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What to watch for today
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 2.7 million viewers tuned in.
EU leaders gather for a summit in Brussels. Leaders from 28 countries will discuss climate goals as well as appointments for the bloc’s top jobs, including the heads of the European Central Bank and the parliament.
South Africa’s president addresses the country. In his first State of the Nation speech since his re-election in May, Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce more measures to support cash-strapped power utility Eskom, whose troubles are weighing on the country’s economy.
The US Senate votes on Saudi arms sales. Lawmakers from both parties hope to stymie a plan by the Trump administration to sell $8 billion in weapons to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, it’s unlikely that the vote will win the two-thirds support needed to override a presidential veto.
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.
While you were sleeping
Xi Jinping arrived in North Korea. His visit marks the first time a Chinese leader has set foot in the country in 14 years. In his meeting with Kim Jong Un, Xi is expected to try to help move diplomacy along, before the Chinese president meets other world leaders at the G20 summit next week.
Iran said it shot down a US spy drone. The Revolutionary Guard said the RQ-4 Global Hawk entered Iranian airspace in a southern province, near the Strait of Hormuz.. The US has denied that any of its drones entered Iranian territory.
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.
Rory Stewart will not be the UK’s PM. Seen as a rising Tory star, the international development secretary failed to surpass any of the other four remaining Tory candidates in votes, while Boris Johnson continued his seemingly unstoppable march toward 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 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. Companies 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 an organized planner 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.”
An Egyptian TV anchor made a telling gaffe. As media outlets carried suspiciously similar reports on former president Mohammed Morsi’s death, one newsreader read out “This was sent by a Samsung device.”
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 newsreader sign-offs 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 Isabella Steger and edited by Tripti Lahiri.