Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today over the weekend
Australia weighs forced evacuations over wildfires. The state of New South Wales is considering forcing residents to flee the area as soon as this morning. Prime minister Scott Morrison was confronted by angry locals when he visited the region on Thursday.
Floods continue to rock Indonesia. At least 21 people are dead in Jakarta as the heaviest rain since the country began keeping records pours down in the capital and beyond. Heavy showers are expected to continue through the weekend.
The first significant US economic data of the year gets released. Fed watchers will be looking for clues about continued repo market interventions and interest rate changes when the Federal Reserve publishes December meeting minutes today. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) will also issue its purchasing managers’ index (PMI), offering a peek into US business confidence.
While you were sleeping
A Google exec said he was forced out after pushing human rights in Asia. Ross LaJeunesse, a US Senate candidate and Google’s former head of global policy, claimed he tried to introduce a formal company-wide human rights commitment—and that Google instead ignored his efforts and its “don’t be evil” mantra.
Lebanon received an Interpol arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn. The former Nissan boss, who escaped house arrest in Japan with the help of a private security company, fled to Beirut this week. Ghosn is of Lebanese origin and faces trial in Japan for financial misconduct.
The US pushed for new North Korean denuclearization talks. US defense secretary Mark Esper called for “restraint” and a political solution after the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced that his country will resume tests of intercontinental missiles and nuclear bombs.
Tesla planned to deliver its first China-made cars to the public. Having already delivered a handful of Model 3 sedans manufactured at its Shanghai plant to Tesla employees, the company now says that customers will start receiving their cars beginning on January 7.
The US banned most flavored vaping products. Manufacturers have 30 days to stop producing and selling flavored pre-filled cartridges for e-cigarettes amid a deadly health crisis related to vaping. The ban, however, does not affect methanol or tobacco flavors.
HBO’s longtime CEO joined Apple TV. Richard Plepler, who helped earn the network more than 160 Emmy awards during his 27 years at the company, signed a five-year deal to produce exclusive shows for Apple—whose share price cracked $300 for the first time on Thursday.
Quartz membership
US president Dwight Eisenhower famously said, “I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” In the Quartz at Work guide to structuring your day, Khe Hy explains how to overcome this dilemma—as well as why you need to schedule time in your calendar for “deep work.”
Quartz obsession
Feel left out of the conversation? Social media has interrupted our social lives, leaving us increasingly atomized between webs of virtual connections. Good conversation is an art, and it’s getting harder as we lose practice. So what’s the secret to a lively exchange? Have a chat with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
The internet is no longer disruptive. The dominant players—Google, Facebook, Netflix, Uber, etc.—are now the new establishment.
Does a “diet” food imply weight loss? A US court says no.
“Flight shame” doesn’t work. So far, we haven’t flown less, despite the guilt foisted upon us.
Surprising discoveries
More terracotta soldiers were unearthed in China. Archaeologists discovered 200 statues and 12 clay horses at the 2,200-year-old tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff gifted Steve Jobs AppStore.com. The enterprise software giant had been sitting on the domain name for years after a pivotal meeting with Jobs.
Surfing the web for baby animal photos boosts work productivity. At least according to new—and somewhat whimsical—research at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma.
$100,000 in suspicious iPhones were seized on their way to Moscow. It’s part of a large black market for the coveted devices.
The fake Nike business is worth nearly half a billion dollars in the US. Worldwide sales of knockoff goods exceeded $520 billion last year, representing 3.3% of all global trade.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, historic pottery, and baby animal pics 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 Patrick deHahn, Max Lockie, and Adam Rasmi.