Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Boris Johnson gives his first post-Brexit speech. The UK prime minister will lay out his government’s position for negotiating future trade terms with the European Union. He is expected to reject EU rules on competition, subsidies, and the environment, and insist on a loose arrangement like that of Canada’s or Australia’s.
Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Uganda. The Israeli prime minister is making the trip amid reports that Kampala plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem. It would be the third country to open a diplomatic outpost in the contested city, after the US and Guatemala.
The starting gun of the US presidential race is fired… The Iowa caucuses will, as always, play an outsize role in the Democratic party’s nomination process. It will also serve as a first test of the country’s much-maligned efforts to improve its election security.
…and final arguments are heard in Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. With Republicans having blocked consideration to bring in new witnesses and documents, there is little left for senators to discuss. The House’s impeachment managers and the president’s defense team will have equal time to round off their cases before the all but assured acquittal vote on Wednesday.
Over the weekend
China saw a surge in new coronavirus cases… Over 2,000 new infections in the previous 24 hours were reported as the death toll passed 360. Some patients will now be treated at the newly completed 1,000-bed hospital, which became operational today after construction began on Jan. 24. Meanwhile, medical workers in Hong Kong began a five-day strike today to pressure the government to close the city’s border with mainland China.
…and its markets crashed on opening. Stocks returned to trade this morning following an extended Lunar New Year holiday break amid the outbreak, and indexes plunged 9% in early trading despite government limits on short-selling and an injection of $174 billion in liquidity.
India released its national budget. The government of Narendra Modi said Saturday that it’s increasing spending and cutting income taxes in a bid to resuscitate growth, which has fallen to a 10-year low. Plans to rein in the fiscal deficit will be delayed.
Iraq named a new prime minister. Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi is a former lawmaker and communications minister who has largely escaped accusations of corruption. His appointment though did little to quell the widespread protests that have raged across the country for months.
Armed militants killed some 20 civilians in Burkina Faso. The unidentified men rode through a village on motorbikes and staged an overnight attack, marking another incident of increasing jihadist violence in the Sahel region in recent months.
Quartz Membership
Hundreds of startups exist to sell you better sleep. The $70 billion sleep aid industry is thriving, with high-tech mattresses, sleep trackers, and even cuddly robots promising to solve the world’s sleeplessness. Quartz’s latest member presentation takes a look at how sleep startups managed to monetize a basic function of life—and why consumers are buying in.
Quartz daily obsession
Halftime shows had an unexpected beginning. Super Bowl viewers in particular have come to expect a megastar-studded spectacle, but the sporting interlude began as a way to market a new breed of dog. These days many performers would rather appear at the Puppy Bowl than the Super Bowl, maybe because it’s an unpaid gig that comes with more than a few downsides. Don’t change the channel, it’s the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of Debate
Nike broke running. Its Vaporfly shoes have split the sport into haves and have-nots.
Electric scooters are the key to green transit. Formally legalizing them will pave the way for other alternatives to cars.
Venezuela’s socialist revolution is over. President Nicolás Maduro’s loosening of economic controls has bought him temporary peace.
Surprising discoveries
China compared Israel’s coronavirus border closure to the Holocaust. The Chinese embassy in Tel Aviv later apologized for the remarks.
A journalist used pie to explain inequality. He asked mall-goers in New York to divvy up slices according to how they think wealth is divided in the US.
Somalia declared a national emergency over locust swarms. The insects pose a huge threat to the country’s food security.
Mexican cartels targeted avocados ahead of the Super Bowl. As demand for the fruit spiked, so did avocado heists.
Restaurants are refusing to let gig workers pee. Delivery drivers who work for Uber Eats and others have nowhere else to go.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, explanatory pie, and controversial shoes 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 Isabella Steger.