Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Trump outlines how the US can protect itself from North Korea and Iran. In his first visit to the Pentagon since defense chief Jim Mattis’ resignation, the US president will announce the results of a Department of Defense review that’s expected to detail how the US can protect itself against missile attacks by rogue nations.
Netflix tries to meet sky-high expectations. The streaming giant’s stock is surging, especially after it hiked prices earlier this week. Analysts expect the company to add 9.2 million subscribers, up from 8.3 million a year ago, when it reports quarterly results.
Morgan Stanley caps a week of bank earnings. After mostly positive results from the likes of Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, analysts expect the investment bank to post a slightly higher profit than last year. The company has beat earnings expectations for the last 12 quarters—but bets are off after JPMorgan’s even-better streak ended this week.
Putin gets a warm welcome in Belgrade. Mugs, T-shirts, and murals displaying the Russian president’s face will be on display as he visits Serbia today. The Balkan country is a key ally of Moscow, but also has longstanding ambitions to join the EU.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez schools House Democrats on Twitter. The youngest member of Congress has 2.4 million followers on the social-media platform, and together with representative Jim Himes will lead a session on “the importance of digital storytelling.”
While you were sleeping
China lashed out at Huawei bills… Beijing said “hysteria” was behind proposed US legislation to block the sale of US tech components to Huawei and other Chinese firms. The bills, announced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers yesterday, seek to address concerns that Chinese technology is being used to spy on Americans.
…while a Canadian family was briefly detained in China. Ti-Anna Wang, whose dissident father is serving a life sentence in China, was detained with her family during a layover in Beijing. Wang was told by Chinese officials she was not allowed to return to Canada, where Huawei’s chief financial officer was arrested last month, and was put on a flight back to South Korea.
Mike Pompeo’s North Korean counterpart departed for Washington. South Korean news agency Yonhap said that envoy Kim Yong Chol is believed to be enroute to the US and is expected to meet the US secretary of state tomorrow to discuss another round of in-person talks between president Trump and Kim Jong Un.
Microsoft pledges to help Seattle. The tech giant will commit $500 million to affordable housing and homelessness in the city housing its headquarters. Tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have been criticized for contributing to soaring home prices along the US west coast.
The man brought in to deal with the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal resigned. Michigan State’s interim president John Engler stepped down (paywall) a week after saying that victims of the sports medicine doctor’s abuse were “hanging on” to the scandal. Engler was brought in nearly a year ago to help the university deal with the conviction of Nassar, who was sentenced to more than 200 years for molesting young gymnasts.
Quartz obsession interlude
In France, high-viz means high anxiety. In 2018, yellow safety vests became the symbol of frustration with president Emmanuel Macron, and protests are still drawing tens of thousands of people. Why the vests? All the country’s drivers are required to have them, so when Macron proposed a gas-tax hike, those affected had a resonant symbol of the working class ready to go. For more on a political groundswell that has its links in Day-Glo paint, check out today’s Quartz Obsession.
Quartz membership
The Alibaba executives who call the shots. Charismatic co-founder Jack Ma is no longer running things, as he prepares to step down as chairman later this year. He’ll hand the reins to his longtime lieutenant Daniel Zhang, the company’s CEO since 2015, along with senior leaders like Joe Tsai, Maggie Wu, Lucy Peng, and Jeff Zhang. Sign up for a free 30-day Quartz membership trial to learn more about the leaders of one of the world’s most disruptive companies.
Matters of debate
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Ditch the KonMari method. Tidying up shouldn’t mean having to ask too much of yourself.
Facebook’s “10 Year Challenge” isn’t worth it. The viral photo meme may be a stealth tool to help the social-media giant hone its facial-recognition software.
Open offices are too cheap to abandon. The floor plans are ineffective, but the low price is too good to pass up.
Surprising discoveries
Motorola is bringing back the RAZR phone. The iconic gadget is making a $1,500 comeback as a foldable smartphone from Lenovo.
A startup is selling the blood of young donors. For $8,000 a session, Ambrosia aspires to breathe new life into tired organs.
“Baby Shark” isn’t just a one-hit wonder. Samsung Publishing, which has a 25% stake in the viral YouTube hit’s producer, is hitting record highs thanks to the song’s staying power.
Norway is desperate for its citizens to get knocked up. One economist suggests women get 500,000 kroner ($58,550) in pension savings for each child born.
Our furry companions are getting fatter. While much of the problem lies with pet owners, obesity is also rising among domestic and wild animals that aren’t overfed.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, tidying tips, and viral one-hit wonders to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Adam Rasmi and edited by Jackie Bischof.