Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Trump and Greta avoid eye contact. US president Donald Trump and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who have battled on social media, will appear two hours apart at the World Economic Forum. The exclusive confab’s theme this year is “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World.” Follow along with our Davos Daily Brief.
A Thai Constitutional Court ruling. The court will decide whether to dissolve Future Forward (FFP), the country’s second-largest opposition party, over accusations that it tried to overthrow the monarchy. FFP wants to curb the military’s influence in government and rewrite Thailand’s constitution to include “democratic values.”
Japan’s central bank makes a statement. Don’t get too excited—it’s just the policy kind. The bank will provide a quarterly outlook, and is expected to keep interest rates on hold. Japanese stocks hit a 52-week high on Monday.
While you were sleeping
China confirmed the Wuhan coronavirus can pass between people. As of Monday morning, the pneumonia-like virus had infected more than 200 people in four countries, killing three. The World Health Organization will hold an emergency meeting on Jan. 22 to discuss the outbreak, which is taking place just before the Lunar New Year holiday travel season.
Meng Wanzhou appeared in court. The Huawei chief financial officer started the first phase of what could become a lengthy extradition hearing. The Supreme Court of British Columbia will decide whether the crimes Meng is accused of by the US would also be considered crimes in Canada, a requirement for her to be extradited to the US.
The IMF sees no “turning point” for sluggish global growth. The International Monetary Fund trimmed its growth forecast to 3.3% in 2020 and 3.4% in 2021—down from its October projections—citing climate shocks, social unrest, and a major slowdown in India.
Boris Johnson pitched Brexit at a gathering of African leaders. In an opening speech at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London, Johnson said the UK is a “one-stop shop” for trade, education, and tech, and would in a post-Brexit would “put people before passports.”
Trump called impeachment hearings “an affront to the Constitution.” The US president’s legal team issued a 110-page brief in response to the House’s articles of impeachment, arguing that Trump shouldn’t have been impeached because he didn’t commit a criminal offense. The brief called for a quick acquittal in the Senate, where proceedings begin on Tuesday.
Quartz membership
A third of the world plays video games. About 60% of Americans say they play them daily. And as the global gaming industry grows, it’s influencing much more than how we spend our free time. From entertainment to government to health care, industries are trying to distill and deploy gaming’s immersive power. In this week’s field guide, Mary Pilon covers everything you need to know about the state of gaming and its impact on our lives.
Matters of debate
Boeing should drop “Max” altogether. An aircraft leasing exec says the brand is “damaged” and “should go down in the history books as a bad name for an aircraft.”
It’s impossible to be ethical and competent. A survey of 34,000 people in 28 countries found that no institution is considered both.
“Slackter” is bad for the workplace. Secret Slack groups plus open-plan offices are a stressful combination.
Surprising discoveries
Interest rates have been falling for 700 years. A new working paper reconstructs real interest rates in advanced economies dating back to 1311.
Night trains are making a comeback. For the first time since 2003, the Austrian Federal Railways Nightjet will run between Brussels and Vienna, amid growing interest in alternatives to flying.
Millennials expect to see nuclear war. More than half of young adults surveyed by the Red Cross think a nuclear attack will happen in the next 10 years.
Your mom’s air conditioner melted the Arctic. Ozone-damaging chemicals used in older ACs and refrigerators accounted for half the warming the Arctic experienced between 1955 and 2005.
A dilapidated manse in Italy will cost you €1. Bisaccia, a town in Italy’s southern Campania region, is putting 90 buildings on the market for one euro, to encourage people to move there.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, inside Slack jokes, and millennial fears 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 and Kira Bindrim.