Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
China rules on the fate of a Taiwanese human-rights activist. Lee Ming-che, who went “missing” in China in March, will face a decision from a Chinese court after confessing to subverting state power in September. Critics say it’s a sham trial and a warning to Taiwanese democracy activists.
Ivanka Trump arrives in India. The US president’s daughter will make her first significant state visit at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad. It comes amidst diplomatic friction and has spurred an urban cleanup and restrictions on begging in the area.
Jerome Powell’s confirmation hearing. Trump’s nominee for the next Federal Reserve chair will appear before the Senate Banking Committee. Powell will be responsible for unwinding a $4.5 trillion stimulus plan if confirmed.
While you were sleeping
Prince Harry announced his engagement to Meghan Markle. The actress best known for the TV drama Suits will be the first American to marry a British royal since 1963, an action that had once forced a king to renounce his throne. The two are set to marry in the spring of 2018 and will live in Kensington Palace, where Harry currently resides.
The US Supreme Court upheld two gun bans. The court declined to weigh in on Maryland’s ban on assault weapons and rejected a plea to let Floridians carry handguns openly. Meanwhile, a record number of Americans applied for firearms licenses during the post-Thanksgiving shopping holiday.
Two officials battled over leadership of a US government agency. The Trump administration named Mick Mulvaney as acting head of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. But the departing head of the bureau tapped his longtime aide for the same job, setting up a legal battle over the fate of an agency created to shield consumers from predatory Wall Street practices.
The US Senate began debating a crucial tax bill. Republicans are trying to shore up support for the bill, which bipartisan analysts have said would eventually raise taxes for middle class families while cutting them for the rich. Holdout GOP senators are trying to extract concessions to maintain the party’s narrow majority.
Quartz obsession interlude
Tripti Lahiri on the pope’s visit to Myanmar: “With Pope Francis in Myanmar on the first papal trip ever to the country, there has been furious speculation over whether or not he will say the R-word: Rohingya … [But] even if the pope doesn’t say “Rohingya” in Myanmar—we still know where he stands.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The British monarchy is renouncing its rigid roots. Meghan Markle is being welcomed into the royal family despite her unlikely (and inarguably impressive) background.
If aliens are out there, China will make contact first. Building the world’s largest radio dish comes with a lot of responsibility.
Liberalization won’t ease China’s debt burden. While standard macroeconomic reforms may work in theory, they have a history of failing in practice.
Surprising discoveries
Chicago offered to let Amazon pocket employee income taxes. “The result is that workers are, in effect, paying taxes to their boss,” one think-tank warned (paywall).
Our brains are built for bargain-hunting. We care less about the actual stuff and more about the killer deal we got.
A Swedish power plant is burning H&M clothes for fuel. Mälarenergi AB has burned about 15 tons of discarded clothing the company said was unsafe for wearing.
Finland is making insect bread. Fazer Bakery uses about 70 crushed crickets per loaf.
Russians are smoking home-grown tobacco. A fitful economy has forced one of Europe’s heaviest-smoking populations to grow it in the backyard.
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