Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Rex Tillerson visits Myanmar. The US secretary of state is under pressure to speak out against the country’s persecution of Rohingya Muslims. The White House has begun pushing back against Myanmar, but Donald Trump didn’t mention the issue during his recent two-week trip to Asia.
Tencent’s earnings surge. The WeChat owner is expected to post a 48% increase in quarterly profit thanks to its fast-growing mobile gaming, ad sales, and mobile payments units. Last week two of its affiliate companies had blockbuster IPOs.
Australia announces the results of a national same-sex marriage survey. A “yes” vote in the non-binding postal poll could pave the way for prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s administration to pass a law as soon as Christmas.
While you were sleeping
The Zimbabwe military sent tanks into the capital in a standoff with the government. The head of the country’s ruling party accused military boss Constantine Chiwenga of treason, in a deepening dispute over who will succeed Robert Mugabe. Military leaders are at odds with Grace Mugabe, the president’s wife, who helped to oust the country’s vice president last week.
The US attorney general denied lying about Russia. Jeff Sessions told the House judiciary committee that revelations about a meeting in which a Trump advisor discussed contact with the Kremlin did not contradict Sessions’s testimony last month. The AG said he had difficulty recalling events that happened during the campaign.
Spain blamed Russia for inciting Catalonia’s independence movement. Pointing the finger at fake social media accounts linked to the Kremlin, Madrid insisted that tampering is at the heart of Catalonia’s separatist vote.
Venezuela’s bonds went on a post-default roller coaster. Prices recovered after Monday night’s default (paywall) on hopes that Russia would provide bailout funds, only to plunge again to about 25 cents on the dollar.
A rampaging shooter killed four people in Northern California. The gunman fired randomly at a series of targets, including an elementary school, before being killed in a shootout with police. At least seven people, including two children, were wounded.
Quartz obsession interlude
Leah Fessler on how your company’s Slack is probably sexist. “I noticed that some people seemed untroubled by any such self-doubt—the ones who posted blunt statements, or dropped in links with no context. They responded to others’ statements with sharp critiques, ‘no,’ or radio silence. This behavior—standoffish at best, boorish at worst—conveyed power. Many of these people, I noticed, were men.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Driving for Uber will never be profitable in the long term. Supply and demand will always reach a low-paying equilibrium, even with higher payments from the company.
London needs to build new homes on existing rooftops. A new geospatial mapping software has identified locations for 41,000 new dwellings in the crowded metropolis.
It’s a natural urge to touch the art in museums. Museum guards may be exasperated by our inability to keep our hands to ourselves, but touching connects viewers with creators.
Surprising discoveries
Metalheads are the most loyal music fans. Spotify data shows that they are up to 50% more devoted to their chosen genre than followers of hip-hop, country, and rock music.
This year’s World Economic Forum will be chaired by seven women. The event in Davos has been criticized for its long-standing gender imbalances.
People watch Netflix in unlikely places. Two-thirds of users stream video in public, 26% watch at work, and 7% watch movies in public bathrooms.
Smog-fighting helicopters in New Delhi were foiled by too much smog. The Indian capital is in the throes of life-threatening air pollution—but the copters may not have helped much anyway.
A shortage of humble saline bags is wreaking havoc in the US healthcare sector. Disrupted factories in Puerto Rico and a federal investigation are causing big problems in the supply chain.
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