Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Britain’s prime minister chairs an important cabinet meeting. Theresa May meets with her ministers a day before she’ll attend a summit in Brussels, with the future of the Irish border a major sticking point between the two sides. The cabinet meeting also comes after eight ministers, dissatisfied with the Brexit negotiations, met for pizza.
Netflix reports earnings. Skittish investors are hoping for good news from the streaming giant after tech stocks tanked last week. To hit its target, Netflix needs to add at least 5.1 million subscribers (paywall)—and is hoping a major boost from India will help.
The Man Booker Prize is awarded. This year’s shortlist features the youngest author ever to make the final list, 28-year-old Daisy Johnson. Her book Everything Under tells the story of an isolated lexicographer who, as an adult, begins to remember a language invented in childhood.
While you were sleeping
Paul Allen died. The co-founder of Microsoft, who was suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, was 65. The owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, Allen was among the world’s wealthiest people, with an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion.
New developments unfolded in the death of a Saudi journalist. Media reports said that Riyadh was preparing to claim responsibility for an “unauthorized interrogation” that led to Jamal Khashoggi’s death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Donald Trump told reporters earlier that “rogue killers” may have been responsible.
Australia said it’s considering moving its embassy to Jerusalem. Prime minister Scott Morrison said that the two-state solution “hasn’t been going that well” and that such a move would challenge the status quo. Morrison, a devout Christian, denied his faith had any part to play in his considerations.
The Russian Orthodox Church cut ties with Constantinople. It took the decision after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul, seen as the head of the the world’s 300 million Orthodox believers, granted independence to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was previously answered to the Russian church.
The US budget deficit hit a six-year high of $779 billion. The gap between income and outlays grew 17% after Trump’s tax cuts slashed rates for corporations and individuals, and spending spiked on the military, Medicaid, Social Security, and disaster relief. US budget director Mick Mulvaney called for a reduction in “irresponsible and unnecessary spending.”
Quartz Obsession interlude
Zoë Schlanger on the psychic pain of climate change: “The psychological toll of climate change is only beginning to be investigated—papers have been published on farmer suicides in India going up in tandem with crop-scorching heat, and on the mental-health issues accumulating throughout the US as average temperatures climb higher and storms intensify. Last year, the American Psychological Association validated ‘ecoanxiety’ as a clinically legitimate diagnosis.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Instagram is a cesspool of sexual harassment. The home of aspirational and positive content has an ugly underbelly of toxic behavior.
Coding is not the most in-demand professional skill. Most employers still want people with good soft skills.
Poverty is the best way to limit your carbon footprint. And if you’re already rich, don’t fly so much.
Surprising discoveries
Male gorillas like hanging around with infants. New research is puzzling from an evolutionary standpoint, but also adorable.
New Zealand has a gluttonous, glamorous bird of the year. The kererū pigeon gorges on rotting berries in their peak season, and loafs around in the sun.
Beach parties are no longer allowed in Boracay. After a six-month closure, the Philippine island is imposing a slew of restrictions to reduce the damage from tourism.
Archeologists found a 66-foot Viking ship buried beneath a cemetery in Norway. Whoever buried the ship and longhouses was trying to say something fairly unsubtle about their political might.
Apple fixed its new bagel emoji. It added cream cheese in response to criticisms.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, gluttonous birds, and buried Viking ships 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 Isabella Steger and edited by Alice Truong.