Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Mike Pence issues a warning to China on the South China Sea. The vice president will cite Sunday’s near-collision between a US destroyer and a Chinese naval ship in a speech, telling China the US will not be intimidated by aggressive maneuvers.
Costco publishes its fourth-quarter results. The big-box retailer is expected to post an increase in earnings, spurred by growth in membership revenue and lower prices. Investors will also be watching to see how expensive investments into online sale services are paying off.
The Paris Motor Show revs up. The 10-day car extravaganza has a strong lineup of production-ready electric vehicles from Germany’s luxury automakers, as Europe prepares for stringent new car-emissions limits. Also on display: the new $5.7 million Bugatti Divo hypercar.
While you were sleeping
Mitch McConnell filed “cloture” on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination. The Senate majority leader scheduled a vote for Friday that could set a 30-hour time limit on a confirmation decision for the Supreme Court nominee. Senators will receive a single copy today of the FBI investigation report into allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh.
Britain accused Russia of orchestrating cyber-attacks. For the first time, the UK government singled out the Russian military intelligence as being behind several high-profile attacks, including on the US Democratic Party, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and a small British TV network.
Rosmah Mansor pleaded not guilty on corruption charges. Malaysia’s former first lady faces 17 counts of money laundering and tax evasion. Her husband, former prime minister Najib Razak, has been hit with 32 charges, including abuse of power and criminal breach of trust in connection with the alleged pilfering of the 1MDB state development fund.
Toyota and SoftBank teamed up to build a self-driving car. The Japanese carmaker and deep-pocketed tech conglomerate said they will form a joint venture called MONET (short for mobility network) to create a fleet of autonomous cars and shuttle buses. It’s the latest in a slew of such partnerships, including General Motors’ recently-announced alliance with Honda.
Denmark’s largest bank is facing an investigation by the Justice Department. Danske Bank said it’s cooperating with requests for information (paywall) from the US authorities amid a €200 billion ($230 billion) money-laundering scandal. Analysts predict a multibillion-dollar fine could be on the way.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Dan Kopf on Vietnam’s exceptionally globalized economy. “If there is a turn against globalization, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the economy of Vietnam. In 2017, Vietnam’s trade as a percentage of GDP reached over 200%. This is the highest level for any country with over 50 million people in the World Bank’s data, which goes back to 1960.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The Fed’s view of the US economy is too good to be true. Economists say the central bank may be underestimating the potential risks of inflation.
Farms should embrace automation. Organic practices do not scale and will not feed the world at an affordable price point.
It’s OK to feel left out at work sometimes. FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is seeping from social media into corporate culture.
Surprising discoveries
Students with acne get better grades. It makes them more likely to prioritize studying over socializing.
Winston Churchill predicted lab-grown meat back in 1931. The soon-to-be British prime minister said it would happen by 1981.
Only 16 nations in Africa have ever received a sitting US president. The other 70% have never been so honored.
A French gangster escaped from jail (again) on a hijacked helicopter. After three months on the run, authorities say they’ve finally caught him.
An ad that mocked avocado breakfasts was banned. The Costa Coffee radio spot for its bacon roll and egg muffin was criticized for encouraging poor food choices.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, avocado toasts, and farm robots to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Annabelle Timsit and edited by Eshe Nelson.