Beijing’s blue sun, Amazon unionization, space wine

Good morning, Quartz readers!

Here’s what you need to know

Beijing got hit with another debilitating sandstorm. Weibo users shared their photos of the “blue sun” as air pollution levels were off the charts.

India celebrated a subdued Holi as Covid-19 cases broke records. Local laws prohibiting Holi gatherings are far less restrictive than the country’s famously strict lockdown a year ago, despite soaring case numbers.

Myanmar’s military fired into a funeral crowd. The mourners had assembled to pay respects to the 114 people killed by security forces the previous day, the bloodiest since the coup began.

Iran and China agreed on a sweeping deal… The two countries—both under US sanctions—signed a 25-year agreement to strengthen trade, military cooperation, and investment in infrastructure.

…While the US thinks Taiwan is vulnerable to invasion. A US official told the Financial Times Beijing’s increasingly aggressive actions in the region point to a dim outlook for Taiwan.

The Ever Given has yet to budge. Alternating dredging and tugging efforts have been unsuccessful, and there’s been talk of having to unload the ship’s cargo, which could take weeks.

Friday’s massive block trade might not even be over. The mysterious sale of huge chunks of various companies’ stock, executed in part by Goldman Sachs, sent markets into a tailspin and was reportedly driven by a fund called Archegos Capital. Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court will hear Goldman’s arguments today as part of a historic class-action suit by shareholders who accuse the firm of lying about its integrity in the runup to the 2008 financial crisis.

What to watch for

A much-watched unionization drive at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama will wrap up today. If more than half of the employees at the site vote “yes” to joining the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU), they will form the first group of organized Amazon workers in the US.

Naturally, the company has been deploying all kinds of anti-unionization tactics to keep this from happening. It has also been aggressively managing its reputation in the press and on social media.

A win in Alabama could set off a wave of organizing across the country, making the US more like Europe, where Amazon workers in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany have long been unionized. It’s also possible that train has left the station, no matter how the vote goes.

Let’s look at the numbers:

5,800: Number of Amazon employees at the Bessemer site

>3,000: Number of those who have already signed union cards

More than 1,000: Amazon workers at other US locations who have also contacted the RWDSU with questions about unionizing

400-500: Current and former Amazon workers connected to two Iowa warehouses who have been in touch with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, according to the Teamsters

800,000: Total number of Amazon employees in the US

50% + 1: Share of votes required to secure a “yes” vote

Charting the Suez Canal shortcut

About 80% of the volume of international trade is transported by sea, according to the United Nations. For many routes, the Suez Canal—a 120-mile waterway through Egypt that foregoes circumnavigation of Africa—slashes serious miles off the total distance.

The resulting backlog caused by the Ever Given is costing billions, though Russia, for one, is in no hurry to see it unstuck, as it could pick up customers for its oil and gas operations in the Black Sea. Just how big is this boat anyway?

Video game live streaming is now mainstream entertainment

When will streamers cross over to Hollywood?

By some metrics, it’s already happening. Streamers are signing with big name management agencies like United Talent Agency and Creative Artists Agency. Ninja, who’s repped by CAA, appeared on the Fox reality singing show The Masked Singer (he was voted out in the first episode) and now has a cameo as himself alongside A-list actor Ryan Reynolds in the upcoming action comedy Free Guy.

So far, though, most streamers don’t seem to have Hollywood ambitions. That may be because they’re already huge without having to crossover into TV or film. In fact, movie stars are the ones trying to get into streaming.

✦ Will your future date nights involve curling up on the couch and watching Twitch? Read our field guide on video game live streaming’s rise. If you’re not yet a member, try it out for free.

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Surprising discoveries

Pandemic juries like defendants. US judges tend to excuse potential jurors concerned about catching Covid-19, and the ones left skew more conservative.

The Earth’s orbit is the new hip terroir… Several bottles of French wine are back from space, and they’ll never be the same.

…And the new junkyard. A stunning “meteor shower” caught by many on their phones was actually SpaceX junk burning up in the atmosphere.

A 5,000-person concert demonstrated what big events might be like in the near future. One big wrinkle to iron out—how to offer all these precautions and still make money?

Facebook unfairly controls the world’s gif selection. At least, that’s what UK regulators think.

Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, favorite gifs, and Covid-free concert tickets 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 Alex Ossola, Lila MacLellan, and Susan Howson.