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The EU’s budget hangs in the balance. After Hungary and Poland vetoed the bloc’s budget and rescue package over a clause that links funding with upholding the rule of law, member states’ European affairs ministers will debate how to address the impasse ahead of a meeting by EU leaders on Thursday.
Joe Biden made his first economic address. The US president-elect warned of a dangerous winter ahead and that “more people may die” from the coronavirus if president Donald Trump continues refusing to cooperate with the incoming Democratic administration. Biden urged Congress to pass more relief legislation and expressed support for mask mandates. He will name key members of his administration today.
Trump considered a military strike on Iran. Senior advisers rebuffed his request for options to take action against Tehran’s nuclear program, after international inspectors reported that its uranium stockpile had grown far larger than permitted under a nuclear accord the US abandoned in 2018. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to announce significant cuts in US troop numbers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Huawei is selling its budget smartphone unit. Following US sanctions on the Chinese tech giant, the firm said it is under “tremendous pressure” due to difficulties in procuring technical elements for its phone business, and will spin off its Honor brand in a bid for survival.
Tesla is joining the S&P 500. After being snubbed in September, the electric vehicle maker will finally be added to the benchmark index ahead of trading on Monday, Dec. 21, where it will be one of the index’s 10 most valuable companies. Tesla stock jumped more than 13% in extended trading on the news. Separately, home rental platform Airbnb filed to go public.
RCEP by the digits
On Sunday, more than a dozen Asian countries signed the world’s biggest trade deal. Here’s how the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership breaks down:
15: Countries the deal covers
2.2 billion: People who live in those countries
>$26 trillion: Combined GDP of the nations included in the RCEP
8: Years the deal was under negotiation
92%: Proportion of goods traded between participating countries that could see a reduction in tariffs
Charting WHO funding
Is the World Health Organization a membership group or a global public health agency? By taking donations from nonprofits, more and more of WHO’s budget has been earmarked for specific purposes, leaving the organization with less for core operations and critical functions that aren’t as appealing to donors.
Then there are the nations who give. When member countries are misbehaving in ways that are bad for global health, should WHO push back on them as a global public health agency would, or work to appease those countries, acting more like a membership organization? Alexandra Ossola puts it under a microscope.
What’s cool?
Western consumers assess coolness on various categories, including aesthetic appeal, originality, high status, and more. But at cool’s core are a few essential features: an element of being positive or pleasing, and a willingness to deviate from the norm and choose one’s own path.
This autonomy has to follow some rules, though. It means differing from the norm in a way that isn’t too extreme, lest it risks losing its positive spin. Today, that kind of cool arguably includes fighting against old structures and advocating for racial justice, gay rights, feminism, environmentalism, and other issues.
Read more in our field guide to the new meaning of cool.
We’re obsessed with subway maps
The underground design society. At a time when satellite-powered navigation apps on our phones can tell us exactly where to get on, transfer, and get off the subway, maps still play an important part. They’re not just functional guides—they become instant icons of a metropolis, akin to the weight of a seal or a flag. The diagram depicts a city’s breadth, vitality, and local character, at a glance. No wonder introducing a new subway map is often steeped in drama. Oh yeah, the Quartz Weekly Obsession is going there.
Calling all accidental therapists
The task of supporting team cohesion during times of turmoil has defaulted to managers, regardless of whether they’re trained to handle it. In this workshop, experts will share the steps and practical advice you need to best communicate with your employees during emotional times.
Register today for our free virtual workshop on Nov. 19 from 11am–12pm US Eastern time to learn how you can manage your team through emotional times.
Surprising discoveries
Avoiding crowds of tourists is supposed to be easier than ever. But not in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, possibly the only place in the world experiencing over-tourism right now.
Hyundai SUV owners got a different kind of “new car smell.” Imitation leather headrest coverings made the car interiors reek of rotten produce.
This should keep you busy for a while. With 9,036 pieces, Lego’s Roman Colosseum set is its largest ever.
A Russian town dishonors the dead… Sand used to de-ice a Siberian road contained human bones.
… while a French radio station honored the not-yet dead. Radio France Internationale accidentally published the pre-written obituaries of Queen Elizabeth II, Brigitte Bardot, and Pelé, among others.
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