Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The Bank of Japan releases its latest minutes. A summary of opinions (paywall) from the central bank’s December meeting is expected to shed light on how policymakers view the nation’s economy going into 2018.
China rolls out visa waivers for 53 countries. Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei will allow visitors from several countries (including the US) to stay for six days without obtaining a visa, extending its previous visa-free visiting period of 72 hours. The move is aimed at facilitating business and tourism.
Japan’s secretary general delivers a speech to China’s Communist Party. Toshihiro Nikai will be the first Japanese leader in a decade to speak at China’s Party School of the Central Committee. The event is immensely significant to both nations, and indicates warming China-Japan relations.
While you were sleeping
South Koreans criticized a landmark deal with Japan. The task force reviewing a 2015 accord that addressed reparations for Korean women forced into sexual slavery during World War II said that support groups had been pressured to accept Japan’s initial deal (paywall), which was allegedly made without proper input from the victims. The agreement’s poor reception has heightened tensions between the nations.
An explosion in St. Petersburg injured 10 people. A device found inside a supermarket in the Russian city contained 200 grams (7 ounces) of TNT, according to state news. A criminal investigation has been opened into the event, marking the second attack this year after a suicide bomber killed 14 in April.
Prince Harry quizzed Barack Obama. The British royal and the former US president discussed the power of social media in a BBC interview, Obama’s first since leaving office. Obama said leaders “have to find ways in which we can recreate a common space on the internet,” though he did not call Donald Trump out by name.
Bitcoin got its buzz back. Despite a sharp selloff last week, bitcoin’s price rose again while cryptoassets as a whole climbed back to $618 billion in market. Other digital assets like litecoin and ethereum are also recovering, but skeptics warn that recent events suggest an impending crypto-bubble pop.
China dialed down exports to North Korea. Beijing’s recent refusal to export oil, coal, lead, and iron ore to North Korea goes beyond UN sanctions. The move is also rare for China—considered Pyongyang’s lone ally—although experts believe Beijing is continuing to export crude oil to North Korea in secret.
Quartz obsession interlude
Lianna Brinded on the most important New Year’s resolution: sleep. “In my quest to hopefully get more qualitative sleep in 2018, the first—and probably the easiest—step was to buy a new mattress. Times have changed a lot in terms of what’s on offer [but] the good thing is that most companies nowadays give a 100-night trial, which means I can test it out and see if getting a new mattress makes a difference.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Chipotle CEO is the toughest job in restaurants. The eatery’s next leader must stage a much-needed turnaround while his or her predecessor looks on.
The 2018 Winter Olympics are already tainted. Letting Russian athletes compete under a “neutral flag” is a non-punishment (paywall) that sends a weak message.
Bitcoin is a boon for extremists. The blockchain allows fringe groups (paywall) to not only collect money, but also spend it more easily.
Surprising discoveries
Britain is speeding up its process for vetting spies. The UK’s spy agency says it’s losing too many recruits to tech companies with deep pockets.
A monkey’s funeral was attended by 500 people. Mikee, the monkey’s owner, posted an invite (paywall) to the service in an online obituary.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will use facial recognition for athletes. A new system will handle entry for 400,000 competitors, officials, and reporters.
Scientists discovered the first intersex Pacific spadenose shark. It’s the latest in a long lineage of gender-fluid animals.
Daniel Day-Lewis made a Balenciaga dress from scratch. To prepare for his role in Phantom Thread, the actor learned to sketch, drape, and sew like a fashion designer.
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