Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Robert Mugabe clings to power. After ousting him as party leader on Sunday, Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF set a deadline of 12pm local time on Monday for the long-serving president to step down or face impeachment. In a nationwide address on Sunday night expected to serve as his resignation speech, Mugabe instead suggested he would remain in power through at least next month.
The European Union prepares for Brexit. All member states but Britain will meet in Brussels ahead of a major summit next month on the UK’s exit from the bloc. Ministers will be updated on talks so far, consider how much cash to demand from the UK as a “divorce settlement,” and vote on where to relocate the European Medicines Agency and European Banking Authority, which will leave London following the split.
The hunt for the ARA San Juan continues. An international coalition of ships and planes are searching for an Argentine Navy submarine lost in the South Atlantic on Nov. 15. Satellite communications traced to the sub were detected on Nov. 18. The US Navy sent a specialized 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 a farmfield.
Over the weekend
German lawmakers missed a deadline to form a government. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Conservatives, along with the Free Democrats and the Greens, failed to see eye-to-eye on a coalition agreement; without a deal, Germany may hold new elections or see its first post-war minority government.
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 erratic commander-in-chief, and will guide him toward the acceptable use of force.
Turkey banned LGBT activity in its capital. Political and cultural events organized by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender groups are now forbidden in Ankara due to “public safety” concerns, marking another stain on the country’s human-rights record.
Alibaba bet big on brick-and-mortar retail. 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.
Another Hollywood actor lost a role 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 has continued to deny the allegations.
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 national 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 three-year program, like those in most of Europe, 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, and the same year he married Czech model Ivana Zelnickova.
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 support the world’s tallest climbing wall.
Indians took part in a smog-a-thon. Despite air quality readings 75 times the levels deemed safe, thousands of runners in Delhi completed a a half marathon over the weekend, many in masks.
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, together with Canadian research firm C-CORE, is seeking crowdsourced solutions to help ships avoid the floating masses.
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