Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
France’s unions prepare for a labor strike. As many as 5.4 million civil servants could walk off the job on Tuesday, with 130 protests planned across the country. The strike was called to protest stricter sick day rules and pay freezes proposed by president Emmanuel Macron as part of larger labor law reforms (paywall) that specifically target unions.
Catalan president Carles Puigdemont makes an independence announcement. Tensions are high as Puigdemont prepares to either declare independence or work with Spain to keep Catalonia part of the country. On Monday, France said it wouldn’t recognize Catalonia if Puigdemont presses ahead with secession.
The IMF releases its updated World Economic Outlook. The International Monetary Fund is expected to raise its global growth forecast following its annual meeting with the World Bank on Tuesday. German officials are hopeful the IMF will continue to back its G20 initiatives, including the Compact with Africa, which bolsters private and infrastructure investments in African countries.
While you were sleeping
Wildfires swept through California’s Napa Valley wine country. A state of emergency was issued in Napa and Sonoma counties, as well as other nearby regions, where a series of wildfires have threatened vineyards, marijuana crops, homes, and infrastructure. The devastation comes at a critical growing time mere weeks before the late October harvest.
Russia’s foreign minister slammed the US for escalating tensions with North Korea. Sergei Lavrov called Donald Trump’s rhetoric “unacceptable” during a Monday phone call with his American counterpart, Rex Tillerson. Trump hinted over the weekend that “only one thing would work,” indicating an interest in military involvement in the Hermit Kingdom.
UK PM Theresa May assured business chiefs about the Brexit plan. May met with Vodafone, HSBC, and other major companies on Monday, many of which are worried a deal with the EU won’t happen as expected. The PM reportedly assured execs that a two-year Brexit plan was “non-negotiable” and would happen.
The US EPA promised to roll back Obama-era emissions rules. EPA head Scott Pruitt announced an end to the Clean Power Plan (paywall) at a Monday rally in the heart of Kentucky’s coal country. A leaked draft reportedly calls into question the amount of money to be saved by Obama’s plan as well as the accuracy of its projected health benefits.
Tropical Storm Ophelia formed in the Atlantic. The 15th named storm is expected to gradually gain strength before turning into a hurricane on Friday. Ophelia is not expected to make landfall or pose a threat to the Caribbean islands battered by previous storms.
Quartz obsession interlude
Eshe Nelson on the flaws a Nobel Prize-winning economist wants you to know about yourself. “Most people are likely to stick with the status quo even if there are big gains to be made from a change that involves just a small cost. In particular, this is one of the implications of loss aversion. That’s why a nudge, such as changing the default option on a contract, can be so effective. Thaler’s research on pension programs shows that while employees can choose to opt-out of a plan, the status quo bias means once they are in it, they are actually more likely to stay put.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
Turkey markets slump / On visa wars with US / Dow notices not
Matters of debate
Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis has nothing to do with language. The French/English divide cuts through ethnic groups, reflecting rampant socio-economic disparities.
Confidentiality agreements can protect harassers. If Harvey Weinstein hadn’t been able to use nondisclosure agreements and confidential settlements, future sexual harassment victims may have been spared.
It’s democratic-socialist countries vs. authoritarian state-capitalists. Communism may have been a failed experiment, but there are still ways to combine an authoritarian government with a market economy or pair democracies with safety nets for poorer citizens.
Surprising discoveries
A new discovery of a giant Martian lake could help us understand life on our own planet. The lake once held as much water as all of the Great Lakes combined, and could be the cradle of where life evolved.
A data visualizer charted some of the most chronologically confusing movies. Though only a few films—like The Usual Suspects and Pulp Fiction—have been given the Story Explorer treatment, movie fans no longer have to pretend like they always know what’s going on.
A Pakistan board game reflects the lengths young singles will go to avoid matchmakers. In “Arranged,” cards that shroud players in scandal get them closer to their goal, while desirable attributes push them closer to being entrapped by the villain, “Rishta Aunty.”
The “nocebo” is the placebo’s side-effect-laden counterpart. Patients feel negative side effects from sugar pills, too—particularly if the medication cost them a lot of money.
Ikea’s new line treats pets to Scandinavian style. The Lurvig collection (that’s Swedish for “hairy”) caters to cats and dogs with minimalist beds, carriers, and toys, and even a tiny, pet-sized couch.
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