Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Literary titans go head to head. The winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize will be announced in London. Four countries—Turkey, Angola, Austria, and South Korea—are represented for the first time in the shortlist of six works of global fiction.
Investing heavyweights share their picks. William Ackman, Carl Icahn, and George Soros are among the hundreds of investors who will disclose what US stocks they owned at the end of the first quarter in their 13F filings. The billionaires’ reports are closely watched for insights into investment trends and strategies.
UN climate change conference. The meeting, running from today through May 26 in Bonn, Germany, will focus on the implementation of the Paris agreement. It will set the stage for the Marrakech climate change conference in November.
Over the weekend
Nintendo confirmed its movie ambitions. The struggling video-game giant said it plans to produce animated movies in the coming years, handling as much of the production work itself as possible. It did not specify which franchise characters the movies might feature.
The Chinese economy had a sluggish April. After picking up briefly in March, industrial output fell again last month due to overcapacity in the steel and coal sectors and weaker external demand. A drop in car sales caused retail sales to come in under analysts’ forecasts.
Venezuela’s crisis deepened. After declaring a nationwide state of emergency on Friday, president Nicolás Maduro threatened to seize factories that had ceased production and jail their owners. Meanwhile protesters have been pushing for a recall vote to remove Maduro from power.
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund went after VW. It plans to join one of the class-action lawsuits being prepared against the carmaker in Germany over the emissions scandal. Its Volkswagen stake was worth $750 million at the end of 2015.
Warren Buffett backed a bid for Yahoo. The Berkshire Hathaway chairman is reportedly backing an investment group‘s bid for the struggling internet company’s core assets, according to Reuters. The group has reportedly made it to the second round of bidding.
Quartz obsession interlude
Heather Landy on why you shouldn’t feel guilty for putting your kids to bed late. “I would sometimes worry about whether nine hours was enough sleep for a kid whose classmates were regularly sleeping for 10-, 11- and even 12-hour stretches. Most days, however, our daughter didn’t seem much worse for the wear. And thankfully, our pediatrician reminded me of what most parents frequently forget: With kids, there is no normal. There are only averages.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Boycott Woody Allen’s latest film. His own children allege that Allen molested his daughter, while his films objectify women. Refusing to see his film is a small way to push back against the sexist film industry and society’s tendency to doubt victims.
Americans don’t appreciate how good they have it. In the United States, pollution, discrimination, and crime are down while living standards and education are up. But pessimism has become mainstream (paywall), hence the widespread gloomy outlook.
Age is becoming a greater liability in the workplace. Technology has undermined the value of experience. Female baby boomers in particular should expect to face even more age discrimination than previous generations.
Surprising discoveries
A Dutch teenager became the youngest driver ever to win a Formula 1 race. Eighteen-year-old Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in his first race for the Red Bull team on Saturday.
Broadband service stops at the poverty line in the US. Families in poor areas—more than 30 million people—are five times less likely to have high-speed broadband than wealthier households.
There’s a perfume craze for “old book” smell. Bookworms can’t get enough of the distinctive scent, which develops as compounds in pages break down and evokes memories of reading beloved classics.
Illegal marijuana dispensaries have become the norm in Toronto. Most have only appeared in the six months since Justin Trudeau, who supports the legalization of marijuana, was elected prime minister.
A beaked whale that washed ashore in Australia may be an evolutionary throwback. The rare deep-sea whale bore vestigial fangs that have not previously been seen in its species.
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