this is Shades of the Day — bringing you different shades of opinion in news & culture so that you can see the big picture quickly. We believe that seeing multiple POVs is the best way to stay informed.

It’s Thursday, December 19 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s edition:

• SCOTUS agrees to hear a case on the TikTok ban

• Japan’s tourism surge

• A potential Trump & Putin meeting

• 6 quick hits of news from the last 24 hours

SCOTUS & TikTok

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case concerning the potential ban of TikTok in the United States. Oral arguments are set for January 10th, just 9 days before the sell-or-ban law takes effect.

NBC News says TikTok sees the ban as infringing on free speech laws. They say the pressure the app faces to sell or leave the market violates the First Amendment.

But the Atlantic argues SCOTUS could side with the ban: The Court could decide that a ban protects free speech from Chinese influence, citing foreign manipulation concerns.

CNN says the Supreme Court faces a balancing act: Justices will have to weigh national security concerns and TikTok's alleged First Amendment rights violations.

Japan’s tourism surge

Japan is having a tourism boom! ForexLive says the country's seen 33.4 million visitors within 11 months -- a new record! Blame a weaker yen and social media hype.

More on the record from Japan Times: Japan surpassed its pre-pandemic visitor record set in 2019! October was a particularly strong month for tourism, with 3.31 million visitors, the highest for any month on record.

Kyodo News says the weak yen is a big part of the story. With South Korea leading the charge, arrivals skyrocketed in November to 3.18 million!

Bangkok Post says the currency shift is bringing major cash flow: Tourism spending hit 5.86 trillion yen by September 2024 alone.

Putin & Trump meeting?

Amidst global tensions, Putin claims he's ready to meet Trump: He believes it could address both Ukraine and US-Russia relations.

CNN says Putin hasn’t talked to Trump in four years but is eager to meet again as Russia grows stronger against Ukraine.

CBS reveals Putin is all ears for Trump's critiques of Biden’s military aid to Ukraine, possibly as a friendly nod to Trump.

The Moscow Times notes that the Kremlin is considering Trump's promises of swift peace negotiations in Ukraine.

1) In France, a court convicted dozens of men for raping Gisèle Pelicot, who was drugged during the assaults.

2) Biden unveils bold climate goal, aiming for 61-66% cut in greenhouse gases by 2035.

3) Flipboard's new app, Surf, introduces innovative ways to explore the open social web, supporting protocols like RSS, AT Protocol, and ActivityPub.

4) AAA predicts a record-breaking 119.3 million travelers between December 21 and New Year's Day, surpassing 2019's record.

5) The Pentagon reports China's rapid military buildup, highlighting its nuclear capabilities and modernization efforts.

6) Liz Cheney may face fallout from January 6 committee actions as House Republicans push for FBI investigation over alleged "secret communication" with a witness.