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What to watch for today
The British Parliament begins its last day of debate on Theresa May’s Brexit plan. Her deal is widely expected to be voted down on Tuesday, after which May will have three days to come up with an alternate plan.
Congo’s constitutional court considers a challenge to presidential election results. Runner-up Martin Fayulu has accused the provisional winner, opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi, of making a backroom deal with outgoing president Joseph Kabila to divide power between them. The court has seven days to respond.
US airport-traffic controllers to protest lack of pay. After its 14,000 members missed their first paychecks due to the longest-ever US government shutdown, their union filed a lawsuit and is warning that “national-scale” protests will begin this week.
Over the weekend
Donald Trump did not directly deny working with Russia. Asked by Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro about a New York Times report that the FBI had opened an inquiry into whether he was working on behalf of Moscow after he fired James Comey, the president responded with 351 words, none of which was “no.”
Israel acknowledged attacking Iranian weapons warehouses in Syria. Israel has previously said it has carried out similar missions but officials typically refuse to discuss specific operations. The confirmation from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be an effort to project confidence that Israel has threats in Syria and Lebanon under control.
Greece’s prime minister called for a vote of confidence. The move comes in response to the resignation of defense minister Panos Kammenos, leader of the right-wing Independent Greeks party, who quit in protest of Athens potentially recognizing Macedonia changing its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Greek nationalists argue “Macedonia” should only refer to the region in northern Greece.
Winter Storm Gia struck the US Midwest. Some 435 flights were canceled nationwide, exacerbating an already fraught travel situation caused by the government shutdown, which has stopped the pay of Transportation Security Administration screeners.
The roof of a China coal mine collapsed, killing 21 people. Its owners had been ordered in 2017 to halt operations at the Lijiagou mine in Shaanxi province while they improved safety standards.
Quartz obsession interlude
The vampire squid has a bad rap for being a mascot for rapacious capitalism. In fact, it’s not a vampire, not a squid, and not a very good metaphor. This humble cephalopod from the ocean’s deepest depths is actually a bottom feeder that squirts a bioluminescent substance in place of ink. Read more in the Quartz Obsession.
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Everything you need to know to keep knowing about Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs isn’t just a name, it’s a shorthand—a quick way of describing the pinnacle of Wall Street. The firm is probably the most-written-about bank on all of Wall Street (and in all of the world). If you want to know more about Goldman’s history, this list—available exclusively with a Quartz membership—will make you an expert. Sign up here for a 30-day free trial.
Matters of debate
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We’ve entered the post-smartphone era. Now that just about every phone is really good (even the cheap ones), it’s supremely difficult for a manufacturer to differentiate its offerings without resorting to gimmicks.
Who needs venture capital anyway? Startups are seeking alternate methods of funding, increasingly seeing VC money as a “dangerous” path to an accelerated demise.
America’s electric grid has a vulnerability Russian hackers are already exploiting. Instead of attacking utility companies head on, hackers are hitting less-protected contractors and subcontractors.
Surprising discoveries
Hipsters are the new hunters. Hunting is being rebranded for hipsters, as a way to acquire local, sustainable, and (probably) organic meat.
You can now build your own Bandersnatch-style web game. Inspired by Netflix’s choose-your-own-adventure film, a software developer created a way to make your own version that starts with a Reddit thread.
The Washington State Department of Transportation has installed a new 68.9-mile marker highway sign. It was fed up with people stealing the 69-mile version.
A German submarine from World War I is emerging on a beach in northern France. “The wreck is visible briefly every two to three years, depending on the tides and the wind that leads to sand movements, but a good gust of wind and the wreck will disappear again,” said the town’s mayor.
There’s a Japanese startup working on artificial meteor showers. Its plan is to launch metal-ore pellets from a satellite to create celestial shows for special events. It won’t be easy.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, stolen street signs, and fake meteors to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Sarah Kessler and edited by John Mancini.