Quartz Daily Brief—NASA tries again, police violence protests, China’s manic market, homo erectus art
Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Another big month for US jobs. More than 200,000 jobs are expected to have been added in November, and the unemployment rate is expected to remain at about 5.8%, the lowest level in six years.
NASA tries again. The test flight of the new Orion rocket, designed to eventually send humans to Mars, has been rescheduled for 7:05 am ET, after technical glitches yesterday scuttled the launch.
Ukraine’s latest ceasefire kicks in. It will be limited to the Luhansk region, as the government and separatists move heavy weapons to a buffer zone. Donetsk, home to an airport that’s vital to supplying pro-Russian forces, is still experiencing heavy fighting.
Obama sits down with King Abdullah of Jordan. The agenda for the White House talks includes the military campaign against the Islamic State, the civil war in Syria, and Jordan’s refugee problem.
Italy’s largest union goes on strike. The trade association CGIL is summoning its six million members to stage an eight-hour strike opposing prime minister Matteo Renzi’s recently approved jobs legislation, which would make it easier for companies to hire and fire workers.
While you were sleeping
Uber raised new funds, and its own valuation. The on-demand car service confirmed reports that it has raised $1.2 billion in new funding, which implies a $40 billion valuation that is more than double what it was six months ago. Uber is also in talks to sell an additional $1 billion in convertible debt, according to Reuters, giving it a significant amount of leeway when it comes to considering a future IPO.
The US grappled with police violence. A second night of protests over the chokehold death of Eric Garner took place across the United States. Meanwhile, a federal report found that the Cleveland police force has a history of using excessive force, days after police shot and killed a 12-year-old boy, and the Los Angeles police department found fault with yet another shooting death of an unarmed man last year.
Starbucks is boozing it up. Some 3,000 of the coffee chain’s US stores will serve beer and wine as part of an expanded evening menu, aimed at reversing slowing sales. The company said at its biennial investor meeting that it plans to double US food sales to more than $4 billion within the next five years.
China’s stock market is having a manic week. Despite a slowing economy and an underwhelming plan to link Hong Kong and mainland stock exchanges, the Shanghai stock market has risen nearly 10% for no apparent reason. Analysts say that bull-market enthusiasm “has become self-reinforcing.”
Google is aiming at the youngsters. The search giant’s homepage, along with YouTube and the Chrome browser, will be reinvented for children aged 13 and under, according to Pavni Diwanji, vice president of Google engineering. “We expect this to be controversial, but the simple truth is kids already have the technology in schools and at home,” she told USA Today.
Chimpanzee rights were denied. A New York court ruled that animal rights activists could not file a lawsuit seeking the freedom of a chimp named Tommy. The judges noted that chimps “cannot bear any legal duties, submit to societal responsibilities or be held legally accountable for their actions,” and thus are not entitled to the same rights as humans.
Quartz obsession interlude
Jeanne Kim on South Korea’s maternity spa culture. “If you aren’t ready to face the chaos and household chores of home right after giving birth, you might want to consider a move to South Korea. For years now, many South Korean women have gone to sanhujoriwon, spa-like postpartum care facilities, to recover from giving birth. In these maternity hotels throughout the country, professional nurses watch the newborns around the clock and give mothers time to recuperate.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Deflation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Without it, Spain and Greece wouldn’t be growing.
It’s time for the Hong Kong protests to end. So says Benny Tai, one of the protests’ main organizers.
Pomegranates could save Afghanistan’s economy. Assuming the logistical issues are ironed out.
Putin is running on fumes. He’s in denial about the plummeting price of oil.
Surprising discoveries
A drug might fix spinal cord injuries. In tests on rats, it disrupts the “sticky glue” that stops nerve cells from regrowing.
“99%” of Russian Olympic athletes are allegedly doping. So says a new documentary that interviewed Russian whistleblowers.
Humans started making art half a million years ago. Engraved mollusk shells may have been carved by homo erectus, an ancestor of modern day humans.
Bats brains have 3D compasses. Specialized cells could explain why they fly so deftly.
Click here for more surprising discoveries on Quartz.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Russian doping evidence and maternity spa recommendations to [email protected]. You can follow us on Twitter here for updates throughout the day.