Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The US House votes on impeachment articles. Representatives will debate the two articles first, and Republicans will do all they can to slow the process. Ahead of the vote, Donald Trump released a six-page rant to House speaker Nancy Pelosi, in which he accused Democrats of waging “open war” on democracy.
Tony Blair speaks. The former UK prime minister—and the only person to lead the Labour party to an election victory in 45 years—is expected to recommend a complete policy overhaul for the party at an event in London, following last week’s crushing electoral defeat.
General Mills serves up it latest earnings. Shares of the maker of Cheerios have risen by more than 30% this year as it pushes into the pet food market. Chipmaker Micron Technology, whose stock has been upgraded by some analysts, will also post quarterly results.
While you were sleeping
Fiat Chrysler and PSA Peugeot made it official. The $50 billion merger will create the world’s fourth-largest auto company. The combination of French and Italian-American carmakers is meant to help them cope with slowing demand and the expense of developing cleaner cars.
India’s Supreme Court declined to block a controversial citizenship bill. The court will still hold hearings next month on the measure, which makes it easier for non-Muslims to become Indian citizens. The sweeping measure set off nationwide protests, while prime minister Narendra Modi has accused the bill’s critics of spreading falsehoods.
A Dutch company will handle mobile payments for your Big Mac. Adyen’s partnership with McDonald’s, the world’s biggest restaurant chain, is a coup for the stock market darling amid a boom in e-commerce and mobile transactions.
A Japanese journalist who came forward about rape won her court case. Shiori Ito, who accused a senior male journalist of raping her in a Tokyo hotel room in 2015, won ¥3.3 million yen ($30,100) in damages. Ito became the face of the #MeToo movement in Japan, where public discussion of sexual assault remains muted.
Ether turned negative for the year. The second-largest cryptocurrency, which is a token tied to a decentralized computing platform, more than doubled at one point, but has dropped precipitously in recent months. Bitcoin is up around 80% on the year.
Quartz membership
The world needs governments and businesses to save water. As part of our ongoing field guide on water scarcity, we bring you a Q&A with Stuart Orr, who works with the World Wildlife Fund to cajole CEOs and investors to become more active water managers. The fundamental problem, he says, is corporate accounting: Water is much more valuable than its price, and many firms don’t take that into account.
Quartz obsession
What even is a country anyway? The idea of a micronation challenges the definition and recognition of a nation or state—and there are dozens of self-declared micronations that boast their own passports, flags, and even stamps. Go forth and discover a new country with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Can technology connect rather than divide us? A pioneer of wearable tech is running experiments to track the frequency and quality of social connections.
Streetwear is over. There are only so many hoodies, t-shirts, and sneakers people can own.
It’s dangerous to depict Greta Thunberg as a prophet. It risks distorting her message and giving ammunition to climate change deniers.
Surprising discoveries
A concert pianist taught himself to play using a paper piano. Lacking the money for the instrument, Andrew Garrido drew one when he was 11 years old.
Vladimir Putin needs a cybersecurity upgrade. The Russian president uses the obsolete and vulnerable Windows XP on his work computer.
Climate change could shorten pregnancies. Heat stress causes women to give birth earlier, and may account for 250,000 fewer days of gestation for US babies by 2100.
Costco is thriving in Venezuela. Entrepreneurs in Florida are taking advantage of lax import controls to ship bulk American cereal and other items to sell in the beleaguered South American country.
A German woman sued a stinky cheese shop. A court ruled that she could continue to express her distaste with the odor vocally, but could no longer display complaint signs.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, out-of-fashion hoodies, and vintage software 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 brought to you by John Detrixhe and Jason Karaian.