The Great Shawl of China

There was a moment at a performance tied to the APEC meetings in Beijing when Vladamir Putin reached over and wrapped a shawl around the shoulders of the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping (Yeah, surprise, Vlad is that guy). The response from Chinese officials was chillier than the weather. The moment “was soon scrubbed clean from the Chinese Internet, reflecting the intense control authorities exert over any material about top leaders while also pointing to cultural differences over what’s considered acceptable behavior in public.”

+ There were no official meetings between Presidents Obama and Putin at the APEC Summit, but according to a National Security Council spokesperson, “On three occasions throughout the day, for a total of approximately 15-20 minutes, President Obama had an opportunity to speak with President Putin.”

+ I wonder if they discussed the fact that Russia just announced plans to build up to eight new nuclear reactors in Iran.