Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Mohammed bin Salman talks oil with Narendra Modi. The Saudi crown prince is due to hold talks about Aramco’s giant refinery project on India’s west coast, which stalled after demonstrations by farmers.
Shinzo Abe has an awkward phone call with Donald Trump. The Japanese prime minister and US president are due to have a pre-game conversation (paywall) ahead of Trump’s summit with Kim Jong Un later this month—and shortly after Trump boasted that Abe nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
The debut of Carlos Ghosn’s new legal team. Junichiro “the Razor” Hironaka will hold his first press conference after taking over the defense of the former Nissan chairman. Japan’s legal system has a 99% conviction rate, but “the Razor” has secured several high-profile acquittals.
While you were sleeping
Walmart posted its best results in nearly a decade. If American shoppers are anxious about the economy, they don’t show it at the country’s largest retailer, which bucked lackluster holiday trends to post better-than-expected earnings and revenues. Sales were driven by grocery, e-commerce, and toys in the wake of Toys “R” Us’s bankruptcy.
Iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died. The famously eccentric and prolific couturier—who was reportedly 85, though his true age was always a bit mysterious—served for more than three decades as artistic director at Chanel, one of the world’s largest and most profitable luxury houses, and for more than five decares as creative chief of Fendi.
Trump officials reportedly pushed nuclear transfers to Saudi Arabia. The House Oversight Committee released an interim report saying former national security advisor Michael Flynn tried to push through sensitive nuclear technology sales, according to whistleblowers in the National Security Council. Flynn’s efforts were allegedly aided by Trump backer and friend Tom Barrack.
Amazon’s China unit is reportedly in merger talks with NetEase. According to the business magazine Caijing, Amazon’s business focused on importing foreign-made goods to China could be combined with NetEase’s Kaola unit, which operates in a similar fashion. Amazon’s business lags well beyond market leaders Alibaba, Kaola, and JD.com.
Bernie Sanders is running for president again. The US senate’s only democratic socialist said he will again seek the Democratic party nomination, after pushing Hillary Clinton significantly to the left during the 2016 campaign. Sanders’ platform would include universal healthcare, a $15 hourly minimum wage, and free public college tuition.
Membership
Steve Ballmer’s pivotal role in Microsoft’s comeback. It’s easy to poke fun at the foibles of the company’s former CEO. Though he missed the boat on search, mobile, and streaming media, Ballmer set the stage for Microsoft as it stands today: a company that could evolve into something even bigger. Read why a man known for his mistakes should be lauded for his successes.
Quartz Obsession
Chicken Soup for the Soul: It’s still going strong, with 276 books over a quarter century, plus a podcast, a radio network, educational materials, and even pet food. The brand is publicly traded and into the streaming business as well, with the rights to Roseanne and the Ernest movies. That’s a big pot of money for a little book rejected by 33 publishers. Get inspired with today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Women of color take more risks at work. Being accustomed to inequality helps encourage bold moves in the office.
Governments can be run like tech companies. Estonia is prioritizing efficiency, security, and trust.
Direct employment is a thing of the past. From Walmart to Google, businesses are trying to hire as few people as possible.
Surprising discoveries
Young blood isn’t the fountain of youth. US drug regulators say plasma injections are based on junk science.
The UK pop music gender gap is getting worse. A dearth of female collaboration credits have tripled the distance between men and women to hit the top 100 since 2008.
Emojis are coming to Australian license plates. Drivers in Queensland will be able to choose between basic smileys for a AU$500 (US$350) fee.
The Grand Canyon has been irradiating tourists for nearly two decades. The US National Park Service was allegedly storing highly radioactive uranium in its museum.
How I met your mother: “We swiped right.” Meet-cute stories are getting a lot shorter thanks to online dating.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, winky faces, and meet-cutes 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 Susan Howson and Adam Pasick.