Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
ASEAN defense ministers meet. US defense secretary James Mattis will convene with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to discuss terrorism, North Korea, and the South China Sea. Meanwhile, secretary of state Rex Tillerson will stop in Islamabad to try to persuade Pakistan to act over militants targeting Afghanistan from its soil.
The Trump administration’s 120-day ban on refugee admissions expires. As it does, the White House is expected to announce tougher vetting rules and a lower cap on the number of refugees admitted to the US. Last month it said the figure would be 45,000 for fiscal 2018—the lowest since the refugee admissions program began in 1975.
Trump talks tax reform with his fellow Republicans. The US president hopes to lobby senators, attending their weekly policy lunch for the first time since taking office. Budget and tax overhauls will top the agenda.
While you were sleeping
Rex Tillerson took an unannounced road trip. The US secretary of state had back-to-back visits to Afghanistan, where his presence was kept secret until he departed, and Iraq. Tillerson’s Baghdad trip came just a day after the Iraqi government rejected his call to send home Iranian-backed militia groups that helped defeat ISIL.
Chinese president Xi Jinping achieved Mao-like status. A new body of political thought carrying his name was added to the Communist Party’s constitution on the final day of the weeklong 19th National Congress. The upshot: Challenging Xi could now be tantamount to challenging the party itself.
Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law were set free on bail. They were released pending an appeal against convictions for their role in the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement protests in 2014. The two were jailed in August when a judgment said the court must ”send out a clear message to society” that protestors have to abide by the law.
Singapore Airlines finalized an order for 39 new Boeing aircraft. The previously announced deal, signed at the White House with Trump and Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong looking on, will help the airline modernize its fleet with new planes worth $13.8 billion at list price. Trump boasted the deal would create 70,000 US jobs.
The US threatened punitive action over Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya. It warned yesterday it could impose economic measures (paywall) against those responsible for atrocities against the Muslim minority, and said military units involved in operations against the Rohingya were ineligible for US aid. The UN said the number of Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh could soon top 1 million.
Quartz obsession interlude
Jill Petzinger on Germany’s website for debunking the lies that traffickers tell refugees. “The site lists the seven biggest lies told by smugglers, based on what refugees told European media. The top lie: ‘The ship for the crossing is very big, it even has a pool and a cinema.’ The site explains that human traffickers use old, unseaworthy boats so they can make as much money as possible, adding that more than 5,000 people died crossing the Mediterranean in such boats last year.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Countries like India should legalize commercial surrogacy but regulate it heavily. Surrogate mothers should be treated as full human beings who have the right to choose how they get pregnant, among other things.
The key to focus is a little loneliness. In a world overrun with distraction, build some solitude into your schedule.
Facebook’s fake news problem is far worse in Asia. Online hoaxes have led to lynchings in India, toxic hatred of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and religious tensions in Indonesia.
Surprising discoveries
Kodak unwittingly exposed the atomic bomb. The company’s radiosensitive film appeared foggy, and it traced the problem to a secret bomb test in New Mexico.
A 21-year-old woman spent three years sweating blood. Doctors diagnosed her with hematohidrosis, a rare condition with no discernible cause.
A Quebec man was fined $149 for singing ’90s music in his car. Taoufik Moalla was pulled over while singing “Gonna Make You Sweat” by C&C Music Factory.
Data proves that Bollywood films are crazy sexist. Women are described by their superficial qualities (“beautiful”), emotional traits (“young,” “heartbroken”), and relation to men (“wife,” “daughter”).
High-fashion brand Balenciaga is selling a sock with a sole for $700. The new “sock-sneaker” is going viral in fashion capitals around the world.
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