Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Extradition hearings start for Huawei’s CFO. Meng Wanzhou, one of the public faces of the Chinese telecom giant, was arrested in Canada in 2018 at the request of the US for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran. A Canadian court now must decide whether the crime would satisfy the “double criminality” requirement for extradition.
A pro-gun rally in Virginia. Thousands of gun rights supporters will descend on the state capital of Richmond to protest recent gun control initiatives. The FBI has already arrested several suspected neo-Nazis who may have been planning acts of violence at the event.
The IMF releases its World Economic Outlook. The International Monetary Fund is set to update its annual forecast for the world economy from Davos, Switzerland. It’s expected to say the recent signing of a US-China trade pact could ease uncertainty around global economic growth.
US markets will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Over the weekend
Police and protesters clashed in Hong Kong. Officers fired tear gas to disperse thousands of anti-government demonstrators. The rally began in a park, as organizers had cleared with authorities, but it turned into an impromptu march, sparking a crackdown.
China confirmed more cases of a deadly respiratory illness. Health officials said 17 more people had been infected with a new coronavirus strain from an unknown source, bringing the total to over 60. Thailand has also reported two cases, and Japan one.
Foreign powers backed a Libya ceasefire. At a peace summit in Berlin, various nations agreed to shore up a shaky ceasefire and strengthen a UN arms embargo on Libya. Meanwhile forces loyal to renegade commander Khalifa Haftar began shutting down key oilfields.
The Luanda Leaks shed light on corruption. Over 700,000 documents obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists were shared with Quartz and others. Our series published Sunday shows how Africa’s richest woman exploited her country with help from Western firms.
SpaceX passed a crucial test. The company blew up a Falcon 9 rocket carrying an uncrewed Dragon spacecraft shortly after launch to demonstrate an escape system works. Next up: a flight with astronauts, possibly in March.
Quartz daily obsession
It’s been 100 years since the US went dry. The American experiment in outlawing alcohol only lasted 13 years before its demise in 1933, but it inspired mobster industries, the founding of Nascar, and global bans that still exist today. Raise a glass to Prohibition’s centennial with the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of debate
The sharing economy is destroying trust. It’s not really “trust” if you need an app to surveil your dogwalker/babysitter/houseguest’s every move.
Horror movies deserve Oscars. Films like Us, Midsommar, and Hereditary won critical acclaim and box office success and gave meaty roles to women—so why did they net zero nominations?
Japan is cynically supporting genocide in Myanmar. Tokyo has been an early and vocal defender of Myanmar in a bid to beat China in the race for regional influence.
Surprising discoveries
Facebook accidentally translated Xi Jinping’s name as “Mr. Shithole.” The company blamed a technical error for the faulty Burmese-to-English translation.
A missing masterpiece was found in an art gallery’s walls. Gustav Klimt’s “Portrait of a Lady” was stashed in a hidden compartment for 23 years before a gardener discovered it.
Negative interest rates are nothing new. Seven centuries of lending data show that interest rates have been falling steadily since the late 1400s.
Teachers are suing Delta for raining fuel on schools. A plane making an emergency landing jettisoned 15,000 gallons of jet fuel over a densely populated area of LA.
You’re more likely to find a North American than a woman at Davos. Just 24% of attendees are women, although organizers promise gender parity by 2030.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, hidden masterpieces, and 14th-century economic data 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 Steve Mollman, Adam Epstein, and Nicolás Rivero.