Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Virginia braces for a gun rights rally on MLK day. Thousands descend in Richmond to protest recent gun control measures. Fearing violence, Virginia’s governor has declared a state of emergency, while the FBI has arrested suspected neo-Nazis who planned to attend the march.
Canada begins Huawei executive’s extradition hearings. Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder and the company’s CFO, was arrested in Vancouver in 2018 at the request of the US for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran.
The International Monetary Fund releases its world economic outlook. The IMF cut its economic expansion forecasts in October, citing trade tensions, and it could do it again, despite the US-China trade deal.
US markets are closed in observance of MLK day.
Over the weekend
The Luanda Leaks revealed how Africa’s richest woman exploited Angola. A global reporting team, including Quartz journalists, analyzed 700,000 leaked documents to show how Isabel dos Santos, the billionaire daughter of Angola’s former president, siphoned away public money.
SpaceX celebrated a successful explosion. Elon Musk’s firm intentionally destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket in a test to show how it would keep astronauts safe in a failed mission. SpaceX’s first crewed flight test could take place as soon as March.
A deadly respiratory illness spread across China. There are 139 new cases, including in Beijing and Shenzen. South Korea confirmed its first case, following reports from Thailand and Japan. Three people have died from the virus.
India restored very limited internet access in Kashmir. Under pressure from India’s top court, the central government now allows around 150 websites. But connections are limited to slow speeds, and approved sites don’t include news and social media.
The head of the BBC announced he’s stepping down. Tony Hall has been the director-general of the broadcasting world’s biggest employer since 2013.
China announced plans to reduce single-use plastics. Plastic bags will be banned in big cities, and plastic straws will be forbidden in restaurants, both by the end of this year. The prohibition will expand to all Chinese cities over the next two years.
Quartz membership
Meat alternatives are the future of food. Barclays predicts the plant-based and lab-based meat market will be worth $140 billion by 2030. Quartz’s latest presentation guides you into that future.
Quartz daily obsession
It’s been 100 years since the US went dry. The 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 with the Quartz daily obsession.
Matters of debate
India shouldn’t have snubbed Jeff Bezos. It was bad optics, bad politics, and bad economics.
Inequality is a public health issue. Just look at the link between the minimum wage and the suicide epidemic in the US.
The childcare system in the US is broken. But here is one way to fix it.
Surprising discoveries
Hardly anyone attends sport events on their own. Though golf, horse racing, and tennis are popular with solo fans.
The footprint of robot baristas is about to expand. Briggo is increasing the number of its totally-automated coffee machines from 13 to more than 100.
Scientists are trying to figure out the best way to board a plane. One claims to have solved the problem in “an act of desperation.”
You can open an app and catch half of Seinfeld. NBC’s Peacock streaming service is trying to be just like the TV experience in the ‘90s.
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.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Costanza complaints, and Schrute sales tips 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 Luiz Romero and Hasit Shah.