Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Coronavirus prompts evacuations of foreigners from Wuhan. Expats are heading for the exit with Japan and the United States among the countries planning to repatriate their citizens from the epicenter of the outbreak today. Meanwhile, African governments are scrambling to assist thousands of students in Wuhan.
Shinzo Abe picks a new Bank of Japan board member. Analysts expect Abe to replace outgoing board member Yutaka Harada with an official who holds a similar commitment to reaching a 2% inflation target. A second seat on the nine-member board will open in June when Yukitoshi Funo, a former Toyota executive, is scheduled to leave the bank.
The UK makes a decision on Huawei. Prime minister Boris Johnson has said that he has a plan to allow limited access for the Chinese tech giant to British 5G networks without compromising security, going against numerous US objections.
Apple puts its China woes behind it. One year after CEO Tim Cook issued revised guidance due to weak Chinese demand—tanking Apple’s stock—analysts now expect the company’s first-quarter earnings to reflect healthy iPhone 11 sales in Asia. Starbucks and Pfizer also report quarterly earnings, while LVMH issues its 2019 results.
While you were sleeping
US companies shrugged off the China trade deal. A new survey from the National Association for Business Economics finds that 63% of companies expect little to no impact on sales from the new trade pact. Of the companies who are expecting an impact from the deal, opinion is evenly split over whether it will be positive or not.
The world continued to reflect on Kobe Bryant’s legacy. NBA players wore their hearts on their shoes during a mournful slate of league matches. Meanwhile, an investigation into the fatal crash found that the helicopter pilot received special clearance to operate under foggy conditions on Sunday. Quartz’s analysis finds that these types of low-altitude chopper crashes are sadly becoming more common.
US President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial continued. While the president’s defense lawyers attempted to take apart the House articles of impeachment, Washington was buzzing over a news report that Trump’s former national security adviser says the president personally tied aid for Ukraine to an investigation of former vice president Joe Biden and his family.
Pegatron ordered up factories in Indonesia and Vietnam. The new plants, expected to be completed by year’s end, are part of the Taiwan-based electronics manufacturing giant’s shift away from China due to rising labor costs.
A US legislator said Congress may take up a resolution on Kashmir. Eliot Engel, the chairman of the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee, added that it’s likely the House will investigate alleged human rights violations by India carried out in the disputed territory.
Quartz membership
Will 2020 deliver another year of slow but steady global growth—or a slump that spreads across the world economy? Of course, no one really knows; shocks are—almost by definition—unpredictable. What we can do is identify where pockets of vulnerability in the global economy lie—the fragilities that might allow a shock to devolve into a recession. This week’s field guide explores a handful of the biggest, most ominous of these vulnerabilities.
Quartz daily obsession
There’s a new coronavirus on the loose. The illness, which radiated out from the Chinese city of Wuhan to infect thousands in at least 10 countries, is one of just seven known coronaviruses that affect humans. Four cause the common cold, and the remaining two are SARS and MERS, which caused two of the 21st century’s major epidemics. Dust off your microscopes and take a closer look with the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of debate
Bosses should make men cut down on sports talk in the office. That’s according to a UK management body that says it excludes women.
But complaining about the work environment is good for you. Blowing off steam can help you cope with stress and frustration.
US millennials deserve the same socialist safety net their parents have. Boomers already enjoy universal basic income (Social Security) and single-payer healthcare (Medicare).
Surprising discoveries
Kim Jong Un’s aunt wasn’t purged after all. Kim Kyong-hui, a former general and politburo member, appeared in public for the first time in six years.
A British cobbler replaced his thumb with a big toe. After David Lee lost his right thumb while mending a shoe, the surgery allowed him to get back to work.
Atari is getting into the hotel business. Eight themed hotels are in the works, featuring esports venues, “fully immersive” VR experiences, and a lot of Atari branding.
Nerves don’t send signals on their own. A long-overlooked class of cells called glia plays key roles in a wide range of functions, from pain perception to memory processing.
HBO’s Chernobyl is striking a chord in coronavirus-stricken China. People are drawing parallels to the Soviet censorship depicted in the show.
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