Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Donald Trump begins his election outreach to African Americans. The president launches his Black Voices for Trump Coalition with a rally in downtown Atlanta. In 2016, just 6% of black voters supported Trump, according to the Pew Research Center.
Bloomberg considers a run for president, again. Michael Bloomberg, America’s eighth-richest man, and a former New York mayor, files paperwork in Alabama for the Democratic presidential primary. He’s considered a White House bid before, but never put his name on a state ballot.
It’s 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. On November 9, 1989, jubilant crowds stormed the wall, a seismic event that heralded the end of the Cold War. The anniversary will be marked across Germany and Europe. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo is unveiling a statue of Ronald Reagan in Berlin, near where he told Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.”
Aramco offers a look at its inner workings. Potentially the world’s most valuable company, the Saudi oil giant publishes its IPO prospectus on Sunday as it prepares for what could be the biggest public offering ever.
While you were sleeping
Two top bankers saw their pensions pinched. Responding to investor criticism, Standard Chartered cut the pay packages (paywall) of CEO Bill Winters and CFO Andy Halford. Many investors voted against the bank’s pay policy at its annual meeting earlier this year, which Winters called “immature and unhelpful” at the time.
Trump didn’t do enough to stop Turkey’s offensive in Syria, a senior US diplomat said. News of the criticism, in an internal memo by William Roebuck, the top US envoy in northeast Syria, comes just days before Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets Trump at the White House.
A judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million to several nonprofits. It settles a civil lawsuit that alleged Trump misused his foundation to raise money for his political campaign.
European doctors called for Chinese medicine to be regulated. Two leading European medical groups said World Health Organization recognition is not a stamp of approval, and Chinese traditional medicine should be held to the same standards as Western methods.
Boeing is facing further problems with safety. US Congress members asked for information from the Federal Aviation Authority about new, potentially “catastrophic” safety concerns with the 737 Max and 787, issues that are not related to the Max’s current grounding.
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Is WeChat a problem for democracies? In the latest episode of Because China, we go to Australia to understand how China’s “super app” could affect international campaigns and elections. We break down how misinformation travels within WeChat’s unique information ecosystem and the ways in which the app is a channel for Beijing to extend its censorship beyond China’s borders.
Quartz Obsession
The world is full speed ahead on 5G. The new telecommunications standard promises wireless connection speeds up to a hundred times faster than current 4G levels, but challenges still abound. Global security concerns about China’s Huawei and ZTE are further complicating an already expensive and intensive buildout, and some international standard-setting remains to be determined. Test your connection with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of Debate
Disney is betting its entire future on streaming. Is this the way for the House of Mouse to restore the magic?
Elections in the US and UK are completely different. Does either serve democracy?
Pre-owned “luxury” might not be so luxurious. Is RealReal for real?
Surprising discoveries
Silicon Valley wants to hack your feelings. First came soylent, then the digital detox, now the tech set is “dopamine fasting” to experience more pleasure.
When there’s a smell there’s a way. People lacking a part of the brain responsible for olfaction are able to detect scents just as well as anyone else.
Thomas the Tank Engine was involved in a cover-up. The children’s favorite was used to hide a major accounting error by Mattel and its auditor PwC last year, according to a former Mattel executive.
Some are getting Valentine’s Day texts… today. People reported they received strange, out-of-the-blue text messages from some of their contacts, who can’t recall sending them.
“Ice eggs” cover Finnish island beach. Cold and windy weather created a rare event—small bits of ice rolled into the shape of eggs, some even as large as footballs.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, lost romantic texts, and perfect ice eggs to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Jason Karaian, and Rashmee Roshan Lall.