Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
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 $1.5 billion in 25 Indian outlets by 2025.
ThyssenKrupp reports its earnings. The German industrial conglomerate cut its earnings guidance last week, prompting renewed calls for structural changes. Activist investors want the sprawling company to spin off its most profitable units, including its lucrative elevator business. CEO Heinrich Hiesinger resigned last month.
Mike Pence outlines plans for a “Space Force.” The US vice president will give further details on the proposed military branch, which Trump backed in March. It would still need congressional approval, and some dislike the idea of creating another government entity.
Viacom reveals the numbers on its fiscal third quarter. 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 move was in response to (paywall) the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. Donald Trump could use the sanctions to argue he’s been tough on Russia, though they’re required under a 1991 law mandating punishment of countries that use chemical weapons in violation of international law.
Trump’s lawyers responded to Robert Mueller’s interview request. While not rejecting it, Jay Sekulow and Rudy Giuliani suggested the special counsel narrow the scope and drop questions related to obstruction of justice. The sides have been negotiating terms of a potential interview with the US president for eight months (paywall).
Japan revealed more improper fuel-economy and emissions testing. The transport ministry said Mazda, Suzuki, and Yamaha Motor falsified data in their tests. Authorities ordered the investigations into the carmakers after improper testing was found at Subaru and Nissan.
New York City reined in Uber and Lyft. Council members approved bills that will cap ride-hailing services and set a minimum hourly wage for drivers. Mayor Bill de Blasio said he’ll sign the measures, arguing they’ll help reduce gridlock. The firms warned that catching a ride will become harder, especially in the outer boroughs (paywall).
Deadpool 2 helped Fox beat estimates. The edgy superhero flick, along with the cable unit, propelled the media giant to a strong quarterly performance, with revenue jumping 18% to $7.9 billion. It’s preparing to sell the bulk of its film and TV assets to Walt Disney in a $71 billion deal, pending approval from regulators in various nations.
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 alike take credit for skills students already had (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 (paywall).
Surprising discoveries
Crickets promote good gut health. An insect-rich diet 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 wall’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 Steve Mollman and edited by Isabella Steger.