Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Donald Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States. Nearly a million people are descending on the US capital to either celebrate or protest the mogul’s inauguration. The swearing-in itself promises to be a low-key affair, notable for the absence of star performers, Democratic lawmakers, and ailing former president George H.W. Bush.
The US Senate votes on at least two Trump cabinet picks. It’s expected to confirm retired generals James Mattis and John Kelly to lead, respectively, the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security. Republicans had hoped to clear more nominees today, but Democrats argued the process was being rushed and lacked sufficient financial and ethics paperwork.
The World Economic Forum wraps up. Britain’s finance secretary Philip Hammond discussed the UK’s future relationship with the EU alongside Barclays CEO Jes Staley and former Italian prime minister Mario Monti. Henry Kissinger will chat about global prospects for 2017 with forum founder Klaus Schwab.
While you were sleeping
Mexican drug lord “El Chapo” was extradited to the US. Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín Guzmán, famous for his dramatic prison escapes, arrived in the US on Thursday night. He will appear before a federal hearing on Friday, where he faces multiple indictments on allegations of bringing billions of dollars of drugs into the US and taking the laundered profits back to Mexico.
Police broke up clashes outside the “DeploraBall.” Hundreds of protestors and supporters of Donald Trump gathered outside the National Press Club in Washington at a pre-inauguration ball, named after Hillary Clinton’s campaign comment that Trump supporters were a “basket of deplorables.” Police used chemical spray on the crowd several times.
Heineken eyed Kirin’s Brazil business. The Dutch brewer is in talks with its Japanese rival Kirin about buying Brasil Kirin, which has been struggling in a market battered by recession and dominated by AB InBev. Heineken would pay around $870 million for the brewer, according to Nikkei.
Gambia’s autocratic ruler got a final ultimatum. Yahya Jammeh has until noon on Friday (7am Eastern Time) to relinquish power to the new president Adama Barrow, who was sworn in at the Gambian embassy in Senegal on Thursday. Senegalese troops, which entered Gambia on Thursday, were ordered to halt their advance until the deadline passes.
China delivered its GDP figures. Beijing said the nation’s GDP grew by 6.8% in the fourth quarter and promised the numbers were “authentic.” Earlier this week, the government admitted that Liaoning province had faked its growth statistics. For the year, GDP growth was reportedly 6.7%—just as authorities predicted 12 months ago.
Quartz obsession interlude
Dave Gershgorn on the headphone startup that wants to put two extra brains in your ears: “Doppler’s software must be able to do a few things within milliseconds: Identify a specific noise, understand the characteristics of that noise, and then alter the noise without distorting it. These ambitions all rely on machine learning, a still-nascent field in which algorithms are taught to find patterns in data.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Skipping Saturday’s protests is the most ethical choice Trump opponents can make. They should save their energy for when it really matters.
A populist strongman can alter the nature of a democracy. History shows that authoritarian leaders bend the rules until they are unrecognizable.
The White House should be run like a corporate board. Half a dozen people around a table should make decisions collectively.
Surprising discoveries
Obama briefly considered minting a $1 trillion coin. Facing a government shutdown, it was one way to pay off the national debt.
Dutch trains run on windmill power. There are 2,200 turbines generating enough electricity to meet the country’s mass transport needs.
Twilight actress Kristen Stewart released a research paper on artificial intelligence. The Hollywood A-lister wants to use AI to make art, not just inspire it.
Running could actually be good for your knees. It stimulates changes in the biochemical environment inside the joint, which could help it work more smoothly (paywall).
One in five people may “hear” flashes of light. Many may not even realize they are experiencing sensory cross-wiring similar to synesthesia.
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