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What to watch for today
The UK parliament returns from break. With Britain due to leave the European Union in less than 12 weeks, MPs have neither approved an exit deal nor put in place legislation to ensure a smooth departure. In an interview Sunday, prime minister Theresa May said that a parliamentary vote on the deal negotiated with the EU that was postponed would now take place next week.
Berlin braces for an airport strike. Powerful German labor union Verdi called on security workers at Berlin’s two airports to go on strike for part of today for a wage increase to 20 euros ($23) an hour. About 80 flights are expected to be disrupted, and Lufthansa has canceled some flights.
Tesla breaks ground on its first overseas factory. As trade tariffs hit Tesla’s sales in China, CEO Elon Musk speeded up plans to produce cars in the country for local consumers. Musk will kick off construction today for his $2 billion Shanghai Gigafactory, which will begin manufacturing the Model 3 electric car by the end of the year.
Over the weekend
The US and China began trade talks. A team led by US deputy trade representative Jeffrey Gerrish met with Chinese counterparts in Beijing today at the start of two days of negotiations, with both countries worried about the trade war’s effects on economic growth and market confidence.
Tsai Ing-wen called upon the world to support Taiwan. Days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping said unification with China was inevitable, Taiwan’s president countered it was “impossible” for her to accept the remarks, an unusually firm posture (paywall). In the US, calls to defend self-governing Taiwan’s democracy are rising among lawmakers.
A Saudi teen fought deportation back to her family. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun was stopped at Bangkok’s airport on Sunday in a bid to make it to Australia. She said her family would kill her if she was returned to Saudi Arabia and holed herself up in a hotel in the airport so that officials couldn’t put her on a flight to Kuwait, where she had been vacationing with her family when she fled.
Bohemian Rhapsody won the Golden Globe for best drama. The Freddie Mercury biopic won the prize for best picture (drama), while its star, Rami Malek, won best actor (subscription); Glenn Close won best actress for The Wife; and awards host Sandra Oh also picked up a trophy for best actress in a TV drama for Killing Eve. This year’s awards ceremony featured lots of bling, after actors last year wore black in support of #MeToo.
France’s first Yellow Vest protests of the year reached a new level of violence. Protesters in Paris attacked the offices of a government ministry and a minister had to be escorted out (subscription) through a back entrance. The street demonstrations started in November against a plan to increase fuel taxes, and have since become a broader expression of anger over Emmanuel Macron’s economic policies.
Malaysia’s king abdicated. After serving two years, King Muhammad V resigned from the largely ceremonial role, the first time a monarch has stepped down before completing the five-year term. No reason was given. Nine royal households typically take turns assuming the throne.
A bluefin tuna sold for a record amount in Tokyo. In the year’s first auction, sushi-chain owner Kiyoshi Kimura bought the immense fish, which weighed 278 kg (612 lbs), for more than $3 million. Japan consumes 80% of the world’s Pacific bluefin tuna, which is set to become an endangered species.
Quartz obsession interlude
How did a group of crows become a murder? Or a group of starlings a murmuration? The truth is lost to history, but one theory is that many of the English language’s elaborate nouns of assemblage were concocted by a prioress for a 1486 gentleman’s guide called the Book of St. Albans, and mostly meant to show the user’s erudition and wit. Which is still what they do. Gather together at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Virtual reality will be much bigger than augmented reality. AR is better for places that are already very interesting, but most people don’t live in places like that.
Intellectual humility requires confidence. Not only should people know that they might be wrong, but they should be able to publicly admit it when they are.
Blockchain will become mundane in 2019. The technology won’t get as much buzz as before, but it will become more useful.
Surprising discoveries
Saudi women were becoming divorced with even knowing it. A new rule says they must now be notified via text message.
Baby sharks can be vicious prenatal cannibals. The first embryonic shark to hatch instinctively devours all of the other fertilized eggs on its side of the uterine wall.
A new AI can decipher the ultrasonic squeaks of mice and rats. Called DeepSqueak, the program is designed to help researchers figure out what rodents are saying.
Startup founders say age bias is rampant in tech by age 36. Nearly 40% believe that age is the strongest investor bias against founders.
That tweet about chicken nuggets has been dethroned. The Japanese entrepreneur who’s going to the moon with Elon Musk now holds the record for most retweeted tweet.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, rodent recordings, and divorce alerts to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Tripti Lahiri and Isabella Steger.