US GDP, Trump’s summit exit, lethal toilet paper

The US releases fourth-quarter GDP data. The report comes a month late as a result of the partial government shutdown. While the economy saw strong growth last year, economists expect the numbers to show a slowdown at the close of 2018. [Quartz Daily Brief: America]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! What to watch for today The US releases fourth-quarter GDP data. The report comes [a month late]( as a result of the partial government shutdown. While the economy saw strong growth last year, economists expect the numbers to show a slowdown at the close of 2018. Mike Pompeo visits Manila. The US secretary of state [travels to the Philippines]( on his way back home from the Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam. He will meet with president Rodrigo Duterte, where they [may discuss]( the two countries’ military partnership. The UN votes on Venezuela. The Security Council is expected [to vote on rival resolutions]( from the US and Russia. The American proposal calls for “free, fair and credible presidential elections,” while the Russian draft urges a political solution to the crisis and supports president Nicolás Maduro. Netanyahu awaits a decision on corruption charges. Israel’s [attorney general will announce]( (paywall) whether he plans to put the leader on trial, following a two-year corruption investigation. If filed, the charges would likely dent Netanyahu’s chances in an upcoming snap election, and potentially end his bid to become the country’s [longest-serving]( (paywall) prime minister. PG&E assesses a difficult year. The California utility company releases 2018 results today, with higher demand for electricity expected [to have boosted]( fourth-quarter revenues. Liabilities from years of wildfires led the company to file [for bankruptcy last month](. In other earnings news, [GAP and J.C. Penney]( are expected to post a drop in quarterly sales as retailers struggle to adapt to dwindling foot traffic. Sponsor content by AT&T Business Tomorrow’s cities will run on 5G. In the not-too-distant future, 5G networks will become one of the foundational components of smart city infrastructure. To prepare, AT&T is working diligently [to make 5G a reality]( in the US. While you were sleeping The Trump-Kim summit came to an abrupt end. The US president decided to take a [“friendly walk”]( away from the Hanoi summit without an agreement being reached, citing Kim’s call for an end to all US sanctions. No new summit is planned. Michael Cohen ended his congressional testimony in tears. The president’s former lawyer, who is set to serve a three-year prison term, warned US lawmakers that if Trump loses the election in 2020, “[there will never be a peaceful transition of power]( Earlier, Cohen testified that Trump was a [“racist,” a “con man,” and a “cheat.”]( He will [testify at a closed hearing]( of the House intelligence committee today. Pakistan offered an olive branch. The country’s foreign ministry said it would [hand over]( a captured Indian pilot if it would lead to a de-escalation of tensions in the disputed Kashmir region. The simmering conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries prompted the [world’s major powers]( to press for mediation. The biggest scandal of Trudeau’s tenure heated up. In [public testimony]( yesterday, Canada’s former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould said she received sustained pressure and “veiled threats” from prime minister Justin Trudeau and 10 others [to unlawfully interfere]( (paywall) in criminal charges against Quebec engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. The scandal has already led to [the resignation]( of Trudeau’s principal secretary and close friend Gerald Butts. A gauge of China’s factory activity fell to its lowest level in three years… The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index showed [new export orders again declining]( and that [manufacturers cut jobs]( more aggressively. Japan’s [factory production also declined]( due to weak demand from China. …while UK business confidence dropped to a seven-year low. The prospect of a no-deal Brexit has [sapped optimism among firms]( according to a Lloyds report. Consumer confidence in the UK economy over the next year is also at its lowest since 2013, according to market research firm GfK. Quartz Obsession Chatbot therapy: The doctor is online. Some 45 million people live with mental illness in the US alone, but only 43% get the treatment they need. [Now there’s an app for that]( it’s not yet clear if chatting online delivers the same life-changing benefits as traditional therapy. Talk it over in [today’s Quartz Obsession](. Membership Today’s offerings include an [infographic]( that looks at which businesses actually do well during a recession, and a [toolkit of resources]( on credit booms and financial crises. Over at Private Key, Matt De Silva discusses the [future of ethereum]( one of the world’s largest blockchain platforms. And our [Insider View feature]( reveals what a reputation-management expert won’t tell you about the power of a bad review. Matters of debate [Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!]( Free time correlates with happiness. Working people [are happiest]( when they have 2.5 hours of time a day to themselves. Home decorators should ignore Instagram trends. Choosing décor based on likes [often leads to dissatisfaction]( in real life. Sumo is cracking down on beards. Japanese officials are [banning]( facial hair, tattoos, and long nails under new personal grooming rules. Surprising discoveries A French sporting goods company canceled plans for a “running hijab.” Political pressure led Decathlon to [scrap plans]( to roll out the product in France. Only six countries give women the same rights as men. A World Bank report found just a tiny group of nations [treat men and women the same]( legally speaking. America’s love of soft toilet paper is killing Canada’s forests. A new report [takes tissue companies to task]( for failing to use recycled or alternative materials. Archaeologists are preserving NSFW graffiti from 1,800 years ago. Roman soldiers’ [drawings]( on Hadrian’s Wall in England include a crude phallic scribble. There’s a third category of twins. Scientists have identified the world’s second only case of “[semi-identical twins,]( a boy and girl identical only on their mother’s side. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, chatbot therapist recommendations, and home décor photos 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 Jackie Bischof. Enjoying the Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! 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