Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Boris Johnson opens new Brexit talks with Ursula von der Leyen. With just weeks before the UK is set to leave the EU on Jan. 31, the prime minister meets with the European Commission president in London to push for a free trade deal by December. Separately, von der Leyen will meet with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to discuss the Middle East crisis.
Carlos Ghosn speaks to the press in Lebanon. The former Nissan chairman, fresh off his escape from house arrest in Japan, has said he will provide documents and name names. Prosecutors in Japan issued a warrant yesterday for the arrest of Ghosn’s wife Carole, whose spokesperson called the move an attempt to distract from the upcoming press conference.
Poland’s senate speaker seeks EU advice on judicial reforms. Tomasz Grodzki, the country’s most powerful opposition figure, will consult with officials in Brussels about concerns over the rule of law in Poland. Warsaw’s lower house of parliament last month passed a law that would punish judges for speaking out on judicial independence.
While you were sleeping
Iran retaliated against the US with missile attacks on Iraqi bases. Tehran fired ballistic missiles at two military bases hosting American troops, in what Iranian officials said was revenge for the US drone strike last week that killed top Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani. The Federal Aviation Administration has banned US airlines from flying over Iraq and Iran. President Donald Trump is expected to make a statement in the morning.
A Ukrainian Boeing 737 crashed after take-off from Tehran. All 170 passengers and crew aboard the Ukraine International Airlines passenger jet was killed after the plane encountered technical problems, according to Iranian state media.
Flying taxis and disappearing cameras at CES. Uber revealed the answer to road congestion (putting traffic in the air) and Apple talked consumer privacy. Meanwhile, OnePlus demonstrated smartphones with cameras that only appear when they’re needed. Our coverage of CES continues through Friday.
Puerto Rico had another earthquake. The island suffered widespread power outages, significant structural damage, and at least one death in a 6.4-magnitude quake that outranked a series of smaller shakes over the past week. The governor declared a state of emergency and activated the national guard.
Quartz membership
What’s the difference between nursing homes, assisted living, and “life plan communities”? Quartz’s glossary to senior housing sets the record straight and includes all the resources readers need to understand the industry.
Quartz obsession
Giraffes are the world’s gentlest giants. At 20 ft (6 m) tall, with 24 lb (11kg) hearts and feet as big as dinner plates, they’re some of the biggest beasts around. NASA has carefully studied their circulatory systems to inform space suit design—but they remain relatively understudied. Although we still don’t know why giraffes hum at night, we have filmed their epic neck wrestling battles. Graze on everything there is to know with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Don’t go to grad school to learn. Only enroll if you want to up your salary potential or change careers.
Don’t call Taiwan a “renegade province.” That kind of vocabulary tacitly supports a pro-China stance.
World War III memes are shockingly honest. Kids’ jokes about the end of the world betray a terrifying self-awareness.
Surprising discoveries
A chunk of human brain survived intact for 2,600 years. Researchers found that two structural proteins helped preserve the soft tissue for millennia.
Travelex cashiers were forced to switch to pen and paper. The foreign currency trader’s computer systems are down in the midst of a cyber attack.
Jupiter is lobbing comets at us. Instead of protecting the Earth from debris, some researchers think the giant planet is flinging objects into the inner solar system.
European tax fraud generates a phantom trade surplus. Companies over-report hundreds of billions of euros in exports to other EU nations to dodge VAT.
Antique tractors are hot commodities. Machines built before 1980 are cheap, sturdy, and don’t come with hard-to-repair computerized parts.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, World War III memes, and reliable old tractors 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 Mary Hui and edited by Isabella Steger.