Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Euro zone finance ministers talk about Greece. They’ll likely praise the country’s economic reforms (paywall), mandated as a condition of its €86 billion ($105 billion) bailout. But they’re expected to hold off on approving the last tranche of funds until a further check can be completed in February.
US senators try to reach a compromise and restart the government. After moderates from both parties met yesterday, majority leader Mitch McConnell set up a vote on a temporary spending bill for the wee hours of today (Jan. 22). Trump for his part suggested the “nuclear option” of changing Senate rules to pass a long-term spending bill with a simple majority.
Netflix reports on its earnings—and, more important, its subscriber growth. The streaming giant’s shares have been among the best performing in the market. Last week Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating, noting that Netflix’s ability to grow its global subscriber base is key.
Amazon’s AI-powered grocery store opens to the public. At the futuristic Seattle store, customers can skip the cashier and just walk out with their purchases. The shopper scans a code on the Amazon Go app to enter, and then is tracked around the store with AI-monitored video. Anything they leave with is simply charged to their Amazon account.
Helicopters and private planes swarm the Swiss resort town of Davos. The night before the 48th World Economic Forum begins, an awards ceremony for artists will feature Elton John, Cate Blanchett, and Shah Rukh Khan. Among the rich and powerful expected this week are Donald Trump, Angela Merkel, and Narendra Modi. We’ll be sending a special edition of the Quartz Daily Brief from Davos this week—sign up here to receive it.
Over the weekend
Women’s marches were held around the world. Demonstrators held large rallies across the US and globally on Saturday and Sunday. Organizers in the US spoke out against Trump and urged women to run for office and vote in local, state, and federal elections.
Hope emerged for ending the political gridlock in Germany. The center-left Social Democrats agreed to continue talks with chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives to create a governing party for the country. If no deal is reached, an election could be triggered.
The US federal government shut down. Congress’s failure to pass a budget means many federal workers won’t get paid, but you’ll still be able to fly. The White House responded to the crisis with an out-of-office phone message blaming Democrats, and released images—since widely derided—of Trump “working” through the shutdown.
A hotel became a battleground in Afghanistan. Gunmen killed at least 18 people in Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel, in a 12-hour attack that continued from Saturday to Sunday. Afghanistan’s interior ministry said 153 people were rescued from the six-story hotel.
China criticized a US “freedom of navigation” operation in the South China Sea. It said the USS Hopper, a missile destroyer that passed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, violated China’s sovereignty and security interests. The US routinely conducts such operations to challenge excessive maritime claims around the world.
Quartz obsession interlude
Aamna Mohdin on America’s newfound appreciation of black women. “There’s a distinct whiff of the tired ‘magical negro’ and ‘mammy’ tropes in the exalting of the black woman as a feminist mascot, here to save white America from itself. There are precious few acknowledgments of the nuances of black women’s struggle, our complexity, our mistakes.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Amazon’s policy of not asking about past salaries hurts women. Hirers will make assumptions based on what they think they know.
Cambodia shows how easily Facebook can be exploited by autocrats. Many hoped free speech would flourish with the social network, but the opposite has happened.
It’s time to bring back the classic French cooking technique championed by Paul Bocuse. In the farm-to-table era, the late chef showed how ingredients can serve ideas, rather than the other way around.
Surprising discoveries
A Thai minister’s watches may bring down the military government. General Prawit Wongsuwan, who receives a modest salary, has been seen wearing 25 luxury timepieces.
A chart can improve children’s health. Fewer children in rural Zambia were stunted when their parents were given a chart that explained how to check their height to normal levels.
A serial airplane stowaway has been caught. She was arrested in Chicago after a free trip to London, and might have pulled off the stunt eight times before.
China’s baby boom has begun to slump. As the effects of ending the one-child policy have worn off, the increasing costs of childrearing have kicked in.
The idea of fabric made of stone won’t die in North Korea. Once hailed as a miracle fabric to save the economy, vinalon is now a symbol for the country’s failure to clothe its people.
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