Good morning On today’s agenda:

• Nissan and Honda are discussing a merger

• The assassination of a high-ranking Russian general

• India’s 18-year-old world chess champion

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Nissan and Honda are in exploratory talks about a merger between the two automakers that would create a Japanese giant valued at $52 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

The two companies are exploring a merger that would help them better compete at a time when traditional automakers are struggling with fast-growing Chinese electric vehicle makers and consumer demand for electric vehicles is slower than expected.

Talks between Nissan and Honda are still at an early stage and there are concerns about a possible political backlash in Japan as a merger between two of the country’s most storied car brands could lead to significant job cuts, one of the people familiar with the matter said know about discussions said. You can find more details here.

And here’s what else we’re keeping an eye on today:

• Economic data: Japan reports preliminary trade statistics for November.

• Monetary policy: Indonesia, Thailand and the USA announce interest rate decisions.

• IPO: Flash memory manufacturer Kioxia debuts on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Five more top stories

1. A senior Russian general accused of using chemical weapons in the invasion of Ukraine has been assassinated injured at the entrance to his home in Moscow by a bomb planted on a scooter. A Ukrainian intelligence official with direct knowledge of the attack told the Financial Times that Kiev was behind the assassination of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s nuclear, chemical and biological defense forces.

2. Taiwan’s government is in talks with Amazon’s Project Kuiper subsidiary about collaborating on satellite communications. Technology Minister Wu Cheng-wen said Taipei’s current partnership with French satellite operator Eutelsat’s OneWeb network was inadequate, while Elon Musk’s Starlink was “not an option” given his extensive business interests in China.

3. The EU is investigating whether TikTok violated the Union’s digital rules by failing to manage the risks associated with “foreign actors” allegedly using the app to interfere in the recent elections in Romania. Romania’s top court has canceled the presidential election over concerns that Russian agents used the Chinese platform to promote a pro-Vladimir Putin candidate who unexpectedly won the first round last month.

• More about TikTok: Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew met Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Monday as the popular app hopes the president-elect saves it from a looming US ban.

4. Luigi Mangione has been charged with first-degree murder in New York for the alleged killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. announced the Manhattan District Attorney. The indictment states that the murder was carried out “to promote terrorism.” You can find more details here.

5. Nigel Farage said yesterday that Elon Musk had “seriously considered” making a donation to his Reform UK party. Farage met the tech billionaire at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday as the right-wing party seeks to strengthen ties with the US president-elect.

Detailed news

The Syrian neighborhood of Tadamom was turned into an industrial battlefield by militias loyal to Bashar al-Assad during the country’s 13-year civil war. After the fall of the presidential regime, residents return to the Damascus suburbs to find mass graves and expropriated houses. What happens next in neighborhoods like Tadamon will be a test case for Syria’s new rulers.

We also read. . .

• Technology transfers: The EU’s demand for technology transfers from Chinese companies in exchange for subsidies is a strategy that tariff-obsessed Washington should emulate, writes Lizzi Lee.

• The rise of US asset managers in Europe: Powerful US corporations are shaking up the market and forcing their transatlantic competitors to merge and expand – or leave the sector.

• Gig Economy: Apps that allow retailers to hire temporary freelance workers are growing in popularity and increasingly creeping into stores and restaurants.

Graphic of the day

Does the military still need expensive, piloted combat aircraft? Elon Musk’s criticism of the Pentagon’s expensive fleet of F-35 fighter jets has added fuel to a debate that has the defense industry on edge at a time when budgets are under pressure and drones are becoming increasingly sophisticated in Ukraine and elsewhere be used with devastating effects.

Take a break from the news

Gukesh Dommaraju received a hero’s welcome when he returned to Chennai after becoming the youngest world chess champion. The 18-year-old’s victory over China’s Ding Liren underlines how India has become the chess powerhouse of the 21st century, writes Leonard Barden.