Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Another deadline for the revised NAFTA. The Republican-controlled US Congress must be notified today of a new deal to give lawmakers a chance to approve it before the midterm elections in November. Otherwise the next Congress, in which Democrats could wield more power, will review it. Trump has long vowed to replace the North American trade accord.
Walmart reports earnings. Investors expect the world’s largest retailer to notch a strong quarter but want insights into its recent international moves, which include merging its UK arm Asda with British rival J Sainsbury and spending $16 billion for a 77% stake in Flipkart, an unprofitable Indian e-commerce site. The latter deal caused many analysts to scratch their heads.
Mothercare announces its full-year results and a rescue plan. The struggling British retailer will announce the closure of 50 stores and the rehiring of CEO Mark Newton-Jones. He was ousted just last month by chairman Alan Parker, who has since left the company.
While you were sleeping
Malaysian police seized personal items from the home of Najib Razak. The former prime minister was voted out of office last week partly because of suspicions of corruption linked to a pilfered state development fund. At least a dozen armed police officers removed handbags and other possessions. Other properties connected to Najib were also searched.
Japan is planning retaliatory tariffs against the US worth over $400 million. The duties would be in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs the Trump administration announced earlier this year, reported public broadcaster NHK. Japan is the only major US ally that didn’t receive exemptions from those duties.
The US Senate voted for net neutrality. Senators voted to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s December 2017 decision to repeal net-neutrality rules, a move that would allow US telecoms to block, slow, or charge more for certain content. The policy now faces an even tougher vote in the House, before it heads to Trump.
New Trump documents revealed a $100,000 payment to Michael Cohen. Financial disclosures show that Trump reimbursed his personal attorney for an expenditure tied to the $130,000 payment Cohen used to silence Stormy Daniels. Trump’s legal team has said that the US president repaid Cohen but “didn’t know about the specifics.”
Quartz Obsession interlude
Dan Kopf on how American baby names sound the same these days. “We live in the age of names ending in ‘n.’ Logan, Benjamin, Mason, Ethan, Aiden, and Jackson are all among the 20 most common boy names. The share of girl names ending in n has also risen, but not quite to the same degree.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Anne Frank deserves privacy. The hidden pages of her diary weren’t meant for publication.
House flippers can be good for the US. If Wall Street buys their loans, it means they can improve neighborhoods more quickly.
Taking a break is part of your job. True work lies in the balance between effort and ease, and downtime should be mandatory.
Surprising discoveries
Most Uber drivers could make more flipping burgers. After expenses, their hourly wages add up to less than the legal minimum in many major US cities.
Hippos poop too much. The mammals defecate in impressive amounts, and it’s killing fish by the thousands in African rivers.
The global fishing industry casts an otherworldly light that can be seen from space. A picture taken from the International Space Station shows a small but stunning sliver of the commercial fishing industry.
The Vatican wants nuns to cool it on social media. Facebook and Twitter are allowed, but they should be used “with discretion and sobriety.”
The Wodehouse Prize won’t be awarded this year. Sixty-two comic novelists failed to make the judges chuckle.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, hippo diapers, and houses worth flipping 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 by Steve Mollman and edited by Alice Truong.