Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
India’s protests swell. Groups have planned demonstrations across 20 cities as anger mounts over a citizenship bill that discriminates against Muslim migrants. Internet, voice, and text services have been shut down in parts of Delhi (as have metro stations and major roads), and curfews imposed in other parts of the country.
The Queen opens parliament to “get Brexit done.” In her speech, Queen Elizabeth will read out UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s priorities, which will include laws fulfilling his campaign promises to complete Brexit and to boost funding for the National Health Service.
Nike tries to outrun tariffs. The sportswear group reports its latest quarterly earnings after the market closes, with most analysts predicting that it will build on recent gains, assuaging some fears that the US-China trade war would hit sales.
Lebanon may name a new leader. Former education minister Hassan Diab is likely to be named as the country’s new prime minister, Al Jazeera reported, after outgoing leader Saad al-Hariri withdrew from the race. Al-Hariri resigned in October in response to protests directed against the state’s ruling elite.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump became the third US president to be impeached. The House of Representatives voted in favor of impeaching the president for abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rival, and for obstruction of justice. It now falls to the Republican-held Senate to hold an impeachment trial—it is widely expected to acquit.
Vladimir Putin took questions. At the time of writing, the Russian president is midway through his marathon annual press conference (it lasted for nearly four hours last year). Questions about the economy could be awkward, since growth is on track to fall short of the pace the president predicted at last year’s tightly scripted event.
Sweden raised interest rates—to 0%. Despite concerns about a global economic slowdown, the central bank lifted its key target rate out of negative territory for the first time since 2014. The move is likely to please savers, though the bank hasn’t ruled out another dip below zero.
The Bank of England’s press conferences were hacked. An investigation by The Times (paywall) found that some traders got early access to market-moving central bank announcements via a backup audio feed, which went out seconds before the public video broadcast. The bank said it has cut off the offending third-party supplier’s access to the feed.
New South Wales burned. For the second time in as many months, the Australian state with 7 million inhabitants declared an emergency as wildfires raged around Sydney and blanketed it in smoke. Australia has set a series of record-high temperatures recently, with the latest record broken again on Thursday with a national average high of 41.9°C (107.4°F).
Quartz membership
The business world has a complicated relationship with water, but some companies are diving in. NGOs have set corporations firmly in their sights, and investors are concerned with the financial implications of operating in water-stressed regions. A number of industries rely heavily on water supply, so they’re players, too, helped by a new industry of water technology consultants. John Engen gives members the who’s who in the water game as part of this week’s field guide.
Quartz obsession
Danish butter cookies are more than just cookies. The international love for the blue-tinned dessert made of flour, sugar, and lots of butter came from competing Nordic companies, the Kjeldsens and the Danish Court-recognized Royal Dansk. The two merged into the Kelsen Group and have a foothold on butter cookies globally today—challenging competitors, and with tins resting in homes for various uses. Dig in with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
The corporate obsession with speed is a problem. Businesses fetishize saving time, even though it can lead to bad design and costly errors.
Ranked lists suck the joy out of everything. Enjoyment should be intrinsic, not measured in relation to other experiences.
Pop culture conceals how hard it still is to be a working mom. Portrayals of thriving mothers don’t give an honest picture.
Surprising discoveries
Headphones are changing the sound of music. Artists have adapted to the listening experience by adjusting vocals and bass levels.
Chinese banks are offering pork rewards to lure customers. An African swine fever epidemic has sent the price of the country’s favorite meat soaring.
The “world’s most powerful” passport isn’t all that popular. Japan’s passport is the easiest to travel with—but three-quarters of its people don’t have one.
Giant rocks are surprisingly bouncy. Boulders going downhill in the Atacama Desert take unexpected trajectories.
Chewing gum is a great way to preserve DNA for posterity. Scientists were able to map a woman’s genetic code from a 6,000-year-old sample.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, free bacon, and ancient gum 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 Cassie Werber and Jason Karaian.