Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
India meets with Apple to discuss manufacturing. The tech giant has demanded special concessions, including duty exemptions and simplified customs procedures. A breakdown in negotiations could throw a wrench in prime minister Narendra Modi’s plans to make the country a manufacturing hub.
A Mexican delegation sits down with the Trump administration. Two days of talks in DC on trade, immigration and security will lay the groundwork for a meeting between the US president and his Mexican counterpart Enrique Peña Nieto on Jan. 31. The men had a phone call on Saturday.
South Korea, China, and Japan team up on South America. The three-way dialogue in Beijing is aimed at coordinating policies and finding ways to counter growing US protectionism.
While you were sleeping
Alibaba earnings beat expectations. The Chinese e-commerce firm also raised its full-year expectations, citing improved performance from its growing data, cloud, AI, and logistics businesses. Quarterly net income rose 43% to $2.57 billion, with 87% of revenue coming from retail, versus 92% a year earlier.
Trump greenlit the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines. Native American and environmental groups fiercely oppose the controversial projects, which were blocked by the Obama administration. A different Canadian pipeline in Saskatchewan spilled 200,000 liters (50,000 gallons) of oil in an aboriginal community on Monday.
Israel announced its biggest West Bank expansion in years. The 2,500 new housing units include a project known as Beit El, which is backed by David Friedman, Trump’s nominee to be US ambassador to Israel. The Obama administration strongly opposed new construction in the West Bank.
Google announced five finalists in its race to the moon. Teams from Israel, the United States, India, Japan, and an international syndicate are vying for the $20 million Lunar X-Prize. The finalists all demonstrated that they are prepared to launch viable unmanned missions sometime this year.
“La La Land” danced away with 14 Oscar nominations. The movie about two lovestruck dreamers in Hollywood (of course) tied “Avatar” and “All About Eve” for the most nominations ever. In the acting categories, seven people of color were nominated, an all-time high after several years of criticism over the Academy’s lack of diversity.
Quartz obsession interlude
Steve LeVine on the billionaires determined to stop Trump. “William Doll calls his club Syneidesis, which in ancient Greek means conscience. He started it four years ago, and is now wrestling with what comes next.” Read more here.
Quartz markets haiku
Long exile over,
CEOs are returning
to bask in the sun
Matters of debate
The post-antibiotic era is going to suck. Vanquished diseases could once again become deadly unless drug company incentives are realigned.
Trump staffers are lying to prove their loyalty. Telling blatant falsehoods binds them to the president—a classic tactic of distrustful dictators.
US silence on abortion equals deaths around the world. A new gag order on family planning will result in botched illicit procedures.
Surprising discoveries
The Amish are fighting laws requiring horses to wear diapers. The communities that renounce modernity say the measures violate religious freedom.
American universities are embracing e-sports. The Big Ten conference will field teams for the multiplayer game League of Legends.
Uber drivers are camping out in parking lots. The trend is most common in cities where fares are high and rents are unaffordable.
Otters were once larger than leopards. Researchers found the remains of a 110-pound (50 kg) otter that lived in China and tore open mollusk shells with its teeth.
“La La Land” almost never got made. Hollywood studios told director Damien Chazelle to replace his jazz protagonist with a rock musician.
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