Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
US senators examine Donald Trump’s authority to use nuclear weapons… The foreign relations committee will hold a hearing on the president’s unfettered ability to deploy nukes. It was convened by outgoing senator Bob Corker, who has called the White House “an adult day care center” in his war of words with the president.
…And grill Jeff Sessions about his Russia contacts. The attorney general will face uncomfortable questions about Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. His previous testimony denying knowledge of communications between the Kremlin and White House is at odds with the account of convicted Trump advisor George Papadopoulos.
UK lawmakers debate a Brexit blueprint. Parliament will discuss Theresa May’s EU withdrawal bill, which is said to be a “copy and paste” of EU rules and regulations into British law. There are 186 pages of proposed amendments.
While you were sleeping
Qualcomm passed on Broadcom’s $105 billion bid. The wireless chip maker said Broadcom’s buyout offer—which would be the largest deal in tech industry history—was too low, and cited the regulatory scrutiny the deal would have faced. Broadcom said it is determined to see the acquisition through, kicking off a potential proxy battle.
General Electric’s restructuring plan was panned by investors. The industrial conglomerate said it would slash its dividend and trim down its sprawling businesses to concentrate on aviation, power, and healthcare, including a 25% reduction in corporate staff. Shares plummeted by more than 7% as investors worried that the plan didn’t cut costs quickly enough.
The European Union agreed to integrate its military forces. The bloc signed a pact that will unify military funding, weapons development, and deployment of European defenses. The move, which comes amid doubts about the US commitment to defend its European allies, will also create a €5 billion ($5.8 billion) European Defense Fund.
Amazon is planning an ad-supported video service. The company is in talks with TV networks and media companies to bring ads to Amazon Prime Video, according to Advertising Age. A free, ad-supported service could help Amazon against rivals like Netflix and Hulu, and bring in new revenue to fund the $4.5 billion it’s spending on video content this year.
A major Silicon Valley investor was ousted after sexual harassment allegations. Steve Jurvetson of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, a board member at Tesla and SpaceX, is leaving after an internal investigation reportedly uncovered “unacceptable” behavior toward female entrepreneurs. Jurvetson said he was leaving “to focus on personal matters, including taking legal action against those who have defamed me.”
Quartz obsession interlude
Yemisi Adegoke on the Uber drivers using a fake GPS app to inflate fares: “Initially created for developers to “test geofencing-based apps,” Lockito, an Android app that lets your phone follow a fake GPS itinerary, is being used by Uber drivers in Lagos … In some cases, inflated trips can cost riders more than double the rate they should be paying.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Superstar cities come with a downside. A creative class can spur innovation, but winner-take-all urbanism leaves many behind.
SoftBank is the savior of troubled startups. CEO Masayoshi Son is filling the role of “unicorn veterinarian” at companies like Uber.
Somaliland is east Africa’s strongest democracy. It’s one of the few entities carved up by colonists that actually makes sense, and it created a democracy for citizens (paywall) instead of donors.
Surprising discoveries
A Bluetooth-enabled sex toy was recording users’ “sessions.” Lovense, a major player in the teledildonics industry, described the accidental recordings as a “minor bug.”
“Secret agent” robots are infiltrating schools of fish. Scientists designed them to mimic and influence the fishes’ movements.
A trove of Nazi art is locked up on an army base in Virginia. The collection includes four watercolors by Adolf Hitler.
Volkswagen might bring back the Bug. The carmaker is mulling an electric Beetle that honors the iconic original.
The 2018 World Cup won’t include Italy. For the first time since 1958, the squad failed to qualify after a goalless draw against Sweden.
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