IBM on a roll, confidence in US plunges, New California

[Quartz - qz.com]() Good morning, Quartz readers! What to watch for today France and the UK talk defense and immigration. French president Emmanuel Macron visits British prime minister Theresa May in London [to urge the UK to accept more refugees](. France wants Britain to invest more in French border policing too. Is IBM on the mend? For the first time in six years, the technology giant is [predicted to show gains]( in revenue, with profits also on the rise. Yesterday, Barclays raised its rating for the company, saying it could eventually rival Amazon and Microsoft’s Azure in cloud tech. American Express posts earnings. The credit card giant has fended off competition from Visa and new upstarts in the payment processing arena in the past year. However, it’ll likely report a net loss for the fourth quarter after its [$2.4 billion hit]( from the new tax reform bill. While you were sleeping Global confidence in the US has collapsed. A Gallup opinion poll in 134 countries showed that approval for the US’s leadership role in the world has fallen from 48% under Obama, to [30% under Donald Trump]( country’s lowest approval rating in a decade of the poll. The US is now ranked below China. China’s economy grew 6.9% in 2017. Strong exports, an industrial sector rebound, and a robust property market [boosted growth]( from its 26-year low in 2016, and beat the government’s target of 6.5%. For the fourth quarter, GDP expanded 6.8% compared with the same quarter a year earlier. Tim Cook said people can soon turn off the system that slows aging iPhones. The Apple CEO said the next update will let users [disable the performance killer]( if they want to, but they will run the risk of unexpected shutdowns. Trump dealt Haitians another blow. As part of a broader push to restrict immigration, Trump’s administration said Haitian laborers seeking to come to the US as seasonal workers [will no longer be eligible](. Last week, he allegedly questioned why the US was accepting people from “[shithole countries]( including Haiti, though he later denied that. Peugeot will go electric and return to the US. PSA Group CEO Carlos Tavares said the carmaker [will offer an electric option]( (paywall) for every model by 2025. Citroen, Opel, and Vauxhall are also under the PSA umbrella. He also detailed plans to return to the US market, which Peugeot left decades ago. Quartz obsession interlude Olivia Goldhill on how the left is also guilty of unscientific dogma. “In areas where left-wing opinions contradict scientific evidence, there’s an unfortunate tendency to suggest that such scientific research is morally problematic. This speaks to a common trope on the left: their views aren’t simply accurate, but moral. Though those on the left are quick to point to right-wing scientific illiteracy, they’re often steadfast in their refusal to recognize their own dogma.” [Read more here](. Matters of debate The flu shot is mostly ineffective, but you should get it anyway. When more people are immune, the chance of contagion[diminishes for everyone](. A legal weed market could be its own border wall. The legalization of marijuana in some US states has helped[reduce crime]( in areas bordering Mexico. The Azis Ansari debate is really about what women deserve to expect from sex. Women shouldn’t have to just be satisfied with “legal” sexual behavior, [men should act respectfully](. Quartz announcement Sign up for our pop-up newsletter, the [Davos Daily Brief](. Each day from January 23 to 26, we’ll deliver the most important insights from the World Economic Forum's annual meeting directly to your inbox. Quartz editor in chief Kevin Delaney and our team of journalists will tell you what to watch for each day, report on the news and discussions that matter, and make sure you have the [key takeaways]( needed to navigate the global economy in 2018. Surprising discoveries Alexa is now more feminist. When asked [explicit questions]( Amazon’s voice assistant answers: “I’m not going to respond to that” or “I’m not sure what outcome you expected.” California separatists are trying to create a new state. “New California” would cover mostly[rural, non-coastal counties]( like Fresno and Chico. A UK pharmacy chain’s “faux fur” products were made of real fur. Pressure from[animal-rights activists]( convinced Boots to test and then recall the offerings. Trailer parks are gaining popularity in the US. More affordable than[single family homes]( mobile home communities are attracting retiring baby boomers and millennial families. American students do better on standardized tests if they’re paid. Researchers [paid students $25]( before the test and charged $1 for each mistake—and they performed better than the unpaid control group. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, test incentives, and real faux fur products to hi@qz.com. You can follow us[on Twitter]( for updates throughout the day or download[our apps for iPhone]( and[Android](. Enjoying the Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here to sign up.]( Want to receive the Daily Brief at a different time? [Click here]( to change your edition. To unsubscribe entirely, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10011 | United States