Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Tens of thousands march in Colombia. The government plans to close its borders as it struggles to control protests against president Iván Duque. Marchers are upset over the murders of indigenous leaders, government corruption, and the state of a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
The White House’s former top Russia expert testifies. Fiona Hill will tell the impeachment inquiry about concerns over meetings between Donald Trump’s associates, and Ukrainian officials. Her appearance comes after damning testimony against the president from former ambassador Gordon Sondland.
Sri Lanka keeps it in the family. Mahinda Rajapaksa, a former president and brother of the country’s new president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, will be sworn in today as prime minister. The Rajapaksa brothers are seen as instrumental to the brutal crackdown on the nation’s Tamil minority, but are popular among the Sinhala-Buddhist majority.
Tesla unveils its electric pickup truck. The automaker first teased the concept six years ago, but little is known about its “Cybertruck.” Yesterday, US senator Ed Markey called on Tesla to disable its autopilot feature to fix a flaw after videos surfaced appearing to show drivers asleep at the wheel.
While you were sleeping
US Democratic presidential candidates debated. Frontrunners Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg faced off against six other hopefuls during the fifth primary debate. Issues of race and gender loomed large, while Buttigieg—who has enjoyed a surge in recent polls—came under attack for his lack of national experience.
Prince Andrew is shedding his royal responsibilities. In light of his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and a recent controversial TV interview, the Duke of York has asked the Queen for permission to withdraw from his official duties.
Israel missed a crucial deadline. The nation faces a third election after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rival Benny Gantz announced he had failed to form a coalition. Lawmakers now have 21 days to nominate anyone else in the Knesset to attempt the feat.
A Hong Kong bill passed the US House. The bill, which supports the Hong Kong protests and has strong bipartisan backing, passed the Senate earlier this week. Bloomberg reports that the president could sign it as early as today, further agitating the relationship between the US and China.
The death toll in Bolivia increased. At least eight people were killed during clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted president Evo Morales, taking the total death toll to 31 since unrest broke out in October. An election bill aimed at defusing the crisis will be debated in both chambers of Congress today.
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ETFs didn’t democratize finance. Could they? Over a third of Americans spent more on coffee last year than they invested. Getting people without much money to invest small amounts for their own good later is very difficult. If there were any investment product that could solve the problem, it should be the exchange-traded fund. It hasn’t happened yet, but there are a couple of things that could help.
Quartz Obsession
Shipbreaking is the dirty underbelly of global trade. More than 90% of international trade moves by sea and ships can’t last forever, so where do they go? The majority of them head to South Asian shipbreaking yards, which are deadly for yard workers, toxic for the environment, and nearly impossible to regulate. Break it down in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of Debate
Companies should consult workers when automating. Rank-and-file employees deserve a say in how new technology impacts them.
Your “minimum viable product” isn’t going to cut it. Consumers expect something they actually want to use, not just a cobbled-together tool that functions.
England is addicted to José Mourinho. On top of his track record, the Premier League can’t quit the drama that the Portuguese soccer manager brings.
Surprising discoveries
Doctors have put humans in suspended animation for the first time. Rapidly cooling the brains of shooting and stabbing victims buys surgeons time to save them.
Safety deposit boxes are in demand again. The ultra-rich are looking for alternative places to stash their wealth.
Babies cry in different languages. By the third trimester, a fetus can hear the cadence and melody of its mother’s voice, known as “prosody.”
Dog poo can be turned into bricks. Students in the Philippines air-dried dog poo picked from the streets and added cement powder to make “bio bricks.”
The Seychelles has the world’s worst heroin problem. About 10% of the working population of the tropical archipelago are addicted to the drug.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, rusty ships, and safety deposit keys to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android, and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Isabella Steger and edited by Tripti Lahiri.