Good morning, Quartz readers!
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What to watch for today
Google employees protest sexual misconduct by senior executives. A planned walk-out across the tech giant’s offices in the wake of a New York Times exposé has received support from CEO Sundar Pichai.
Apple reports quarterly earnings. Even in one of the company’s slower quarters, it probably sold heaps of iPhones. Investors will be especially keen for an update on the company’s fast-growing revenue from services, subscriptions, and content.
Amazon’s US workers get a raise. The new $15 minimum wage goes in effect for its 250,000 full-time employees and 100,000 seasonal workers.
Starbucks serves up financial results. The coffee purveyor is expected to report a quarterly turnaround in same-store sales, update its 2019 forecast, and explain how things are going in China, a key growth market for the group.
While you were sleeping
Apple explored a tie-up with iHeartMedia. The Financial Times reported that Apple is mulling a stake in the US radio company (paywall), which filed for bankruptcy in March, to boost its streaming service. As the FT notes, a partnership could help Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio station, currently only available on apps, make its broadcast radio debut.
Hong Kong set out new crypto-trading regulations. The Securities and Futures Commission said fund managers investing more than 10% of their portfolio in crypto assets will need to be licensed, while platforms for professional investors can move into a so-called sandbox, where they will be free to experiment under lighter rules.
Divers found a black box from the Lion Air plane. The Indonesian navy dive team brought up one of the two black boxes from flight JT610, which crashed into the Java Sea with 189 people on board on Monday. It’s not clear whether it’s the cockpit voice recorder or the flight data recorder, but now investigators can start to figure out why a new plane suddenly went down.
Mexico’s supreme court said a ban on recreational marijuana was unconstitutional. The ruling does not legalize the recreational use of cannabis, which is up to congress, but all courts in Mexico must allow adults to consume it without interference from the state.
Peru’s former first lady was ordered back to jail. A judge said opposition leader Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, should stay behind bars to keep her from fleeing ahead of her corruption trial. She is under investigation for allegedly using her political party to launder money for a Brazilian construction company.
Obsession interlude
Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz on witchcraft and “mysticore” in the age of Instagram. ”The mainstreaming of mysticism also overlaps with the broader interests of millennials—think yoga and meditation, mindfulness, and New Age spirituality. With that foundation, it might not be a stretch to show up for pagan holidays or new moon gatherings, or begin to explore the more serious spiritual concepts at the root of these practices.” Go down this rabbit hole with the Quartz Obsession email.
Matters of debate
Inequality spells doom for republics. By that measure, America’s current decline began in the 1970s (paywall).
Don’t separate your work self from your home self. People who perceive their identities as distinct are more likely to make unethical decisions.
Corporate America is past its “peak.” Use of the word on earnings calls hit its own peak last year.
Surprising discoveries
Cockroaches have a killer karate kick. It’s how they fend off a parasitic wasp that reproduces by turning roaches into zombies.
New iPhones are allergic to helium. Their sensitive timekeeping chips don’t work in the presence of some gases.
A rare Mandarin duck appeared in the middle of Manhattan. How the East Asian duck got to Central Park is a mystery—none of the city’s zoos are missing one.
An influencer was sued for not wearing Snap’s Spectacles. Luka Sabbat failed to don the high-tech glasses he was paid to wear at fashion weeks in Milan and Paris.
Taipei’s mayor dropped a rap video. “Do Things Right” implores citizens to not steal chickens or pet dogs—slang for being lazy and engaging in petty thievery.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, unwanted glasses, and karate-kickin’ insects 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 Jill Petzinger and edited by Jason Karaian.