Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The Middle East reacts to Donald Trump’s Jerusalem decision. Protests have already erupted in Gaza, Jordan, and Turkey after the president pledged to recognize the holy city as Israel’s capital. The Palestinian education ministry has called for a day off at schools and universities so students can participate in planned rallies.
Turkey’s president visits Greece. Tensions may simmer in the meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Greek president Prokopis Pavlopoulos, and prime minister Alexis Tsipras as they try to discuss bilateral ties and a Cyprus settlement. It will be the first visit to Greece by a Turkish president in 65 years.
Angela Merkel’s potential partners make a key decision. The Social Democrats must convince reluctant party members that it’s in Germany and Europe’s best interests to open coalition talks with the Chancellor’s party. Germany urgently needs a new government after coalition talks collapsed in November.
While you were sleeping
Australia recognized same-sex marriage. Australia became the 25th country to recognize same-sex marriage, after the marriage equality law won unanimous approval in parliament. Gay couples will be able to legally marry from as early as January 2018.
Patagonia filed its lawsuit against Trump. The outdoor firm filed its suit on Wednesday night to block the president’s cuts to Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument. It argues that shrinking the park by 85% removes vital protections from sacred tribal lands. Earlier this week, Patagonia replaced its homepage with a message saying “The President Stole Your Land.”
Uber paid a 20-year-old hacker to destroy stolen data. The Florida man was paid $100,000 to destroy the data he’d stolen in the 2016 hack of around 57 million Uber passengers and drivers. Uber said in November that it had paid him to destroy the data, but didn’t say how much. It’s not clear who okayed the “bug bounty.”
Australia’s stock market will use bitcoin’s underlying tech. The Australian Securities Exchange will use blockchain to clear and settle trades from March 2018. It’ll be the world’s first major equities market to use the technology behind bitcoin for transactions.
A Saudi prince was revealed as the secret buyer of the world’s most expensive art. The New York Times said (paywall) prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud bought Leonardo’s Salvator Mundi for $450 million at a Christie’s auction last month; Christie’s declined to comment. The painting will hang in the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Quartz obsession interlude
Corinne Purtill on how #MeToo hijacked black women’s work on race and gender equality. “This moment is the result of the collective labor of women of color who turned private agonies into public battles on behalf of justice. As overdue and welcome as this reckoning feels, there’s also the unsettling reality that a movement built largely on the labor of women of color has been co-opted by a discussion that prioritizes the experiences of victims who are white, wealthy, and privileged over those who are not.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Facebook groups are the gig economy’s unions. They offer an open forum for independent contractors, who are often scattered around the globe.
The 2018 Olympics won’t be the same without the Russians. Banned for a state-sponsored doping scheme, Russia always brings sharp competition to winter games.
Trump has been great for civil society. Data from the US Commerce Department suggests that consumer spending on newspapers and social advocacy groups has increased.
Surprising discoveries
Dubai has a wild new zipline. Starting at 170 meters (560 ft), the ride whizzes along at 80 km per hour (50 mph) while offering a view of the city’s skyline and the Persian Gulf.
Pigeons are smarter than you think. Like humans and elephants, they can perceive and connect concepts of space and time.
TripAdvisor’s top-rated London eatery is an old shed. Its owner posted fake food photos and glowing reviews for The Shed at Dulwich, which wasn’t even a restaurant.
The year’s most popular GIFs tell us a lot about 2017. “White guy blinking” was the most used GIF, followed by animations of contemptuous laughter and bitter tears.
You can’t say “Hi” in Quebec. Legislators in the province passed a resolution (paywall) requiring shopkeepers to greet customers with just “Bonjour” rather than the common “Bonjour hi.”
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