Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Argentina’s senate votes on abortion. The bill in question (paywall) would expand the country’s 1921 law to allow pregnancy terminations until the 14th week. Activists say that the existing legislation, which only allows abortions in cases of rape and if the mother’s life is in danger, directly contributes to clandestine abortions that cause thousands of deaths.
Ikea comes to India. The iconic Swedish furniture chain finally breaks into the Indian market, opening its first store in Hyderabad, where it expects 7 million visitors annually. After years of waiting for loosened government restrictions and months of working on quality control, Ikea plans to invest 105 billion rupees ($1.5 billion) in 25 Indian outlets by 2025.
Viacom reports its earnings. Increased competition from Netflix and Amazon have weakened the media network’s hold on the industry, but successful movie openings and a solid international subscriber base could give Viacom a boost.
While you were sleeping
The US imposed new sanctions on Russia. The State Department retaliated against the Kremlin for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, which the US said was a violation of international law. While Trump had publicly blamed Moscow along with several other countries, he took his time making an official determination that would put sanctions in place.
US lawmaker Chris Collins was indicted for insider trading. The Republican congressman from New York, his son, and his son’s girlfriend’s father allegedly all sold off stock in an Australian biotech company after getting word that its star drug trial failed. The US Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit in response that could bar Collins from running a public company.
Trump’s lawyers rejected Mueller’s interview request. Jay Sekulow and Rudy Giuliani countered by suggesting the special counsel narrow his scope (paywall) and leave questions related to obstruction of justice at the door. Both sides have been negotiating terms of a potential interview with the US president for eight months.
New York City set a minimum wage for rideshare drivers. Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed for the law (paywall), which also includes capping the number of Uber and Lyft drivers on the road, as a way to address growing street congestion, manage the booming industry, and regulate drivers’ pay. Drivers were formerly considered freelance contractors, and were exempt from minimum wage laws.
DR Congo’s Joseph Kabila will step down after 17 years as president. The 47-year-old, who has been accused of clinging to power, will now adhere to constitutional policy and not seek a third term. The ruling coalition’s party tapped former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary to be its candidate for December’s election.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Annalisa Merelli on the Italian novel at the center of the meta-conspiracy theory behind QAnon: “Q, a 1999 novel, [was] conceived by the author as ‘a handbook of survival skills’ for people wanting to push against the status quo. Strangely enough, although the book was created by a left-leaning collective in Europe, two decades later, it is being linked to a right-wing US conspiracy theory.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
You are not original or creative on Instagram. Users need look no further than @insta_repeat, which creates collages of suspiciously similar images, for proof.
All US colleges use false advertising for material gain. For-profit and traditional institutions are guilty of taking credit for students’ already-existing skills (paywall).
The US-China trade war is part of a larger problem. Economic growth must change in order to thwart the escalating threat of global conflict.
Surprising discoveries
Crickets promote good gut health. A diet rich in insects can boost metabolism thanks to its probiotic properties.
Armadillos are giving leprosy back to humans. The armored creatures are returning the favor after having contracted the disease in Texas and Louisiana in the 1960s.
Airbnb nixed its Great Wall of China contest. Public outcry prevented the company from turning one of the UNESCO heritage site’s towers into a bedroom.
A murder suspect wants his trust fund for legal fees. Nathan Carman faces a lawsuit over the deaths of his mother and grandfather, who left him $7 million.
Burger King blesses the rains down in Africa. The fast food chain will play Toto’s hit single 108 times at its Camden, UK location thanks to a successful Twitter campaign.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, cricket snacks, and literally any other Toto song 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 April Siese and edited by Susan Howson.