Good morning, Quartz readers!
(A quick note: Yesterday’s brief got the dates wrong about Tesla’s electric semi truck unveiling, which will be today at 12pm Hong Kong time)
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Will Saad Hariri finally leave Saudi Arabia? After several days of conflicting reports, the former—or possibly current?—Lebanese prime minister has agreed to fly to Paris amid confusion about his abrupt resignation while visiting Riyadh last week. Lebanese politicians have accused the Saudis of holding Hariri hostage and forcing him to resign.
China sends a special envoy to North Korea. The visit from a senior Communist Party official signals a potential diplomatic thaw. It’s not clear what prompted the move, which takes place immediately after a visit from US president Donald Trump.
New Delhi may lift its construction ban. India’s ruling party says that water sprinkling has improved the region’s air quality, but the National Green Tribunal insists on seeing acceptable data before construction trucks can re-enter the city. Either way, the weather forecast could bring a weekend smog spike.
A secretive SpaceX Zuma mission is now set to launch on Friday. A second delay this week pushed the US government’s mystery satellite mission back to Friday night at 8pm local time (12 pm HK time). Watch the launch from Cape Canaveral on the SpaceX live stream.
While you were sleeping
A woman accused US senator Al Franken of kissing and groping her without consent. The former “Saturday Night Live” writer issued an apology (paywall), saying he’s ashamed of his own action in 2006, which included a photo showing his hands on broadcaster Leeann Tweeden’s breasts while she slept. The Senate may conduct an ethics investigation
House Republicans passed their tax bill. The measure would cut corporate tax rates, decrease the tax burden for many Americans, and raise the federal deficit by an estimated $1.4 trillion. Critics of the bill, which now must be passed by the Senate, insist that most benefits would go to the wealthy.
Walmart’s profits—and shares—soared. Hurricane stockpiling and a surge in online shopping contributed to better-than-expected earnings at the retail giant. Shares rose 8.5% to hit their highest point since 2009.
Russia warned that US media outlets could be designated “foreign agents.” A parliamentary bill comes in response to US demand that RT—Russia’s state-run TV network—register itself as such. An OSCE media watchdog called the demand for reciprocal moves “a dangerous practice.”
A smiling Robert Mugabe shook hands with the leader of the Zimbabwe coup. A day after a military takeover and the president’s house arrest, Zimbabweans still don’t know if their 93-year-old leader will finish out his term. The military’s main goal may be to prevent him from handing over power to his wife, Grace.
Quartz obsession interlude
Annaliese Griffin on the difference between a pervert and a predator: “In broader terms, the easier it is to talk about sex, and its many, many variations, the harder it is to silence victims and shield predators. Part of what makes it possible to cover these crimes is shame. And even more broadly, the less we’re hung up on the idea that some sexual desires are more legitimate and acceptable than others, the more possibilities open up to us in the bedroom (or anywhere else).” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Leonardo’s last name isn’t “da Vinci.” The genius simply didn’t have a surname, in any modern sense.
Sex addiction is not an excuse for criminal behavior. Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey set a dangerous precedent by (falsely) framing their scandals as a neurological struggle.
Silicon Valley is beating Detroit on self-driving cars. Traditional automakers can’t match the breakneck pace set by Alphabet, Apple, and Uber.
Surprising discoveries
A Japanese train company apologized after a train left 20 seconds ahead of schedule. Nobody complained about it, but the ever-punctual Tsukuba Express issued a public statement anyway.
A corporate spy who worked for Harvey Weinstein dug up dirt for multiple clients. The Israeli firm Black Cube’s employees included a former Israeli actress (paywall)
Scientists found a forest in Antarctica’s ice. The fossilized remains, roughly 260 million years old, prove the continent had plant life despite long sunless winters.
Bonn’s climate change conference took place near a giant coal mine. It’s unfortunately emblematic of Germany’s dependence on dirty fossil fuels.
Vantablack is the new ultra-black. The man-made material absorbs 99.96% of visible light, creating a visual effect like looking at a black hole.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, actors-turned-spies, and Antarctic forests to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android.