Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Auto and motorcycle giants report earnings. Harley-Davidson is forecast to report a drop in earnings as its popularity wanes with young people, while Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, and Volkswagen are expected to post a rise (paywall), with GM’s results uncertain. It remains to be seen if trade tensions will affect automakers.
A check-in with China’s workplace culture. McKinsey is set to release a report showing China’s progress on workplace gender issues. Beijing-based tech giants have recently come under fire for extreme gender discrimination in hiring.
Emmanuel Macron presses Donald Trump on Iran, over dinner. The US president is welcoming his French counterpart with the administration’s inaugural state dinner. Amid the glitzy menu and decor, Macron is expected to urge Trump to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive.
While you were sleeping
A van attack killed nine people and injured 16 in Toronto. The vehicle ploughed through a crowded sidewalk, leaving a trail of injury and destruction a mile and a half long. Police say a suspect is in custody.
Amazon is reportedly working on a domestic robot. Bloomberg reports that prototypes of the company’s Vesta robot have advanced cameras and computer vision software, allowing it to navigate like a self-driving car and follow people around from room to room.
Kate Middleton had her third child. The duchess of Cambridge and wife to Prince William gave birth to an 8-pound, 7-ounce boy in the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. The latest addition to the royal family is fifth in line to the throne.
Aluminum prices plunged after the US softened on Russia sanctions. Prices fell a record 9.4% after Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said the US is considering lifting the sanctions on metals giant Rusal—but only if it severs ties with Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch linked to president Vladimir Putin.
Alphabet earnings beat expectations (by a bit). Google saw shares pop by about 4% in after-hours trading, but they quickly gave up their gains. Revenues in Alphabet’s “other bets” category, which includes self-driving cars, rose by 14%, but the unit still posted more than $500 million in losses.
Quartz obsession interlude
Mike Murphy on the only reasons to stay with the iPhone right now: “Apple no longer has a monopoly on quality… Despite all this, I’m sticking with my iPhone. I’m staying because Apple has so effectively locked me into its universe with all the other products it creates. Apple’s smartphone designs might be rather predictable or just very odd these days, but few companies have built up as compelling a universe of other products. It’s the Apple Watch, AirPods, and iMessage that have kept me hooked.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Amazon is essentially three companies in one. The company’s salary data reveals its composite structure—like a three-way merger (paywall) between Google, UPS, and Walmart.
Humor at work is no laughing matter. New research shows that even inoffensive jokes by managers can lead to problematic behavior.
Charlotte is the first British princess who hasn’t been upstaged by the patriarchy. Despite the birth of a baby brother, new rules mean she doesn’t lose her spot in the line of succession.
Surprising discoveries
Scientists have confirmed that Uranus smells like farts. A spectrometer on a high-powered telescope confirmed high levels of malodorous hydrogen sulfide molecules.
A 12-year-old in Australia stole his mom’s credit card and flew to Bali. His mom said he “doesn’t like hearing the word ‘no.’”
Ferrari is finally taking the plunge with electric cars. The company, long skeptical of alternative vehicles, is testing a new gasoline-battery hybrid.
The royal maternity suite still costs less than an average US hospital birth. The luxury wing at St Mary’s hospital, which has an extensive list of expensive wines, is still more affordable than the bloated US healthcare system.
France’s language purists have decided that “soy milk” and “vegetarian sausage” do not exist. Parliamentarians, long protective of their mother tongue, are targeting fake meat.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, electric Ferraris, and maternity ward wine lists 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.