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What to watch for today
Xi Jinping visits Kim Jong Un’s home turf. The occasion not only marks the first time a Chinese leader has set foot in North Korea in 14 years, but it also could help move diplomacy along, before the Chinese president meets other world leaders at the G20 summit.
Slack goes public, and Canopy should show growth. The chat platform hopes it can convince investors it’s the future of work (paywall) as it launches its market debut through a direct listing process. Meanwhile, the cannabis industry’s biggest player will post fourth-quarter results that are expected to signal larger trends for an industry at risk of losing its buzz.
Vladimir Putin hosts his annual Q&A. The Russian president will appear on TV for the 17th annual iteration of “Direct Line,” the hours-long program that lets viewers ask Putin questions on a wide variety of topics. Last year’s Direct Line saw 2.7 million tune in.
While you were sleeping
The Fed stayed the course. Interest rates remained unchanged, as the US central bank announced that it would not reduce the rate for the rest of the year. It did signal possible cuts in 2020, and notably dropped the word “patient” from its policy approach.
The US warned India of visa caps. According to two senior Indian officials, the US government is considering putting a limit on how many H-1B visas it hands out each year for countries with strict local data storage rules, like India’s, which have recently drawn criticism from companies like Mastercard.
A rocket hit an ExxonMobil oil site in Iraq. It’s the fourth such attack in a week near US installations in Iraq. Three were wounded in this most recent incident near the southern city of Basra, and no one has come forward to claim the attack, although Iraqi security officials are pointing the blame at Iran.
Rory Stewart will not be the UK’s PM. He failed to surpass any of the other four remaining candidates in votes, as Boris Johnson continued his seemingly unstoppable march towards the top spot. The fourth and possibly fifth rounds of voting will both take place today.
The US debated slavery reparations. The House of Representatives held hearings on HR 40, a bill that would set up a committee to research the concept, drawing testimony from presidential contender Cory Booker, actor Danny Glover, and Atlantic writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. Democratic leaders say they plan to hold a vote on the bill.
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Once upon a time, the most-Googled cannabis-derived chemical compound was THC. Today it’s CBD, or cannabidiol, that we’re dying to know more about. In December 2016, Google searches for CBD overtook those for THC, and its popularity has been climbing ever since. We lay out the current state of the CBD boom in 15 charts: from who’s using it, and why they’re into it, to what it’s worth, and where it’s coming from.
Quartz Obsession
Milkshaking is just the latest example of protest rendered with food. Unlike the cream pie, which the founder of High Times magazine smuggled into, and then threw during a congressional hearing on censorship in media; or rotten tomatoes, long a visceral form of theater review; the milkshake as political statement started as a matter of convenience, rather than premeditation. Duck before the Quartz Obsession hits you with the details.
Matters of debate
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Sexual harassment training doesn’t work. Existing methods focus more on reducing liability than creating a safer working environment.
It’s better for the world if Facebook remains free. Users in developed countries subsidize services in the developing world.
Choosing a conscientious partner improves your health. Pairing up with highly-disciplined personalities makes you live longer.
Surprising discoveries
Hyenas once roamed the Arctic. Fossils that puzzled scientists for a half-century belong to a species we tend to associate with warmer climes.
Drugs kept an “attack squirrel” aggressive. However, the Alabama sheriff’s office reported, “There was no safe way to test the squirrel for meth.”
A lifeless baby turned a neighborhood upside down. It took dozens of first responders to discover the figure was just a doll in a “Crawling Dead” shirt.
Van Gogh’s possible suicide weapon was sold at auction. Though its authenticity is questionable, the revolver sold for €162,500 ($182,000).
India will soon be the world’s most populous country. A UN report predicts that China’s population will decrease, kicking it out of the top spot by 2027.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, shivering hyenas, and defense squirrels 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 Max Lockie, Liz Webber, and Susan Howson.