Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Beijing’s special visitor is revealed. A specially outfitted train from North Korea crossed China’s border on Monday evening, fueling speculation that Kim Jong-un—who may be celebrating his unconfirmed birthday—will visit Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Nationwide strikes in India. Ten trade unions will begin a two-day strike, rallying against the economic and labor policies of Narendra Modi’s government. More than 150 million Indians are expected to participate, including farmers, bank employees, and industry workers.
A slew of CES gadgets. Highlights from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas so far include a fix for the iPhone’s biggest problem, supremely enviable TV upgrades, and plenty of smart doorbells. The US government is AWOL at CES due to the partial shutdown.
Carlos Ghosn’s “resistance.” The former Nissan chairman will appear before a Tokyo court on Tuesday, and his son informed reporters that a surprise is in store when Ghosn finally gives his first public statement and testimony. Meanwhile, Nissan’s own investigation (subscription) is going global to probe key executives linked to Ghosn.
While you were sleeping
The World Bank president unexpectedly called it quits. Jim Yong Kim will vacate his position next month for a private-sector investment role. The United States has nominated all 12 World Bank presidents (subscription), making it a near-certainty that Donald Trump will nominate the institution’s next leader. (Editor’s note: World Bank CEO and interim president Kristalina Georgieva is a featured commenter on the Quartz app.)
Saudi Arabia said it will cut oil exports. The kingdom plans to reduce shipments to 7.1 million barrels a day (subscription) in February, down from 10.3 million in January. The largest portion of cutbacks will primarily affect the US, which is almost certain to draw fire (subscription) from the White House.
SoftBank is slashing its planned investment in WeWork. The Japanese tech giant will inject $2 billion into the shared-office startup, not $16 billion as it originally announced, according to the Financial Times (subscription). Investors in the SoftBank Vision Fund, led by the Saudi government, are concerned about mounting WeWork losses, and the startup’s founder is reluctant to give up control.
Kevin Spacey pled not guilty to indecent assault and battery. The actor was ordered by a Massachusetts judge to stay away from his accuser, who claims Spacey bought him several drinks and groped him at a local restaurant when he was 18 years old. A judge ordered the alleged victim to preserve his mobile phone data for six months after the incident, which Spacey’s lawyer said would be “likely exculpatory.”
Climate experts downgraded a doomsday climate change scenario. Robert DeConto and David Pollard, who had warned that the collapse of several huge Antarctic glaciers could raise sea levels by three feet by 2100, now say a one-foot rise is much more likely in that time frame. Nonetheless, the Atlantic reports, unless global emissions are curtailed, sea levels could still rise more than 26 feet by 2300.
Quartz obsession interlude
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: The science of stayin’ alive. “Annie, are you OK?” CPR is a simple way to save a life that didn’t come together until the 1960s. Chest compressions, the most basic part of CPR, were only discovered by accident. And even if you think you know CPR, you probably need a refresher. Press on with today’s Quartz Obsession email.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
How US millennials burned out at an early age. It’s not hard when your job has no downtime.
The economics of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “soak the rich” tax plan. There is bitter disagreement about the optimum top tax rate.
Despite a bitter rivalry, Apple is putting iTunes on Samsung TVs. Consumers don’t care about patent wars and legal battles.
Quartz Membership
Goldman Sachs is arguably Wall Street’s most prestigious firm, operating for decades in a quiet golden glow. But since the financial crisis in 2008—when it gained the dubious moniker of “vampire squid”—it has faced a range of intense business, legal, and political challenges. How Goldman fares will say as much about the future of the firm as for Wall Street itself.
This week, Quartz members get exclusive access to a new report on what’s next for Goldman, which marks its 150th anniversary this year. You can sign up here for a 30-day free trial.
Surprising discoveries
Preliterate children are texting using emoji. And their usage patterns (subscription) are extremely unique.
Apple’s new privacy ad is based on a problematic phrase. “What happens in X, stays in X” has long been favored by philanders.
The Milky Way is due for a cataclysmic collision. In about 2 billion years, a run-in with the Large Magellanic Cloud could restart our galaxy’s dormant black hole.
The latest suspect for a “sonic weapon” in Cuba is crickets. US and Canadian diplomats may have suffered neurological damage from a silent cause (subscription), with the insects confusing matters.
A lost Leonardo painting may have been a money-laundering scam. Both the seller and buyer are being investigated by US special counsel Robert Mueller.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, spare oil, and lost paintings 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 McKinley Noble and Adam Pasick.