Thursday 27 November 2014

Quartz Daily Brief—Europe edition—Ebola vaccine success, Europe’s Google vote, Thai elections delayed, the tryptophan myth

What to watch for today


To cut or not to cut? That is the question OPEC’s 12 members will be asking themselves in Vienna, as they decide whether to limit production to prevent price of oil from falling further.


Europe vs. Googliath. The European parliament votes on whether Google should be broken up—not that it has the power to force that to happen. Regulators have already made one thing clear: They want the EU’s recent “right to be forgotten” ruling to apply globally.


Dilma Rousseff unveils her dream team. Brazil’s recently (and narrowly) re-elected president presents a cabinet to sort out the country’s economic mess. Banco Bradesco chief Joaquim “Scissorhands” Levy is expected to become her finance minister.


It’s Thanksgiving in the US. An estimated 46.3 million Americans are traveling an average of more than 50 miles (80 km) to sit around a table with family members and enjoy turkey. A snowstorm will complicate the journey for east coasters.


While you were sleeping


More clashes at the Hong Kong protests. Student demonstrators threatened to target government buildings (paywall) if police continued to force them from protest camps with pepper spray and batons. Pro-democracy activists also tried to occupy smaller streets in the city’s Kowloon district after a major thoroughfare was cleared yesterday.


A step closer to an Ebola vaccine. For the first time, a human trial showed a vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline is safe and will likely be effective in fighting the virus. The vaccine could be available in West Africa in about six months; other vaccines are being tested in Mali, Switzerland, and the UK.


Thailand’s elections may be delayed. The military junta’s finance minister Sommai Phasee said general elections now may not take place until 2016, a year later than previously stated. Martial law will come to an end eventually, Sommai said, but is required at the moment “to deal with security.”


Australia’s economy suddenly looked a lot healthier. New home sales rose 3% in October month-on-month, after a flat September, and third-quarter company spending rose by a better-than-expected 0.2%—encouraging signs as the country tries to transition from mining-driven investment growth.


The Philippine economy took a surprise dive. Third-quarter GDP grew by a lower-than-expected 5.3% from a year earlier, marking the slowest growth in three years due to a reduction in public spending and higher interest rates.


Microsoft pre-announced a acquisition. The company prematurely published an incomplete blog post that suggests it is on the verge of acquiring Accompli, a mobile email start-up. The gaffe comes just days after a Twitter executive made a similar blunder.


GoPro has its eye on drones. The company is planning to launch multi-rotor helicopters priced between $500 and $1,000 that feature its high-definition cameras, according to the Wall Street Journal (paywall). It’s no surprise the company wants to go vertical: Drones are shaping up to be a hot seller this holiday season, and many top models are designed to hold GoPro cameras.


Quartz obsession interlude


Jason Karaian on Europe’s new real-estate superstar. “Before the crash, Ireland’s turbo-charged economy earned it the nickname the ‘Celtic Tiger.’ Then came the dark days of crushing debt, deep recession, and an international bailout. Now, the country’s rapid recovery has people calling it the ‘Celtic Phoenix.’ Nowhere is this more apparent than in house prices.” Read more here.


Matters of debate


Don’t sneer at Uber’s $40 billion valuation. Unlike other tech companies, its business offers actual value to our lives.


Whiteness isn’t the beginning and end to privilege. Nationality, class, gender, sexuality, and ability also matter.


Hillary will run, and Hillary will win. Warren Buffett likes the former secretary of state’s White House chances.


Government snooping on Facebook doesn’t make us safer. Despite what the UK government claims.


Surprising discoveries


Giving thanks makes you healthier. You’ll sleep better, exercise more, and feel more optimistic about life.


You can get paid for breaking in someone else’s jeans. The only catch: You can’t wash them for six months.


Don’t blame tryptophan for your Thanksgiving nap. Turkey only contains a small quantity of the sleep-inducing amino acid.


Advanced Kim Jong-un studies. North Korean high schoolers have to take an 81 hour course on their Dear Leader; the class on his father was twice as long.


Gulls are flaying whales alive. Southern right whales in Argentina are trying new defensive tactics when they surface for air 


Click here for more surprising discoveries on Quartz.


Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Uber life enhancements, and nap-inducing Thanksgiving menus to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter here for updates throughout the day.


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Quartz Daily Brief—Europe edition—Ebola vaccine success, Europe’s Google vote, Thai elections delayed, the tryptophan myth

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