Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Tesla delivers China-made Model 3s. The first Teslas made in China are arriving just a year after construction began on the Shanghai Gigafactory where they were built. The first 15 customers to receive the cars are Tesla employees.
The US/North Korea staredown continues. One day after Kim Jong Un convened a meeting with party officials, White House national security advisor Robert O’Brien said the US would be “extraordinarily disappointed” if North Korea were to test a long-range or nuclear missile.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange puts a cap on 2019. The Nikkei average has added 19.1% since the start of the year, and on Friday was trading at its highest level in 14 months.
Over the weekend
China’s biggest rocket returned to flight. The Long March 5, carrying China’s heaviest and most advanced satellite to date, lifted off on Friday evening. The successful launch—crucial to China’s space ambitions—follows a failed Long March 5 launch in 2017, which destroyed an earlier satellite.
A bombing in Somalia killed at least 80. An explosive-filled truck blew up at an intersection in Mogadishu on Saturday, the latest of several attacks in the Somali capital this year. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which also injured 149.
China ended forced labor for sex workers. The punishment system had allowed police to hold sex workers for up to two years at “education centers,” where past detainees say they were forced to make toys and household goods. Chinese state media said those still in custody will also be released.
Taiwan televised presidential debates. Presidential contenders Tsai Ing-wen (the incumbent), Han Kuo-yu, and James Soong participated in the sole televised debate ahead of a Jan. 11 election. Among other topics, the candidates defended their approaches to dealing with China and its military power.
Fires prompted massive evacuations in Australia. Tens of thousands of residents and vacationers were told to leave the Australian state of Victoria due to bushfire conditions. Since September, more than 100 fires have destroyed at least 9.9 million acres in five states.
Quartz membership
Are you spending time the way you want to? Many New Year’s resolutions are responses to that question. If you want to change how you spend time, start by rethinking your relationship to the concept. In this week’s state of play, Quartz at Work editor Heather Landy offers three ways to think about time: as a resource, as a currency, and as a source of conflict. Each can help you figure out how to manage your time in the New Year.
Quartz obsession
Is it the Berenstein Bears or the Berenstain bears? Did Darth Vader really say “Luke, I am your father”? Didn’t Nelson Mandela die in the 1980s? All of these inaccurate memories are examples of the Mandela effect, in which a critical mass of people believe something occurred that didn’t. This eerie phenomenon has always existed, but has been carefully documented in recent years thanks to Twitter, Reddit, and other internet forums. Demystify your memory with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Buying into 5G won’t really be a choice. Every flagship phone released next year will, for better or worse, be compatible with the new network.
Dictators make bad conversationalists. The skills for wooing a crowd—a forceful manner, a simple message, extreme narcissism—simply don’t translate to intimate settings.
Star Wars was done in by Disney’s hubris. The latest trilogy suffered from the producers’ conviction that branding mattered more than a coherent narrative.
Surprising discoveries
Teaching a computer Chinese made it excellent at English. Understanding groups of Chinese characters in context translates nicely to predicting entire phrases in English.
The Netherlands doesn’t want to be called Holland anymore. The country hopes a rebranding will steer tourists toward its other 10 provinces.
Grand Theft Auto is a battleground for Hong Kong protests. Players dress up as protestors or riot police and clash in the virtual streets.
Betelgeuse is acting strange. The giant star at Orion’s right shoulder is the dimmest it’s been in nearly a century, prompting speculation that it may explode.
Weasels are devouring German cars. The rodents squeeze into parked vehicles and gnaw through hoses and tubes—leading to 198,000 insurance claims last year.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, weasel-proof car parts, and authoritarian etiquette tips 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 Kira Bindrim and Nicolás Rivero.