Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
India hosts talks with the US and Japan… The meeting, ahead of Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s talks with Donald Trump later this month, will focus on the tripartite alliance as a counterbalance against China in Asia.
…As Iraq’s prime minister visits Japan… Haider al-Abadi will begin a two-day visit to meet with Abe and attend Japan’s international conference to improve Iraqi security.
…And China’s new defense chief flies to Moscow. Gen. Wei Fenghe is attending a security conference to “let the Americans know about the close ties between the armed forces of China and Russia.”
While you were sleeping
At least four people were shot at YouTube’s headquarters in California. Police in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno said the suspected shooter, a woman, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The injured were receiving medical care. This story is still developing.
The Trump administration proposed $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese exports. The US trade representative’s office published a list of about 1,300 items for review (pdf), saying the response “is appropriate both in light of the estimated harm to the the U.S. economy, and to obtain elimination of China’s harmful acts, policies and practices.” The Trump administration has promised to retaliate against what it calls the “theft of American companies’ intellectual property.”
Spotify’s IPO came in above expectations. The streaming music company made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange with an opening price of $165.90, well above its $132 reference price, then declined about 9% to $150.31 in late afternoon trading. Its market capitalization of $28.5 billion puts it on par with established companies like Hewlett-Packard and Yum! Brands.
Israel’s prime minister scrapped a plan to resettle African asylum seekers. Benjamin Netanyahu backtracked on a deal with the United Nations that would have sent roughly half of the 37,000 African migrants currently living in Israel to Europe, Canada, and the United States, and allowed the rest to remain. Right-wing Israeli groups opposed the deal.
A Dutch lawyer who lied to the FBI got a 30-day prison sentence. Alex van der Zwaan also must pay a $20,000 fine after he admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his work in Ukraine with former Trump campaign officials Rich Gates and Paul Manafort. Van Der Zwaan’s wife is the daughter of Russian oligarch German Khan.
Quartz obsession interlude
David Yanofsky on the Quartz legal victory against the US government. “The databases I seek … don’t just tally US visitors by their origin, but also by age, residency, port of entry, visa type, and initial destination … judge Ketanji Brown Jackson agreed with my lawyers from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Commerce had no legal basis to charge me exorbitant fees to access government data.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
GM’s dress code is just “dress appropriately.” CEO Mary Barra’s management style trusts employees to make far-reaching decisions about corporate culture.
Mobile money is the key to Africa’s banking sector. A dependence on cash and traditional systems with high fees are hobbling the country’s financial institutions.
Social media platforms can only do so much about user happiness. Instagram’s vague new “Wellbeing Team” illustrates how abuse, bullying, and insecurity are basic human flaws.
Surprising discoveries
South Koreans are drinking wasp-venom liquor. The government is warning against using insect-infused “soju” that contains paralyzing venom.
Sumner Redstone uses an iPad for swearing. The media mogul, who is in poor health, communicates with an app preloaded with “yes,” “no,” and “f—you” (paywall).
The Hubble telescope found most distant star ever seen. The light from Icarus took nine billion years to reach Earth.
The world’s fastest drone travels at 121 kmph (75 mph). Zipline says the new fleet will help increase blood deliveries to rural Rwandans.
Amazon has an edge in the Trump vs. Bezos PR battle. The number of US subscribers to Amazon Prime easily outnumbers Trump voters.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, legal victories, and wasp liquor 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 Susan Howson and Adam Pasick.