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What to watch for today and over the holiday
The world rings in 2020. Sydney is set to host one of the globe’s first celebrations with a controversial fireworks display after getting an exemption from a fire ban. A protest petition had called for it to be canceled as the country battles deadly bushfires.
North Korea’s deadline for US nuclear talks expires. Pyongyang earlier this month threatened to deliver a “Christmas gift” if US diplomats don’t lift sanctions or make other concessions to restart deadlocked nuclear talks. Kim Jong Un’s New Year’s Day speech should make his stance clearer.
Hong Kong ends and begins the year with protests. After protest actions in the city’s party district on New Year’s Eve, Hong Kong will make it clear that the protests of 2019 are far from over—the organizer of last year’s mass marches has been granted a police permit to hold a New Year’s Day procession.
While you were sleeping
Carlos Ghosn fled to Lebanon. The former head of the Nissan-Renault carmaking alliance made a surprise arrival in Beirut after leaving Japan where he was under strict bail conditions after being charged with financial crimes. The French and Lebanese national said he was escaping a “rigged Japanese justice system.”
A big Chinese hack was worse than we thought. The Wall Street Journal reported that the “Cloud Hopper” cyberattack—carried out over years by hackers allegedly connected to China’s intelligence services—gained access to secrets from corporate giants (paywall) including Rio Tinto and Philips.
Uber and Postmates sued California. The ride-hailing giant and delivery firm are seeking to block a law that goes into effect tomorrow, and that would require them to treat gig workers as employees, rather than independent contractors.
Huawei said it had a pretty good year despite being blacklisted. The company estimated it earned revenues of $122 billion for 2019, a roughly 18% increase over the previous year. But it warned of a tough 2020, in which “survival will be our first priority,” as US firms still cannot sell it components without government approval.
US diplomats said they’ll lobby China’s allies over the Uyghurs. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who will be traveling in Eastern Europe and Central Asia from Friday, will raise the issue with officials in countries that have supported Beijing’s internment of hundreds of thousands of Muslim citizens.
Quartz membership
Are you spending time the way you want to? If you want to change how you fill your waking hours, or at least feel less overwhelmed, start by rethinking your relationship with time itself. Quartz at Work editor Heather Landy offers three ways to think about time—as a resource, as a currency, as a source of conflict—each of which will help you think through how you want to manage your time in the New Year.
Quartz obsession
There are 16 types of people in this world… at least according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the most popular personality test in the world. The MBTI is used to assess students, soldiers, employees, and even potential dates on Tinder. But despite its widespread appeal, the test is consistently seen as unscientific and meaningless. Analyze it with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Don’t look down on the hotel breakfast buffet. A familiar meal is a good way to feel grounded while experiencing the novelties of travel.
Donald Trump has left the US’s self-aggrandizing myths in tatters. The country’s faith in its own institutional perfection and meritocracy has faced a severe setback.
Blame austerity for the rise of right-wing populism. Spending cuts after the great recession have reshaped politics globally.
Surprising discoveries
Sharon Stone says she was blocked on Bumble. Several users apparently complained that the Basic Instinct star’s profile on the dating app was fake.
Greta Thunberg’s dad wasn’t keen on her skipping school. But Svante Thunberg says his daughter is much happier after becoming a climate activist.
Sometimes puffins need help scratching that itch. Scientists observed them using sticks for “body care,” the first discovery of tool use by seabirds.
Moscow decorated Red Square with fake snow. Russia has experienced its warmest December on record.
Police officers in Alabama made a “homeless quilt” of signs confiscated from panhandlers. Their police department apologized after people expressed dismay over the “gift” to their precinct.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, school permission slips, and bird-sized back-scratchers 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 written by Tripti Lahiri and edited by Mary Hui.