🌍 Protests dial up the heat at COP26

Plus: The US posts employer vax rules [Quartz]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! Was this newsletter forwarded to you? [Sign up here](. Forward to the friend who’s [looking for some new French literature](. Here’s what you need to know Tens of thousands of protestors demonstrate against climate change. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is leading a protest of [100,000 climate campaigners]( through the streets of Glasgow, and demonstrations are also planned across [10 UK airports]( this weekend. Around 28,000 people and companies are registered to attend the conference, but why isn’t Thunberg on the list? Read Quartz’s [database of attendees]( to find out more. The White House released its vaccination rules. The Biden administration’s mandate means firms with more than 100 employees will be obligated to make sure their staff are [fully vaccinated]( by Jan. 4, or test weekly as a condition of employment. Rule-breakers could be slapped with fines of [up to $136,000](. Developing nations want $1.3 trillion a year in climate finance by 2030. The demand, [backed by India, China, and others](, is significantly more than the [$100 billion]( rich countries had pledged—but have so far failed to deliver—by 2020. OPEC+ is sticking to its oil production schedule. The group agreed to [boost output]( by 400,000 barrels a day in December, despite US president Joe Biden’s request for an even bigger increase. Meanwhile, India [lowered fuel taxes]( to quell discontent over a sharp rise in gas prices. Europe could see 500,000 more covid deaths by February. A World Health Organization official warned the continent is once again the “[epicenter of the pandemic](.” Meanwhile, the UK became the first country to [authorize Merck’s covid antiviral pill](. Hong Kong’s top court made it harder to charge people for rioting. In a defeat for the government, the Court of Final Appeal ruled bystanders can’t be prosecuted if there’s [no evidence to show]( they were participating in a riot or unlawful assembly. Sponsor content by JobsOhio Ohio’s economy is booming, and the rest of the world is getting in the game. The Buckeye State is home to 4000 international companies and employees from all over the world. Doing business here means [doing business on a global stage](. What to watch for September’s job growth numbers disappointed big time. But economists are staying hopeful and forecasting the US added 408,000 jobs in October, up from 194,000 in September. [A bar graph showing the number of US jobs added each month in 2021. In January, less than 250,000 jobs were added. Job growth peaked in July with over a million jobs added, but fell below January's numbers in September.] There’s some reason to believe economists will hit the mark this time. Recent job data from HR services provider ADP [show]( the US economy added 571,000 jobs in October, above expectations of 400,000. Most of that growth [came]( from the hospitality and leisure sector, while manufacturing jobs saw the biggest month-over-month jump in 13 months. However, ADP [only counts]( private sector jobs, while the more official report includes government jobs, which declined last month. A strong jobs report could show that the economy has processed the delta covid-19 spike. A weak one could mean that employers may have to continue hiking wages to attract new workers. Shots (and tests) or fines for US employers The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration [released its full covid-19 vaccination rule]( for large employers yesterday. To avoid fines, companies with more than 100 workers will have to request proof of vaccination or test employees weekly for covid-19 as a condition of employment. Here are some of the key facts about the rule for private-sector employers: - It takes effect Jan. 4. By that day, employees must be fully vaccinated or face weekly testing. Anyone who tests positive must leave the workplace immediately. - Unvaccinated workers who choose to get tested weekly must wear masks on the job at all times. - The rule won’t apply to remote workers or people who work outdoors exclusively. US president Joe Biden has also strengthened an existing mandate for federal employees and contractors, who have until Dec. 8 to get vaccinated or give up their jobs. Weekly testing will not be an option. It’s-a me, Nintendo! [Super Mario in Mario Kart.] Nintendo Nintendo isn’t often associated with cutting-edge gaming. The Japanese game maker has relied on a careful mix of quality and nostalgia that keeps Mario and Zelda fans coming back. And it has worked: [5.1 billion:]( Nintendo video games sold globally [800 million:]( Nintendo hardware units sold globally [26 million:]( Switch Online subscribers [$51 billion:]( Nintendo’s current market capitalization But while Nintendo excelled during the covid-19 pandemic, [numbers indicate that success is fizzling](. In the first half of 2021, sales were down 19% year over year, according to earnings released yesterday. What Nintendo may need is more eyes toward the future (yes, we’re thinking of a Hyrule metaverse), a possibility we explored in the latest [Company email](. It gives Quartz members a look into companies that are changing business. ✦ Try a membership [free for seven days](. Quartz announcement The climate crisis is here. Hosted by Molly Wood, “How We Survive” dives deep into the economics, the tech, and the human stories behind adaptation. In season one, Molly and team talk electrification. But electrification relies on batteries, and most batteries require a metal called lithium. [Learn more]( Handpicked Quartz 🙅🏽‍♂️ [How to set boundaries at work without being labeled a jerk]( 💔 [The UK’s biggest sportswear retailer is being broken up]( 📚 [Mohamed Mbougar Sarr is the first Black African to win France’s highest literary prize]( 😬 [Tesla’s new Berlin factory is making Volkswagen’s CEO nervous]( ⚡️ [Avis’s stock more than tripled after it teased a plan to invest in electric vehicles]( 🐄 [How tech and agriculture can help Africa’s pandemic recovery]( Sponsor content by JobsOhio Ohio’s economy is booming, and the rest of the world is getting in the game. The Buckeye State is home to 4000 international companies and employees from all over the world. Doing business here means [doing business on a global stage](. Surprising discoveries A city in rural Indiana is luring remote workers with “Grandparents on Demand.” Volunteers will provide [free babysitting]( and fill in at school Grandparents Day. Pilots probably didn’t see a man with a jetpack flying over Los Angeles. Officials said it was likely a [giant balloon of Jack Skellington](, a character from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Pacific lingcod loses and replaces 20 teeth a day. The frightening fish’s mouth holds [around 500 chompers]( total. A New Zealand couple found a 7.9 kg (17.4 lb) potato in their garden. They [named it Doug](. An exploding comet transformed the Atacama Desert 12,000 years ago. The fireball created [large glass fragments]( across the Chilean landscape. SPREAD THE WORD Over 500k readers and counting. You already know why half a million people read the Daily Brief, so why not spread the word? [Share the Daily Brief today]( and get rewarded. Our best wishes for a productive day. 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