Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Japan returns the remains of World War II forced laborers to Korea. The remains will be repatriated a day before the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule. More than 2,770 sets of Korean remains are still in Japan.
Bhushan Power & Steel reviews a revised offer from Tata. Creditors from the bankrupt company will review the new bid from India’s biggest steel producer, whose earlier deal to buy Bhushan was rejected by the country’s supreme court. Rival JSW Steel has also submitted an offer.
Can the German economy stay the course? Quarterly gross domestic product is expected to climb by 0.4%, from 0.3% the previous quarter, driven by private consumption and construction. The UK will also release job and productivity data (paywall).
While you were sleeping
Elon Musk revealed the Saudis as the source of Tesla’s “secured” buyout funding. The CEO said he has been approached multiple times by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund about taking Tesla private. However, he admitted Saudi support was subject to due diligence and an internal review process, adding to doubts about the financing.
The FBI fired an agent whose text messages criticized Donald Trump. Peter Strzok, who was part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, has been under intense scrutiny for messages he sent to a coworker with whom he was having an affair. The texts included “F Trump” and “God Hillary should win 100,000,000-0.”
A Monsanto cancer verdict stung Bayer shares. The German chemical giant suffered its biggest decline in more than seven years after its newly acquired unit was hit with a $289 million verdict. The claim, in favor of a groundskeeper who blamed Roundup pesticide for causing his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is expected to become a template for future lawsuits.
Turkey’s economic contagion spread. Stock markets around the world declined after attempts by Turkey’s central bank to stabilize the lira—which has been punished by US economic sanctions—failed to reassure investors. Economists are warning that Turkey’s woes could easily spread to other vulnerable countries.
Netflix CFO David Wells is stepping down. The departure of the longtime finance chief (paywall), who has overseen the company’s hugely expensive foray into financing original content, sent the streaming video giant’s shares down more than 1%.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Tripti Lahiri on Malaysia’s pushback against a $20 billion Chinese debt trap: “This is not the first time a China-funded project has been overturned by a change in leadership, but it is one of the biggest setbacks yet to China’s Belt and Road plans. Now observers are looking to see what happens in Pakistan, where former cricket star Imran Khan was elected prime minister last month.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Cities will soon be hot enough to cook human cells. Temperatures of 50°C (122°F) will soon become the norm in many urban centers.
China’s Belt and Road initiative could be its downfall. The Soviet Union was undone by a similar overextension in an unproductive region.
Open floor plans are not sustainable. Not only do walled rooms maintain privacy, but closed kitchens in particular can help save energy.
Surprising discoveries
Millennials love to hate mayonnaise. The rise of identity condiments make the staple sauce seem too bland.
An 11-year-old hacked Florida’s voting systems in under 10 minutes. Emmett Brewer’s feat highlights worrying faults in US election software.
Peppa Pig will shed her “gangster” persona to return to China. The formerly censored cartoon character will be featured onscreen, possibly as a way to boost fertility rates.
UK shoppers buy outfits just for Instagram. A survey found that 9% of Brits have purchased clothes for social media photos, then returned them.
A US smartphone app is officially a contraceptive. Natural Cycles, which uses body temperature to determine a woman’s fertility, can now market itself as legitimate birth control.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, contraceptive apps, and Peppa Pig gangsta poses 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 and edited by Aisha Hassan and Adam Pasick.