Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Donald Trump finally unveils his Mideast peace plan. The US president and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a joint press conference at the White House today. Palestinian leaders, who haven’t been invited, say the plan can’t succeed if it excludes their views. Separately, Trump held a closed-door meeting with Benny Gantz, Netanyahu’s rival, yesterday.
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
Global stocks sank over coronavirus fears. The Dow dropped 450 points, and European and Asian stocks also tumbled over growing concern the virus will hurt the global economy. In China, more than 4,500 people are infected, and 106 have died. Japan could retrieve its citizens from Wuhan today and the United States, which has warned against non-essential travel to China, is also evacuating citizens there. Meanwhile, African governments are scrambling to assist thousands of students.
Trump’s impeachment trial continued. While the president’s defense lawyers attempted to take apart the House articles of impeachment, Washington was still buzzing over a news report that John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, says in his forthcoming book that the president personally tied aid for Ukraine to an investigation of former vice president Joe Biden and his family.
Venezuela is weighing privatizing its oil industry. With the economy collapsing, representatives of president Nicolás Maduro are reportedly talking to oil majors, including Russia’s Rosneft and Spain’s Repsol, with a view to selling off majority stakes in state oil firms. Such a move, which faces serious hurdles, would mark a reversal of decades of state policy.
New Zealand will hold its next election in September. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who took office in 2017, set the poll date today and pledged to wage a “positive, factual and robust” campaign. Her popularity soared after her handling of terror attacks in the country last year, but has dipped lately over economic issues.
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
Men should cut down on sports talk in the office… A UK management body says the chatter excludes women.
…But complaining about the work environment is okay. Blowing off steam can help you cope with stress and frustration.
Social media has transformed how outbreak information spreads globally. And it’s not for the better.
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.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, game highlights, and family reunion photos 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 Tripti Lahiri and edited by Amanat Khullar.