Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
OPEC wants to further cut oil supply. At its meeting in Vienna, the cartel will be looking to hammer out an agreement with non-OPEC producers, though Russia isn’t yet on board with the plan. Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco will finalize the pricing for its IPO, which could value the company as high as $1.71 trillion.
France goes on strike. High-speed trains, the Eurostar, and the Paris subway are drastically affected, and hundreds of flights have been canceled. Workers’ unions are staging a big march in Paris in protest against the government’s pension reform plans.
The Canadian parliament reconvenes and Justin Trudeau faces a test. The prime minister, who leads a minority government, explains his policy priorities in a key speech. Parliament, which was elected in October, will vote on the proposals probably in the new year.
While you were sleeping
A sailor shot two civilians before killing himself at Pearl Harbor. The victims worked at the naval shipyard, and the motive for the attack is unclear. The sailor’s submarine was docked in Hawaii. On Saturday, the base will mark the anniversary of the Japanese attack that propelled the US into World War II.
Joe Biden said he would consider Kamala Harris for VP. The Democratic presidential hopeful praised the California senator after a campaign event in Iowa. Harris dropped out of the race for the nomination earlier this week. Biden’s comment comes amid criticism that the Democratic primary is now dominated by white candidates.
Huawei sued the US government. The Chinese giant is taking legal action against a recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission to prevent American carriers from using federal subsidies to purchase Huawei equipment. It’s the latest in a string of lawsuits filed by the company around the world.
The results of an investigation into Bolivia’s election were announced. The Organization of American States said it had evidence that the October poll was rigged in favor of then president Evo Morales, who is now in exile in Mexico.
Samoa launched a measles vaccination drive. Families on the Pacific island were told to hang red flags outside their houses to indicate that they hadn’t been vaccinated. A measles outbreak has killed 62 people. Samoan authorities believe the virus was introduced by a traveler from New Zealand.
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Quartz obsession
Waterproof fabric’s history illustrates the never-ending struggle to stay dry. Animals are able to naturally fend off wetness but humans have had to create different forms of weatherproof materials, from animal intestines to the high-tech fabrics of today. Absorb the details in the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Learning a new language can be like a love affair. There’s the same heady mix of curiosity and wonder.
Hashtags turn off readers. When #MeToo or #BlackLivesMatter accompanies a tweet, the story is seen as less important or biased.
Britain’s Princess Anne is not really Bolshie. Standing in a group of NATO leaders who seem to be sharing a laugh at Trump is hardly revolutionary.
Surprising discoveries
The best deal for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is to skip the opening ceremonies. Airfares are expected to be 24% lower a week later.
Carbon offsets don’t work. It’s hard to make sure newly planted trees aren’t harvested later.
The climate crisis is causing birds to shrink. That’s according to a study of 70,716 specimens from 52 North American migratory bird species.
A people smuggler built a fake border crossing. A man tricked four migrants into thinking they had crossed into Finland from Russia.
There’s a lethal, invisible killer in a volcanic gorge in the Kamchatka Peninsula. Animals and birds who enter it, never leave.
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