Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Theresa May is laying out her Brexit plan. The British Prime Minister will deliver a speech on Tuesday detailing how the UK plans to leave the EU. She’s expected to focus on national unity, border control, trade, and customs.
Morgan Stanley’s fourth quarter earnings could reveal a lot about its recent rally. Before Tuesday’s opening bell rings Morgan Stanley will release its Q4 and 2016 results.
Russia talks 2016 diplomacy. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will deliver his annual press conference (link in Russian) at which he will likely discuss Syria and the imposition of sanctions by the US after its presidential election.
While you were sleeping
The IMF is optimistic on the US and UK economies. It says the US will grow 2.3% in 2017, a slight jump from its previous estimate due to the Trump administration’s tax and spending plans. It bumped its UK growth estimate to 1.5%, as the country moves on from the Brexit vote.
Xi Jinping got ready for his big speech at Davos. He will be the first Chinese president to attend the World Economic Forum, where he’s expected to deliver a philosophical keynote speech about globalism and human destiny.
More details emerged on Snap’s IPO. Sources tell the Wall Street Journal (paywall) that the Snapchat owner will make the “extreme” move of not offering any voting power with the shares it sells in its anticipated IPO.
Germany’s auto industry hits back at Trump. German economic minister Sigmar Gabriel and BMW both pushed back against the US president-elect’s threat to tax Mexican-made imports to the US by German automakers, and his complaint that few American cars can be found on German roads. “Build better cars,” Gabriel said.
The US irked Russia. US Marines arrived in Russia’s neighbor, Norway, marking the first time since World War II that Norway has allowed foreign troops to be stationed there. It follows on the US strengthening its military presence in Poland.
Quartz obsession interlude
Jenni Avins tries wine from a startup that pledges pricing transparency. “Each line item on Alit’s cost sheet offers an opportunity for customers to learn something about the wine and the values behind it. I was initially put off by $2.88 for custom packaging, until Tarlov told me the majority of the investment wasn’t for a fancy bottle, but rather a recyclable shipping box that wouldn’t require any environmentally harmful styrofoam packaging.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Martin Luther King Jr. was ahead of his time on universal basic income. King advocated the idea in 1967. Experts now say it may be a necessary safety net as job losses due to automation mount.
Trust is a thing of the past. A survey by communications group Edelman found a “global implosion” in people’s trust for institutions such as business, government, the media, and NGOs.
John Lewis is a civil rights hero. This is not actually a matter of debate. President-elect Trump tried to question the Georgia congressman’s track record, but David Remnick reminds us that Lewis faced down death every day and in 1965 suffered a fractured skull on Bloody Sunday in Selma, AL, while peacefully protesting for equal treatment.
Surprising discoveries
An analysis of 10,000 scientific studies on marijuana concretely supports only three medical benefits. A new 400-page report also identifies strong evidence of four high risk factors associated with cannabis use.
Red hot chili peppers may help you live longer. A longitudinal study of thousands of participants found people who ate a lot of hot red chili peppers had a 13% lower risk of death.
Amazon tried selling Gandhi flip-flops and Indian-flag doormats—in India. The ecommerce giant, which has billed itself as a “local” company in India, has been widely called out over its tone deaf offerings.
Theresa May will appear in Vogue. The British Prime Minister, a well-known fan of fashion, was shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz and will be featured in the magazine’s US edition in April.
A Neo-Nazi podcaster was outed as having a Jewish wife. The host of a racist, anti-Semitic program resigned after the news about his wife spread online, reportedly leaving some of his listeners “crestfallen.”
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