Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Japanese prosecutors indict Carlos Ghosn. With the detention period of the Nissan chairman ending today, prosecutors plan to indict him for financial misconduct. They also want to indict Nissan itself for not preventing the alleged crime.
SoftBank Group sets a final offering price for Japan’s biggest-ever IPO. It plans to raise about $23 billion by listing its mobile division on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with trading beginning on Dec. 19. The unit is Japan’s third-largest carrier by user base.
A key Brexit ruling. The European Court of Justice delivers its ruling on whether the UK has a right to unilaterally cancel Brexit, with the answer likely being yes. On Tuesday, UK lawmakers will vote on the Brexit deal reached by prime minister Theresa May and EU leaders.
Over the weekend
Hong Kong and China bourses struck a deal. Exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Shenzhen reached a consensus on trading by mainland investors in Hong Kong-listed companies with dual voting rights. The new rules will likely be implemented in mid-2019.
The US set a “hard deadline” for a China trade deal. Trade representative Robert Lighthizer said news tariffs will be imposed unless negotiations reach a successful end by March 1. Until last weekend, the US had planned to raise tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods by Jan. 1.
China summoned the US ambassador over the arrest of a Huawei executive. Vice foreign minister Le Yucheng met with Terry Branstad to lodge a “strong protest” against the arrest of Meng Wanzhou. He also warned Canada to release Meng immediately or face “grave consequences.”
John Kelly is leaving the White House. Donald Trump said his chief of staff will exit the job by year’s end. Many had hoped the former Marine general would bring discipline to a chaotic administration. A day earlier Trump called Rex Tillerson, his former top diplomat, “dumb as a rock.”
France’s foreign minister said Trump should “leave our nation be.” Jean-Yves Le Drian was responding to the US president linking France’s violent yellow-vest protests—over rising living costs—to the Paris Agreement. French president Emmanuel Macron will likely address the nation today.
Obsession interlude
Crying at work is a sensitive topic. But maybe it shouldn’t be, especially because it’s another way women are put at a disadvantage in the workplace. They’re judged as too emotional for doing so—while men can be seen as sincere for it. (Men also have more leeway for showing anger and frustration at work.) And prohibitions against crying are a relatively recent development, not written in stone. Share some emotion at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
Millennials didn’t kill the US economy. A flawed system is to blame for a rise in debt and wage stagnation, leading to fewer young people being able to afford houses or cars.
Boasting about how many hours you work is a sign of failure. Productivity dramatically decreases with longer hours, making grueling schedules ultimately not worth the trouble.
The Protestant work ethic is real. Working harder—regardless of religious affiliation—leads to more wealth.
Quartz membership
The charts that show how trucking is changing. Hauling freight over roads has long been a part of business, but due to the rapid growth of e-commerce, that practice in the US has dramatically increased in the past 20 years. Plus, trucking is still one of the most deadly occupations in America, and safety numbers have remained stubbornly flat for the last decade. Read more here.
Surprising discoveries
Tens of thousands of species were discovered this year. From spinning spiders to vibrant red coral, 2018 was full of wondrous new plants and animals.
Scientists are using Google searches to predict heroin overdoses. Researchers connected 72% of heroin-related hospital visits in nine US cities to search histories.
Florida’s mysterious swamp siren has finally been found. The slimy, giant salamander looks like a long eel and has only been seen a handful of times since 1970.
College football’s best player has his eyes on baseball. Heisman winner Kyler Murray has already signed a Major League Baseball (paywall) contract to play for the Oakland A’s.
Apple’s squid emoji is upside down. One marine biologist compared the squid’s wrongly placed siphon, which helps it propel through water, to a human having a butt on their forehead.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, spinning spiders, and accurate squid emoji to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by April Siese and Steve Mollman.