Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Paul Manafort goes on trial. Donald Trump’s former campaign manager is the first major figure to face a jury (paywall) in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. He is charged with bank and tax fraud pertaining to his lobbying work in Ukraine, prior to the campaign.
The Bank of Japan concludes its policy meeting. The central bank might consider more flexibility (paywall) around its practice of fixing the yield on the 10-year government bond near 0%, although analysts say inflation remains too far below target to justify any major shifts.
Apple updates investors on the iPhone’s staying power. The company’s fiscal third-quarter results tend to be sleepy, but investors will watch closely for any indication about upcoming smartphone releases, which typically happen in September. Analysts expect wearable technology and audio accessories to perform strongly (paywall).
While you were sleeping
CBS kept Les Moonves on the job. The media firm said it would hire an outside law firm to investigate allegations that the longtime CEO sexually harassed a series of women. CBS shares fell 5% in the first day of trading since the New Yorker’s exposé (paywall).
Vivendi is cashing out of the music business. Capitalizing on strong streaming revenue, the French media conglomerate is selling up to half of Universal Music Group, which is valued at about $24 billion. The company aims to sell to one or more “strategic partners” instead of an IPO.
Mike Pompeo laid out a US strategy in Asia. The secretary of state said the US will spend $113 million on technology, infrastructure and energy, in emerging Asian economies. Officials said it would offer a “more sustainable” private sector-led alternative to China’s massive $1 trillion Belt and Road initiative.
China and Brazil talked trade. President Michel Temer said his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to reconsider anti-dumping tariffs on sugar and poultry, after the two met during last week’s BRICS summit.
Zimbabwe held a post-Mugabe election. Polling stations reported high turnout of about 75%, with incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa considered a narrow favorite over challenger Nelson Chamisa, who is backed by former autocrat Robert Mugabe. The official result is due in about five days.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Nikhil Sonnad on the banal evil of Facebook. “The imperative to ‘connect people’ lacks the one ingredient essential for being a good citizen: Treating individual human beings as sacrosanct. To Facebook, the world is not made up of individuals, but of connections between them … There are certain things you do not in good conscience do to humans. To data, you can do whatever you like.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Young billionaires are boring. Income inequality means it’s tougher than ever to be a self-made mogul.
The secret to a good vacation starts the day before. Transition days help you fully unplug, then get back to work.
Water on Mars is a double-edged sword. The invaluable resource could enable human exploration of the solar system, but accessing it could compromise alien life forms.
Surprising discoveries
Schools in India are offering happiness classes. Courses in meditation and personal well-being are designed to bolster mental health.
A McDonald’s worker cheated at Monopoly. The employee rigged the company’s promotional game to steal millions of dollars.
Banks are targeting rich kids at summer camp. They want to win the loyalty of very wealthy families as early as possible.
A Florida man brought his gator shopping. A viral video shows him chasing customers for laughs.
Kangaroos are mobbing the streets of Canberra. The Australian capital is overrun due to food shortages caused by unseasonal weather.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, pet gators, and hungry kangaroos 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 David Wexner and Aisha Hassan, and edited by Adam Pasick.