Good morning, Quartz readers!
There is no Daily Brief tomorrow, but we’ll be back on Jan. 2.
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. Many Australians wanted it to be canceled as the country battles deadly bushfires. In New York, there will be drones watching everything.
Protests in Asia continue into the new year. Demonstrators are gathering in Hong Kong’s party district on New Year’s Eve, and the organizer of last year’s mass marches has been granted a police permit to hold a New Year’s Day procession. There are also ongoing protests in India.
Here is Quartz’s guide to the movies and TV shows you should watch in 2020. There is no Star Wars or Avengers content in the new year as Disney looks to pivot toward new franchises. But there’s so much more to look forward to.
While you were sleeping
The former head of Nissan-Renault fled to Lebanon. Carlos Ghosn made a surprise trip from Japan, where he was under strict bail conditions after being charged with financial crimes. He said he was escaping a “rigged Japanese justice system.”
Uber and Postmates sued California. The ride-hailing giant and delivery firm are trying to block a law that would require them to treat gig workers as employees, rather than independent contractors. The law goes into effect tomorrow.
The UK raised its minimum wage by more than 6%. It goes up from £8.21 ($10.78) per hour to £8.74 ($11.48), starting in April. Prime minister Boris Johnson promised to reach £10.50 per hour by 2024.
Huawei said it had a pretty good year, despite being blacklisted. The company expects a revenue of $122 billion in 2019, up 18% from 2018. But its chairman warned of a tough 2020, in which “survival will be our first priority.”
US diplomats said they’ll pressure China’s allies over the internment of 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 policy.
Quartz membership
How to overcome distractions at work. The author of “Indistractable,” a book about how tech shapes our habits, Nir Eyal wants to help you gain control over how you use technology. He argues that our distractibility at work isn’t the fault of tools like Slack—it’s a management problem.
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 Tinder dates. But despite its appeal, it’s consistently seen as meaningless. Analyze it with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Does YouTube contribute to radicalization? The truth is that without data, which would have to come from YouTube itself, it’s hard to know.
Is it worth going dry this January? It can be fun, but only if you reframe your approach to deprivation.
Seize the hotel breakfast buffet. A familiar meal helps you feel grounded in an unfamiliar place.
Surprising discoveries
A police officer quit after admitting that nobody wrote “f***ing pig” on his coffee cup. The supposed incident in a Kansas McDonald’s was a hoax.
Climate change is a good excuse to avoid eating broccoli. When you quantify emissions per calorie, its production emits more greenhouse gases than pork or chicken.
Three killer whales appear to have migrated from Iceland to Italy. It’s the first time anyone near the Sicily coast has ever seen the creatures there.
Delhi had its coldest day in a century. The Indian capital registered a maximum temperature of 9.4ºC on Monday.
Puffins need help scratching that itch. Scientists observed them using sticks for “body care,” the first discovery of tool use by seabirds.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, leftover broccoli, and Japanese arrest warrants 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 Luiz Romero and Hasit Shah.