Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
China releases June trade figures. Exports from the world’s second-largest economy are expected to be up 9% from this time last year. Trade figures have exceeded forecasts for the last three months (paywall).
Targeted tech releases. Nintendo Switch rolls out Niconico in Japan, a streaming app similar to YouTube which allows user comments to appear on live streams. In India, Huawei releases its latest smartphone exclusively on Amazon.
European leaders meet. Prime minister Theresa May welcomes Spain’s King Felipe VI to the UK in a bid to bolster ties during Brexit negotiations; while French president Emmanuel Macron hosts German ministers and chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump’s pick for FBI director testified before the US senate. Christopher Wray, who is set to replace fired director James Comey, affirmed the FBI’s independence during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. He also denounced Trump’s framing of a Russia probe as a “witch hunt” and said that he would quit if ever asked to do something unlawful.
Janet Yellen gave an upbeat view of the US economy. Stocks rose after the Federal Reserve chair reassured House Financial Services committee members of the US economy’s health, and confirmed plans to raise interest rates and begin unwinding the Fed’s massive balance sheet. This may be Yellen’s last appearance before Congress if the Trump administration decides to replace her when her term ends in February.
An enormous iceberg broke free of Antarctica. The 6,000-square-kilometer (2,300-square-meter) iceberg finally calved off of the Larsen C ice shelf after months of anticipation. The trillion-ton ice shaft (find a comparable size you can relate to here) isn’t expected to contribute to rising sea levels.
The death toll from flooding in Japan climbed to 25. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, whose popularity has been waning, promised the government would “make every effort” to help rebuild Kyushu after the region was devastated by a week of torrential rain.
Brazil’s former president was found guilty of corruption. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a former union leader known as the nation’s “first working-class president,” was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for accepting bribes. Da Silva remains popular six years after leaving office, and had planned to run for president again next year.
Quartz obsession interlude
Siyi Chen on how robots will help China take care of its elderly. “China needs robots to care for its large, and growing, elderly population—it’s home to a quarter of the world’s seniors. As fewer Chinese are able to care for their aging parents, the number of retirement homes nationwide is mushrooming. And yet fewer than 20% of retirement homes in China are making a profit. High labor costs are a big reason why.” Read more.
Markets haiku
Yellen won’t say she / Wants another term with Trump / And can you blame her?
Matters of debate
Android’s “panic button” should be a part of every user interface. Panic detection modes protect users—and bring operating systems closer to understanding us.
A brown lead won’t make Aladdin any less racist. The best of casting intentions for the Disney film’s live-action remake won’t fix the film’s troubling stereotypes.
We don’t need to ban kids from using smartphones. Panicking over new technology won’t protect them from its negative effects.
Surprising discoveries
Umbrella-sharing startups are all the rage in China. The newest company lost track of almost 300,000 umbrellas weeks after launching.
The Calibri typeface is at the center of a Pakistani corruption case. The authenticity of a deed is being questioned for being dated a year before the font it is typed in was released.
Eastern and western cultures have opposite views of success. Americans want to be big fishes in a small pond, while the Chinese are more impressed with small fishes in bigger ponds.
Ants make mini Eiffel Towers to tackle tall obstacles. The sinking structure gets wider as it grows taller, allowing ants to better distribute their weight while climbing.
The first object has been teleported into space. Chinese researchers sent a photon over 311 miles from a station in Tibet to a satellite built for quantum experimentation.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, caring robots, and teleported photons to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android.