Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Apple’s big education pitch. The tech giant is holding an event in Chicago as it vies with Google Chromebooks for control of the pivotal schools market. Recent rumblings suggest a new low-end laptop or tablet could be introduced, and perhaps even a new wearable.
ArcelorMittal goes to court. The world’s largest steel manufacturer is appealing the rejection of its bid for Essar Steel. India’s strict new rules (paywall) prevent major shareholders from bidding for assets owned by insolvent companies.
Nobuhisa Sagawa testifies in Japan’s parliament. The former tax agency chief will be asked about documents altered by his office in a scandal involving state-owned land sold to a school operator with ties to Akie Abe, the wife of prime minister Shinzo Abe.
While you were sleeping
Kim Jong-un reportedly made a surprise train visit to Beijing. Bloomberg, citing three people with knowledge of the visit, reports that the trip abroad is Kim’s first since taking power in 2011. The visit, marked by heavy security in Beijing and along Kim’s purported train route, comes just weeks after Trump agreed to meet the North Korean leader.
The US and its allies are expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats. Donald Trump kicked 60 suspected intelligence operatives out of the country and shuttered the Russian consulate in Seattle, in retribution for Russia’s alleged poisoning of a former spy in Britain. Fourteen EU states announced similar expulsions.
Stocks surged on trade US-China talks… US markets rose nearly 3%, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average posting its third-best point gain ever, on news that Washington and Beijing may be willing to negotiate on tariffs, easing concerns over a trade war.
…As Facebook shares went on a rollercoaster ride. The tech giant fell more than 5%, representing $90 billion in market value, after the US Federal Trade Commission confirmed that it was investigating the company’s privacy practices. But then the stock zoomed back into positive territory, buoyed by the broader market.
USG rejected a $5.9 billion takeover bid. The Berkshire Hathaway-backed wallboard maker passed on the bid by Knauf, which made an offer 25% higher than its closing price last week. Knauf’s interest and USG’s rejection add to the growing evidence of a booming US housing market.
Quartz obsession interlude
Echo Huang on China’s falling space lab: “China’s first space lab Tiangong-1 is coming back to Earth soon, in pieces. Its re-entry, expected in a matter of days, has been highly anticipated. Launched from the windswept Gobi desert in 2011, the lab represented China’s determination to catch up to—and one day outpace—global powers on every playing field.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The globalization backlash is a decade too late. New tariffs are punishing developing economies, just as their consumers have become rich enough to spend (paywall).
Killing all the sharks would be a terrible idea. Donald Trump’s fears aside, removing apex predators can destroy complex ecosystems.
T-shirts and sneakers are the future of high fashion. Louis Vuitton is making that bet with its new menswear designer, best known for streetwear and collaborating with Kanye West.
Surprising discoveries
Anglerfish sex is a nightmare for the male. He ends up fused to his mate for life (paywall) as his body is slowly subsumed into the female’s.
The US army is making sci-fi comic books. They’re designed to educate troops about the dangers of cyberwarfare.
Amazon has a patent for drones that can detect screaming. The unmanned package delivery helicopters can also detect gestures (paywall), including arms flailing in an “unwelcoming manner.”
Rich people are spending more on art than wine. A new survey of ultra high net worth individuals shows that Asian buyers are driving up prices for exclusive varietals.
Dogs like being talked to like babies. Researchers tested “dog talk” and “dog words,” and found that everything else registers as random noise.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, very good dogs, and investable wines to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz and Adam Pasick.