Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Alphabet kicks off a week of tech earnings. The company is reporting quarterly results after Google was slapped by European Union regulators with a record fine on July 18, for using Android to protect its search dominance. But analysts expect Alphabet to report another large increase in search ad revenue.
Donald Trump will host a US products showcase at The White House. The president will big up everything from cowboy boots to the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets to reaffirm his “commitment to ensuring more products are made in America.”
Data on America home sales. It’s getting more expensive to buy a home in the US thanks to dwindling supply and rising mortgage rates, so expect the National Association of Realtors to report a modest increase in existing home sales.
Over the weekend
Trump delivered a blistering attack against Iran. The president tweeted in all caps that the US would not stand for Iran’s “demented words of violence & death.” This follows secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s accusation that Iran steals money from citizens. He also urged more countries to put economic pressure on the government.
A mass shooting occurred in Toronto. A gunman opened fire across several blocks in Greektown in the Canadian city. The gunman, who is now dead, shot 14 people and killed one.
Fiat Chrysler’s stock price tumbled after its CEO stepped down. Investors reacted negatively to Sergio Marchionne’s sudden resignation, after 14 years at the helm of the Italian-American automaker, due to an unexplained illness. Jeep boss Mike Manley has replaced him.
NAFTA negotiations moved along. At the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, Canada and Mexico expressed optimism at reaching a new agreement with the US, which has insisted on re-evaluating the trade deal. Crucially, the Mexican president-elect, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has said he supports extending NAFTA.
Trump’s former campaign aide denied FBI claims that he was an ex-adviser to Russia. Carter Page described the allegations as “misleading.” Republicans said the FBI improperly obtained a warrant to monitor Page as part of the Russian probe, but materials (paywall) released by the US Justice Department showed otherwise.
Quartz obsession interlude
Gwynn Guilford on the mystery of Russia’s missing wealth. “Oligarchs are an essential part of Putin’s power apparatus. And as a recent working paper by economists Thomas Piketty, Gabriel Zucman, and Filip Novokmet reveals, the wealth that won their fealty came directly from the country’s reserves—and, indeed, from the pockets of the Russian people.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Respecting animals is compatible with eating them. Vegetarianism tends to ignore increasingly complex questions about moral eating.
Comedy is not always about being funny. Hannah Gadsby’s acclaimed Netflix special Nanette turns the genre upside down, and offers a new way of enjoying stand up.
Identity should prevail over democracy. Perceptions of security and demographic threats are driving countries like Israel (paywall) to reconsider the importance of democratic values.
Surprising discoveries
Japan is tweaking its heatwave index for color-blind people. More than 30 people have died from heat exhaustion or strokes this month.
Meat is piling up in the US. About 2.5 billion pounds of meat (paywall) is sitting in warehouses as rising output coincides with trade tensions.
Timbaland’s “Give It To Me” is the most danceable song in America. That’s according to an analysis by computer scientists.
“Vomit fraud” could make your next Uber trip really expensive. Drivers are reportedly uploading fake images of sick in their cars to claim cleaning charges of up to $150.
Toblerone reverted to its original shape. Mondelez angered fans when it reduced the weight of some bars by increasing the spacing between the triangles.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, JT’s dance moves and favorite chocs 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 Sam Rigby and edited by Lianna Brinded.