Good morning, Quartz readers!
Please note that there will be no Daily Brief on Nov. 28.
What to watch for today
Hong Kong reopens a major tunnel. Authorities will reopen the Cross-Harbor Tunnel, which links Hong Kong island to the Kowloon peninsula. The tunnel was shut on Nov. 13 after it was damaged in a confrontation between protesters and police.
Japan, South Korea, and China hold yet another round of trade talks. Senior trade officials will meet in Seoul for three days of free-trade talks that mark the 16th round of negotiations, going back to 2012, between the neighboring countries.
Namibia elects a president. Incumbent Hage Geingob is contending with discontent, especially among young people, over the country’s ongoing recession. He faces off against independent candidate (and former dentist) Panduleni Itula.
While you were sleeping
China set up a Hong Kong crisis center… Beijing is considering sacking its chief liaison to the semi-autonomous region. In the meantime, top leaders have set up a war room in a Shenzhen villa just outside Hong Kong to keep an eye on protesters.
…as Trump said a trade deal is close. The US president told reporters that American negotiators were in the “final throes” of reaching an agreement with China, but implied that it could be contingent on Beijing’s response to the Hong Kong protests.
The UN predicted we’ll blow past 1.5°C of warming. The difference between 1.5°C and 2°C of warming is four inches (10 cm) of sea level rise, an ice-free Arctic Ocean once a decade instead of once a century, and the extinction of coral reefs. We’re on track for 3.2°C.
Softbank’s shareholders are getting restless. After a string of bad bets on WeWork, Uber, and other troubled startups—and a scheme to raise funds by lending billions to its own executives—the company’s investors are privately griping about mismanagement.
Americans are dying younger. A new study showed that suicides, drug overdoses, and a slew of other causes have reduced US life expectancy for three consecutive years—even as other wealthy nations extended their longevity.
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Just 20 years ago, suggesting someone visit a “life coach” would have earned you raised eyebrows. Today, life-coaching practitioners can be found practically anywhere. They’re considered part of a wider expansion of “wealth work”—jobs that have appeared to serve the increasingly wealthy American middle class.
Quartz Obsession
Movie-theater popcorn is a cinema staple. But it wasn’t always so. Street vendors used to sell popcorn outside theaters that frowned on snacking. Now the iconic treat anchors movie concessions, where its price rose by more than 600% between 1929 and 2009. Chew on more popcorn fun facts with today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of Debate
It’s time to start saying “y’all.” Since we let “ye” fade away, “y’all” is the only available gender-neutral second-person plural pronoun.
Smartphones won’t bridge the digital divide. Mobile internet service is expensive and limited by data constraints.
Netflix needs the Paris Theater. Saving the single-screen New York theater will help the streaming giant attract directors who want a true opening night.
Surprising discoveries
An early effort at regulating AI was an utter failure. A New York City task force fell into disarray after participants couldn’t even agree on what counts as “AI.”
Big Oil might use tech to track its workers’ every move. An anonymous Microsoft engineer said executives wanted to use AI, GPS data, and CCTV footage to keep an eye on the fields.
A teen criticized China’s Uighur oppression with a TikTok makeup tutorial. The Chinese platform promptly banned her.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson scientifically dunked on Elon Musk. The astrophysicist pointed out a glaring flaw in a viral video showing a Cybertruck hauling a Ford F-150 up a hill.
Papa John says a “day of reckoning” is coming. The pizza chain’s ousted CEO promised retribution for his replacements and revealed he has eaten 40 pizzas in the past 30 days.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, pizza-related warnings, and gender-neutral second-person plural pronouns to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android, and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Nicolás Rivero and Kira Bindrim.