Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Turkey’s president reveals the full details of Jamal Khashoggi’s death… Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will disclose “in full nakedness” (paywall) what his government knows about the killing of the dissident journalist in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He’s scheduled to give a televised speech to parliament.
…As a huge investor conference kicks off in Riyadh. The three-day meeting in the Saudi capital, dubbed “Davos in the Desert,” has seen a large list of cancellations as the crisis over Khashoggi’s death deepened. Among the attendees are SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and a host of investors and companies from Russia (paywall).
The European Union could reject Italy’s 2019 budget. If so, it would mark the first time ever the bloc has asked a member state to revise its spending plans. The EU is concerned that the budget presented by the right-wing coalition, which includes tax cuts and a universal income, would further worsen Italy’s deficit.
Hurricane Willa will make landfall in Mexico. The category 4 storm is expected to slam into the country’s southwestern Pacific coast, packing winds of 155 miles per hour (250 km/h). Major tourist areas like San Blas and Mazatlán are affected, with a number of flights and cruise ships canceled or diverted.
While you were sleeping
China opened the world’s longest sea bridge. President Xi Jinping attended the inauguration of the 55-kilometer (34-mile) bridge between the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau. It includes an underwater tunnel and two artificial islands, and will primarily be used by buses and trucks starting tomorrow.
The US Treasury secretary met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince. Steven Mnuchin withdrew from today’s investment conference in Riyadh, but said the meeting was part of the original schedule of his multi-country Middle East trip. The Saudi foreign ministry posted a photo of the meeting between Mnuchin and Mohammed bin Salman, but the Treasury notably did not.
Another founder left Facebook… Brendan Iribe, the founding CEO of virtual-reality unit Oculus, resigned amid reports that Facebook is shutting down its next-generation headset. In recent months, the former leaders of Facebook acquisitions Instagram and WhatsApp have also left the company.
…And an embattled Uber executive resigned. Head of corporate development Cameron Poetzscher was accused of sexual misconduct (paywall), including charged remarks about female coworkers and a consensual affair with a colleague. Poetzscher negotiated many of Uber’s biggest deals, including a $7.7 billion investment by SoftBank and the sale of its assets in Southeast Asia.
An explosive device was found near the home of George Soros. Police in Westchester County, New York, detonated a device found in a mailbox (paywall), and have referred the case to the FBI.
The founder of Benetton died. Gilberto Benetton, who co-founded the Italian fashion empire with his siblings in 1965, was 77. The company was known for its bold ad campaigns that challenged racial, sexual, and religious stereotypes long before it became trendy to do so.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Isabella Steger on the complicated legacy of modern Japan as it celebrates its 150th birthday: “While Japan’s rapid rise to become one of the world’s most powerful countries is nothing short of remarkable, its history of conquest has made the legacy of Meiji an uncomfortable one in the post-war era. Today, nationalism is once again on the rise under the leadership of Shinzo Abe—who has tried to channel the spirit and goals of the Meiji era in his quest for a Japanese rejuvenation.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Polar bears are hogging the limelight in arctic conservation. Too much attention is being paid to non-endangered species at the expense of other dangers facing the polar region.
Western countries keep mistakenly looking to young Arab rulers for change. The younger generation of leaders are often even more authoritarian (paywall) than their fathers.
Don’t blame bias on hiring algorithms. Blame the biased companies that blindly use the systems.
Surprising discoveries
NASA found a rectangular iceberg in Antarctica. Contrary to popular belief, nature is full of 90° angles.
The organizers of Davos want nothing to do with Saudi Arabia’s “Davos in the Desert.” The World Economic Forum has had enough of unrelated events borrowing the prestigious event’s name.
The long stream of alien characters from The Matrix is made up of sushi recipes. Production designer Simon Whiteley created the “digital rain” from his Japanese wife’s cookbooks.
Purple urchins are threatening California’s seaweed forests. Climate change and the loss of the urchins’ natural predators have caused a 93% reduction in kelp (paywall).
China’s pet owners are victims of the trade war with the US. They’re finding it difficult to get their hands (paywall) on high-quality pet food.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Davos rip-offs, and sushi recipes 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 Isabella Steger and edited by Alice Truong.