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What to watch for today and over the weekend
Narendra Modi faces a no-confidence motion. In a parliamentary vote today, opposition parties will challenge the Indian prime minister’s government, with the debates televised live. Modi has the majority needed to survive, but the public could witness a strongly united opposition ahead of general elections that must be held by next May.
G20 finance ministers meet in Buenos Aires. The US will address concerns about its protectionist trade policies, Germany and others will argue against such restrictions, and on the sidelines G7 representatives will discuss China’s “economic aggression,” as the White House describes it.
A contentious casino bill hits Japan’s parliament. The measure would allow the establishment of casinos in integrated resorts and has the backing of prime minister Shinzo Abe, who says such venues attract foreign visitors and that the government’s 30% cut would boost local economies. Opponents fear increased crime and gambling addiction.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump invited Vladimir Putin over. Just four days after the US president’s controversial meeting with his Russian counterpart in Helsinki, Trump extended the invitation for a visit to Washington, DC in the fall. Meanwhile Democrats called on Trump’s translator to testify about the president’s confidential discussions with Putin.
South Korea’s central bank reported on North Korea’s economy. The Bank of Korea estimated that the troublesome neighbor’s economy declined at the sharpest rate in 20 years in 2017, contracting 3.5% from the previous year, in a sign that international sanctions over Kim Jong Un’s weapons programs have slowed growth.
Microsoft said Russia is trying to disrupt the US midterms. Contradicting Trump’s previous claims, Microsoft’s vice president for customer security, Tom Burt, said there were hacking attempts by Russia against three candidates, using the same tactics displayed in the 2016 hack into the Democratic National Committee servers.
Trump made an unusual presidential dig at the Federal Reserve. The US president expressed frustration with the central bank, which has raised interest rates twice this year and has pointed to two more before the end of 2018. He argued the hikes could disrupt the economic recovery.
WhatsApp is launching a test in India. The Facebook-owned messaging app will limit message forwarding amid calls from authorities to prevent the circulation of false texts and provocative content that have led to violent incidents. It will also restrict the number of chats to five at a time.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Chelsea Johnson on how tech companies resemble wealthy socialist states. “Techies and their nuclear families will live, work, eat, and play on corporate campuses, guarded by contracted physical security guards tasked to keep away the un-and-differently employed. Life might be pleasant for the privileged few, but rich culture and community will be hard to foster as neighbor-colleagues cycle in and out chasing better perks and prestige.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Apple will beat Amazon to a $1 trillion valuation. Just four out of 33 Amazon analysts have published a target price above the mark its stock would need to hit.
You should look up at the moon every night—not just during the lunar eclipse. We ignore the everyday wonders that surround us all the time.
Trump most likely isn’t Putin’s puppet. Game theory indicates that he’s probably either worried about his own legitimacy or just deluded (paywall).
Surprising discoveries
We’re in the Meghalayan Age. Our current phase in history—marked by a mega-drought that started 4,200 years ago—finally received its official title from geologists.
That 2,000-year-old sarcophagus is a dud. Egypt’s antiquities ministry didn’t discover anything priceless or magical, just literal human stew.
Tortilla chips can spontaneously combust. A new, spicy product caught fire and burned up a Texas factory, then did it again three days later.
An indigenous tribe’s sole survivor was spotted. The Rondônian native has been living in the Amazon for more than 20 years.
The concept of “milk” is being redefined. US dairy and vegetable lobby groups are fighting over whether milk is a plant- or animal-based product (paywall).
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, ancient disappointments, and chip extinguishers 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 Isabella Steger.