Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Extradition hearings start for Huawei’s CFO. Meng Wanzhou, the Chinese telecom-equipment giant’s chief financial officer, was arrested in Canada in 2018 at the request of the US for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran. A Canadian court must now decide whether the crime would satisfy the “double criminality” requirement.
France introduces new rules on employee share ownership. In an attempt to attract talent to compete with Silicon Valley, president Emmanuel Macron will announce plans to change its stock options rules to include foreign companies with staff in France.
Gun rights supporters rally in Virginia. Thousands will descend on state capital Richmond to protest recent gun control measures. Fearing the potential for violence, the governor has declared a state of emergency, while the FBI has arrested several suspected neo-Nazis who planned to attend.
The International Monetary Fund releases its World Economic Outlook. The report updates its annual forecast for the world economy. The group could again cut its economic expansion forecasts as trade tensions remain despite a US-China trade deal.
US markets will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Over the weekend
China reported a spike in cases of a deadly respiratory illness. Health officials found 139 new cases, including in Beijing and Shenzhen—the first domestic cases outside the city of Wuhan. South Korea also confirmed its first case today, following cases in Thailand and Japan last week. Three people have died from the virus, which has infected more than 200 people.
Foreign powers backed a Libya ceasefire. Meeting in Berlin, the leaders of 12 countries, as well as four multinational organizations including the UN, agreed to shore up a shaky ceasefire and strengthen an arms embargo on Libya. Meanwhile, forces loyal to renegade commander Khalifa Haftar began shutting down key oilfields.
Donald Trump issued his first formal response to his impeachment charges. The six-page filing called the articles of impeachment “constitutionally invalid” and an attack on democracy, outlining the defense the US president intends to use in the Senate impeachment trial that begins tomorrow. Separately, the New York Times’ editorial board endorsed Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren as Democratic candidates for president.
India restored internet access in Kashmir… to 153 websites. The government of Jammu and Kashmir partially lifted a months-long internet blackout after coming under pressure from the Supreme Court. However, connections are limited to slow 2G speeds, and to a list of approved sites that doesn’t include news and social media.
Hundreds of protesters in Beirut were injured. In some of the fiercest clashes since protests erupted in October, Lebanese security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons at demonstrators yesterday.
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.
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
British media’s coverage of Meghan Markle is racist. Widespread denials that racism played a factor in #Megxit just shows how entrenched these attitudes are.
The future of fashion could be virtual. Clothes designed exclusively for the digital world will redefine the runway.
Climate change needs to be taught in schools worldwide. Public schools in Italy will soon mandate this, but many education systems lag behind.
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.
A kidnapped teen used Snapchat to orchestrate her rescue. The 14-year-old girl from California used the app to pinpoint her location.
Stray dogs can instinctively understand human gestures. Researchers found that free-ranging pooches knew where to look when a human was pointing to an object.
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 written by Mary Hui and edited by Tripti Lahiri.