Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Zimbabwe is on edge as Robert Mugabe hangs on. A deadline, set by his own party, for the world’s longest-serving leader to step down or face impeachment has now passed. Mugabe failed to quit, as anticipated, in a Sunday night speech. But CNN reports that he has agreed to the terms of his resignation, which includes immunity for himself and his wife, Grace.
The hunt for the missing Argentine navy sub continues. An international coalition of ships and planes are searching for the ARA San Juan submarine lost in the South Atlantic on Nov. 15. The US Navy sent a deep-sea rescue pod to join the search for the San Juan, which should have supplies to keep its 44 crew members alive for two weeks.
Nebraska makes a decision on the Keystone XL. The state’s Public Service Commission will announce whether it will grant a permit for the construction of a pipeline extending from Alberta, Canada to Nebraska’s southern border. Last week, an existing Keystone pipeline in South Dakota leaked 5,000 barrels of oil into farmland.
Over the weekend
Germany was thrown into political turmoil. Angela Merkel’s fourth term could be in jeopardy after talks to form a coalition government with the Free Democrats and the Greens collapsed late Sunday night. Her options are limited: she could form a minority government, or the country could go to a snap election.
Mass murderer Charles Manson died at 83. The American cult leader died of natural causes in hospital. He had been behind bars for nearly four decades, serving a life sentence, after his followers, called the Manson family, killed actress Sharon Tate and six others during the summer of 1969.
Another Hollywood actor lost his job amid sexual-harassment allegations. Jeffrey Tambor, star of the Amazon series Transparent, stated he would not return for the show’s fifth season after a castmate and former assistant each accused him of making inappropriate advances toward them. He continues to deny the allegations.
A US general said he would ignore an illegal nuclear order from Donald Trump. General John Hyten said officers have an obligation not to follow illegal orders from the commander-in-chief, and would guide him toward the acceptable use of force.
Turkey banned LGBT activity in its capital. Political and cultural events organized by alternative-lifestyle groups are now forbidden in Ankara due to “public safety” concerns. This puts another stain on the country’s human-rights record.
Alibaba bet big on bricks-and-mortar. The e-commerce giant paid $2.9 billion for a 36% stake in Sun Art, the largest operator of Walmart-style stores in China. French retail conglomerate Auchan also increased its stake in Sun Art to 36%. The investment comes as Alibaba, like Amazon, expands steadily into offline shopping.
Quartz obsession interlude
Preeti Varathan on why millennials are set to be the most unequal generation yet. “Millennials are generally saddled with more student debt, less inherited money, and stricter mortgages than previous generations. At the same time, a lucky few are set to become spectacularly wealthy, widening the already large gap between rich and poor.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Is it time to move India’s capital elsewhere? Toxic smog has made Delhi near-unlivable.
Recent attacks on Silicon Valley are justified. An industry once lauded for tackling the world’s biggest problems has forgotten about the people who truly need help.
US colleges should rethink the four-year bachelor’s degree. A European-style three-year program would save students time and money.
Surprising discoveries
The KGB may have opened a file on Donald Trump as early as 1977. That’s 10 years before the property tycoon’s first trip to Russia.
A waste management plant in Copenhagen is an architectural gem. The roof of Amager Bakke will have an artificial ski slope, a grove of trees, and the world’s tallest climbing wall.
Indians ran a smog-a-thon. Despite air-quality readings 75 times the levels deemed safe, thousands of runners in Delhi completed a half-marathon over the weekend.
People used to read out loud for fun. Reading silently to oneself is a relatively new phenomenon, beginning as recently as the late 18th century.
A Norwegian oil company launched a $50,000 iceberg-spotting competition. Statoil is seeking crowdsourced solutions to help ships avoid the floating masses.
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