Sears’ last gasp, Trump’s wall speech, foot detectives

US-China trade talks are extended for a third day. The negotiations in Beijing, which follow a temporary trade-war truce after the G20 summit last month, are going “very well,” Donald Trump said on Twitter. Progress on issues like China buying more US-made goods is reportedly being made. [Quartz Daily Brief]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! What to watch for today US-China trade talks are extended for a third day. The negotiations in Beijing, which follow a temporary trade-war truce after the G20 summit last month,[are going “very well,”]( Donald Trump said on Twitter. Progress on issues like China buying more US-made goods is [reportedly being made](. A billionaire Democrat activist could throw his hat in the 2020 ring. Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager who has donated millions to political campaigns, including one pushing for Trump’s impeachment, could announce his plans to[run for president]( at a press conference in Iowa. A final lifeline for Sears. The chairman of the US retailer, Eddie Lampert, [faces a deadline]( to pay a $120 million deposit to keep his bid to keep the company alive. Sears would then consider it at an auction next week, along with competing offers from liquidators. Lampert wants to keep a few hundred Sears and Kmart stores open after the company filed for bankruptcy in October. Crunch-time Brexit debate begins in the British parliament. In the week before prime minister Theresa May puts her Brexit deal to a vote in the House of Commons, lawmakers will debate the agreement for five days starting today. May conceded she was on track to lose the vote on Jan. 15, while an alliance of cross-party MPs [passed an amendment]( that will make it harder for the UK to crash out of the EU if May’s deal is voted down. DR Congo releases election results. Riot police [have been deployed]( ahead of the expected announcement of results in the Dec. 30 poll, billed as the first democratic transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Results were expected last Sunday but were delayed. President Joseph Kabila will leave office after 18 years in power. Sponsor content by Managed by Q Technology is changing the way we work. As work becomes more flexible, so do office spaces. To stay relevant and attract the best talent, companies need to keep up with the latest in office design and company culture. Here are the [five workplace trends to watch in 2019]( from Managed by Q. While you were sleeping Trump delivered a speech about a wall. In a [prime-time broadcast]( from the Oval Office, the president rallied support for his proposed border wall, as anger over the government shutdown deepens. He justified his demands for more than $5 billion in funding for the wall by calling it “a choice between right and wrong.” Fact-checkers [challenged many of Trump’s claims](. Vietnam accused Facebook of breaking its new cybersecurity law. It said Facebook[had refused to shut down]( fanpages that allegedly promote anti-government activities. ([Facebook disputes this]( The new legislation, in effect from Jan. 1, includes requirements for technology firms to set up local offices and store data locally, which could make it easier for the government to access user data and arrest employees. California got serious about wildfires. Governor Gavin Newsom [proposed $305 million]( to better address natural disasters, including wildfires and earthquakes. The state’s wildfire season is now year-round thanks to climate change. The Camp Fire in Paradise, California last year was the worst in California’s history, killing more than 80 and ravaging the town. Italy’s democracy got a bad report card. The EU member state saw its ranking plummet from 21 to 33 in the [Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2018 Democracy Index](. The drop is largely due to the hardline policies of some members of the governing coalition; the country’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini also makes frequent comments against minorities and immigrants. Japan scrapped its British beef ban. The country originally [imposed a ban]( on UK beef in the 1990s, at the height of fears over Mad Cow Disease. The move comes after China lifted its ban on UK beef in June. Quartz obsession interlude The internet loves to freak out about Nutella. Though the classic Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread can be a great unifier, it can also be divisive—including a new hubbub about the seven-pound tubs on sale at Costco. Read the complete chocolatey history in[the Quartz Obsession]( then spread the word. Matters of debate [Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!]( The simple act of taking a bus can reveal class disparities. A ride to school shows many US kids[how the other half lives](. Errands never end. The key to managing the eternal onslaught of menial tasks is[to connect with your future self](. Democracy is in serious crisis in Latin America. The continent’s already fragile democratic institutions are being threatened further by the[leaders of Brazil and Venezuela](. Quartz Membership Goldman Sachs’ CEO[David Solomon is the Big Kahuna]( A savvy, street-smart former high-yield bond underwriter, and one of the very few outsiders to make it to the top of Goldman. But if his experiences at Bear Stearns, Salomon Brothers, and Drexel Burnham Lambert have taught him anything, it’s that Wall Street can indeed be a dangerous place. Read more of the new Quartz membership report on what’s next for Goldman, which marks its 150th anniversary this year. You can [sign up here]( for a 30-day free trial. Surprising discoveries Even fatbergs need a holiday. A 209-foot (64-meter) mass of congealed fat, oil, and wet wipes[was discovered]( beneath an English seaside resort town. Baby Shark is a top 40 hit. The super addictive song for kids[entered the Billboard Hot 100]( at number 32. Some Samsung users can’t delete Facebook. The pre-installed smartphone app[can only be disabled]( (subscription). A fake nude pic of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was debunked by foot fetishists. Users[cross-referenced the image]( with photos of the congresswoman’s feet. Australia’s prime minister has two left feet. In other foot-photography shenanigans, staff doctored a [family photo of Scott Morrison]( to spruce up his scruffy sneakers, and everyone noticed. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, annoying songs for kids, and digitally enhanced kicks to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by [downloading our app]( and [becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Adam Rasmi and edited by Jason Karaian. 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