Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Earnings day for drugs, planes, and handbags. Drug makers Eli Lilly and Biogen, US wireless carriers AT&T and Verizon, and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin are all expected to report higher quarterly profits. Meanwhile, French luxury house LVMH may soothe concerns over a China slowdown.
The US trade representative holds a public hearing on more Chinese tariffs. The discussion will revolve around $16 billion worth of Chinese products that might be subject to additional tariffs in the escalating trade war.
The former US ambassador to Russia visits the White House. Michael McFaul, who served in the role during the Obama administration and is an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, will discuss Russia’s harassment of former US officials.
While you were sleeping
Russian hackers infiltrated US electric companies. The Department of Homeland Security said the Russian state-sponsored group targeted utility control rooms repeatedly (paywall) since spring 2016, and could be responsible for a number of blackouts.
Deadly wildfires raged in Greece. At least 50 people have died from a fire that swept through the popular resort town Mati, east of Athens. Firefighters also battled a wildfire west of Greece’s capital on Monday with residents told to leave their homes.
A suspect was identified in Toronto’s mass shooting. The gunman, who died in yesterday’s shooting, was identified as 29-year-old Faisal Hussain but his motive remains unknown. Two people, a 10-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman, were killed.
North Korea started dismantling a rocket launch site. That’s according to images of the Sohae station in the country’s northwest, which Pyongyang insists was used for launching satellites, not ballistic missiles. Donald Trump tweeted yesterday that North Korea hadn’t launched a missile in nine months.
UBS beat expectations. The Swiss banking giant’s wealth-management and investment-banking units boosted net profits to 1.28 billion Swiss Francs ($1.29 billion) in the second quarter. However, the bank warned that “geopolitical tensions and rising protectionism” remain a threat.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Oliver Staley on diversity in companies’ stock photos. “Because the images are designed to be reused over and over, they tend to be boringly inoffensive. In their blandness, however, they can do a lot of quiet work perpetuating insidious stereotypes. The people featured in stock photos for office workers, for example, are overwhelmingly white.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The music industry’s #MeToo moment is still a long way away. The relative lack of social value afforded to black women and girls in America continues to sustain the careers of artists like R. Kelly.
The US economy feeds on low-income consumer debt. The poorer half of the population is spending more despite their own financial woes.
It’s easier to lie in a foreign language. Research suggests it also takes longer to tell the truth.
Surprising discoveries
Flavored yogurt is a danger to health. One carton can contain as much sugar as a Pillsbury cinnamon bun.
Amazon has patented robotic arms that can throw things around. They’ll use sensors and databases to move warehouse inventory.
Mozambique got a gift of 200 elephants. Diamond producer De Beers transported the animals from its game reserve in South Africa to help replenish elephant numbers.
Users are suing a vape maker for their nicotine addiction. The lawsuits allege that Juul is deceptively marketed as safe.
India ❤ IKEA. Except for the bit (paywall) where you have to assemble your own furniture.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, hassle-free Poängs, and boring yogurt 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.