso” won best comedy series. Here are the best red carpet outfits and all the other winners.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT

Cumin, coriander and paprika add smokiness to these shawarma-inspired portobello mushrooms.

Here’s the right way to do four potentially risky exercises.

“Lessons,” a new novel by Ian McEwan, is a tale of adolescent lust and adult loss.

Play today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Earthy orange-yellow pigment (five letters).

Here are today’s Wordle and today’s Spelling Bee.

You can find all our puzzles here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you next time. — Amelia

P.S. Katie Baker is joining The Times from BuzzFeed News to cover the social and cultural conflicts dividing the U.S.

The latest episode of “The Daily” is on Ukraine’s advance.

You can reach Amelia and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

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