Good morning, Quartz readers!
Here’s what you need to know
Global stock markets face shake-ups. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the New York Stock Exchange’s plan to allow primary direct listings, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng has proposed increasing the number of constituent stocks.
France is expediting citizenship for foreigners who fought the coronavirus. The list of 700 people includes healthcare workers, garbage collectors, and cashiers. Separately, it will allow some passengers from the UK if they have a negative Covid-19 test.
Donald Trump called the $900 billion coronavirus stimulus bill a “disgrace”… The president demanded several changes to the bill, including increasing the direct payment to individuals from $600 to $2,000.
… and pardoned a former campaign aide. George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to the FBI in 2017 for lying about the timing of his contacts with Russian agents, was pardoned along with 14 other people.
Israel will hold another pandemic election. The polls in March will be the fourth election in two years and come after its parliament was dissolved because the two major parties in its unity government failed to meet a budget deadline.
The US accused Walmart of worsening the opioid crisis. A justice department lawsuit alleges the retailer’s understaffed pharmacies failed to flag questionable prescriptions.
China said ‘good riddance’ as Germany leaves the United Nation’s Security Council. China’s deputy UN envoy made the remark after German diplomat Christoph Heusgen appealed to Beijing to release two detained Canadians.
What to watch for
Seeking Sinovac’s Phase 3 trial data. The Chinese-developed Covid-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, is at the center of the vaccination plans of Brazil’s richest state, São Paulo. It’s also at the center of a spat between the state’s governor and Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, a China critic who opposes the use of Sinovac’s vaccine.
Brazil unveiled national vaccination plans this month—focused singularly on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. And last week, the country’s health regulator Anvisa criticized China’s emergency-use procedures for vaccines including CoronaVac as lacking transparency—if the federal agency doesn’t approve its emergency use, it’s unclear how São Paulo could use it.
It might help if the US-listed Chinese biotech firm were to make its Phase 3 trial data public. The Brazilian vaccine institute that worked with Sinovac to conduct the trials had earlier targeted Dec. 18 for the data release. It didn’t happen, but São Paulo’s governor has since said that the data should be published today. 🤞
Charting the UK’s post-lockdown purchases
Consumer spending in the UK rebounded in the third quarter of 2020 as strict coronavirus restrictions eased starting in June. In restaurants and hotels, there was an increase of 566.3% in spending compared to the second quarter. But consumers also spent money on getting their teeth fixed and their clothes cleaned.
Only a handful of categories saw significantly lower spending in the third quarter: footwear repair; newspapers, books, and stationery; major household appliances; and beer.
Peddling snake oil
“They were merely a financial company that sought to sponsor the construction of the refinery through an intermediary. From what I have determined personally, they have no ability to carry out such infrastructure projects themselves.” —Mulugeta Damtew Seid, Ethiopian Mineral, Petroleum and Biofuel Corporation (EMPB)
An Ethiopian-American investor and his partners are on the brink of pulling off an elaborate scheme.
Nebiyu Getachew, 48, chief executive of GreenComm Technologies, a Virginia-based energy firm, signed a $3.6 billion deal with Ethiopia’s ministry of Mines and Petroleum on April 28 to construct an oil refinery in Ethiopia’s oil-rich Somali region. But checks reveal little evidence GreenComm Technologies and its key executives have the expertise or experience to take on this major project. How did they pull the wool over Ethiopia’s eyes? Quartz Africa investigates.
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Surprising discoveries
Covid-19 is now on all seven continents. The virus finally reached Antarctica via a Chilean research station.
Carrot the deer is on the mend. After wildlife officials removed an arrow through his head, the whitetail deer was spotted out for a stroll.
Working from home is a pain in the back. Chiropractors have seen a huge uptick in demand during the pandemic.
T-Mobile is not tickled pink right now. The telecom’s parent company lost its exclusive right to use the color magenta in France.
Joe Biden gets an unwelcome reset. Twitter said it would return the @POTUS and @WhiteHouse accounts to zero followers when the president-elect takes office.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, chiropractor recommendations, and displaced @POTUS followers to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our iOS app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Jane Li, Tripti Lahiri, Amanda Shendruk, Liz Webber, and Susan Howson.