Quartz Daily Brief—AirAsia’s missing plane, “Interview” online sales, Russia’s economy shrinks, Churchill’s Islamophilia
Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The search for a missing AirAsia plane continues. Flight QZ8501 most likely crashed into the Java Sea, according to the head of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, and there have been unconfirmed reports of debris spotted in the search area. Ships and aircraft are scouring the waters off Borneo where the flight, carrying 162 people, vanished from radar.
Uber meets with Delhi regulators. The on-demand car service will discuss a ban that came in to effect after one of its drivers allegedly raped a passenger in the Indian capital. Uber hopes Delhi officials will be open to relaxing car booking rules, in exchange for better driver regulation.
A rescue continues on a burning ferry in Greece… Helicopters and boats have taken around 300 of 478 passengers off an Italian-flagged car ferry, which caught fire off the island of Corfu. At least one person has died, and poor weather has hindered rescue efforts.
…As Greece makes a last-ditch attempt to select a president. Stavros Dimas needs to secure 180 votes in parliament to prevent a snap general election that could lead to Greece rejecting an EU-led bailout. The latest polls suggest Dimas will fall short, and bond yields are rising on expectations of a possible debt default.
While you were sleeping
A twin blow to Russia’s economy. The country’s GDP shrank by 0.5% in November from a year earlier, and the HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers’ index for December dropped to 48.9, from 51.7 in November, indicating a sharp contraction in manufacturing activity. The impact of low oil prices and Western sanctions are only expected to worsen in the coming year.
China blocked Gmail. The world’s biggest email service has been difficult to access since June, but users could still use third-party email software like the iPhone’s Mail app to access Gmail—at least until this weekend, when Beijing closed the gap in its Great Firewall. The blockage makes it increasingly difficult for foreign businesses to operate on the mainland.
Xiaomi became the world’s most valuable start-up. The Chinese smartphone maker confirmed reports that it has raised $1.1 billion from a group of venture capital firms for a total valuation of $45 billion, surpassing Uber. The company is expected to use the money for international expansion in southeast Asia, India, and Brazil.
The Interview made $15 million online. The controversial North Korean-themed comedy was streamed or purchased some 2 million times on platforms including Google Play and YouTube—making about five times more in online sales than at movie theaters. The film is also now available on Apple’s iTunes platform, and bootleg DVD copies are reportedly going for more than $50 within the hermit kingdom.
Qualcomm agreed to settle in China. The US chipmaker, which licenses its technology patents to smartphone makers and other technology firms, said it was nearing an agreement to end a 13-month investigation by competition regulators into its pricing strategies. The deal will likely involve a large fine as well as an alteration to how the company operates its highly profitable licensing structures (paywall).
Libyan rebels attacked the country’s oil sector. Militant group Libya Dawn destroyed 800,000 barrels of oil—equal to two days of national output—after it hit oil storage tanks in Libya’s Es Sider port with a missile on Friday. Three oil tanks are still on fire; the news nudged global oil prices marginally higher.
Kiev passed austerity measures. Ukrainian legislators approved measures to simplify tax laws and raise import duties, as it tries to meet the conditions for a major bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The tax legislation will attempt to lower payments by small businesses while closing loopholes used by the country’s oligarchs (paywall).
The US-led war in Afghanistan is officially over—but 13,500 troops remain. The US-led International Security Assistance Force’s 13-year campaign has come to an end. But the Taliban insurgency continues, and many Westerns soldiers—mostly American—remain in the country to train and guide Afghan forces.
Quartz obsession interlude
Hanna Kozlowska explains why 2014 was actually a safe year for aviation. “Since the first commercial jet airliner took off in 1949, the rate of crashes has been declining, despite an increase in air travel … And 2014 has had the lowest number of crashes—111 to date—in the jet age.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The Interview is a victory for North Korea. It distracted the world from a damning human rights report.
America doesn’t care how awful the NFL is. At least not enough to stop watching football.
Playing organized sports stifles children. Playing sports informally, however, makes them more creative.
South Korean plastic surgery is an assembly line. Doctors are rushing to meet quotas for procedures.
China is the world’s new bank. Crisis-hit countries will soon call Beijing instead of Washington.
Surprising discoveries
4D printing is upon us. It involves 3D-printed objects that transform over time.
The Wolf of Wall Street was 2014’s most pirated movie. Despite the fact it came out in 2013.
Archeologists discovered a 6,000-year-old temple. It is one of the oldest “mega-structures” in human history.
Winston Churchill’s family thought he might convert to Islam. His future sister-in-law advised him to curb his enthusiasm.
There’s an Airbnb for Airbnb. Potential hosts can find somewhere to stay while renting out their apartments.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, mega-structure discoveries, and Churchillian conversion tales to [email protected]. You can follow us on Twitter here for updates throughout the day.