Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Malaysia ponders Goldman Sachs’s role in the 1MDB scandal. A court will hold a pre-trial hearing for the investment bank and two of its former employees over a money-laundering scandal at state fund 1MDB. Malaysia alleges Goldman misled investors and knew the money raised would be misappropriated (paywall).
China’s foreign minister makes nice in Brussels. Meeting with his EU counterparts, Wang Yi will discuss ways to promote multilateralism and prepare for next month’s China-EU summit. His visit comes in the wake of an EU report calling for a tougher stance towards Beijing.
Key OPEC members plus Russia meet in Azerbaijan. The countries will review the output curbs they’ve been implementing to defend oil prices and avert a supply glut (paywall). While Donald Trump has called upon OPEC to moderate prices, Saudi Arabia in particular is reluctant to comply.
Over the weekend
Ethiopia found similarities between the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes. The country’s preliminary report on the recent disaster near Addis Ababa suggests there is “a clear similarity” to the crash in Indonesia last year. Both tragedies involved the Boeing 737 Max 8, with questions swirling over whether pilots were adequately trained about certain features.
Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank started formal merger talks. The German banks said they’re indeed mulling a possible merger (paywall), confirming reports and signaling the discussions have entered a new stage. Germany’s finance ministry has indicated it supports a deal, even though it would likely mean significant job cuts.
Kirsten Gillibrand made her White House bid official. The New York senator formally announced she’s running for US president, saying she’ll hold a campaign kickoff rally in front of Trump International Tower in Manhattan as a way of “bringing the fight to Trump’s doorstep.” She enters a crowded field of Democratic contenders.
Zuzana Caputova won the first round of Slovakia’s presidential race. Known as “Slovakia’s Erin Brockovich,” the environmental activist won 40% of the vote and will now face rival Maros Sefcovic in a runoff election. She’s noted for fighting the expansion of a toxic landfill located near a residential area.
Quartz Obsession
It’s probably accurate to say fact-checking is more important than ever. The internet serves up a tide of errors, some intentional, some not, and the small, skilled community of professional fact-checkers—who can be better at detecting a ruse than PhD historians—has their fingers in the dike. It’s a laborious, unglamorous job, and not many people do it, but everyone can do a little part by learning from how they approach separating fact from fiction. Check it out at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Apple should bring back the click-wheel iPod. We need a renewed focus on individual devices that excel at individual purposes.
It’s time to put your snoozing to use. A growing number of neuroscientists believe that sleep is a time to learn something new—even a foreign language.
Beto O’Rourke doesn’t merit all the fanfare. Many see a gender imbalance in how much coverage he’s received compared to other US presidential contenders.
Surprising discoveries
Bird poo turbo-boosts coral reefs. Scientists studying Fiji’s reefs found those with birds can grow four times faster than those without.
Emily Post’s great-great-granddaughter wrote a guide to cannabis etiquette. Among its advice is to “corner the bowl” and to not “chaz the banger.”
African politics now has its own dictionary. You can learn the deeper meanings of “three-piece suit voting” and “watermelon politics.”
A 16-year-old has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Swedish student Greta Thunberg has earned renown for her work fighting climate change.
The US government will pay you $1,000 to adopt a wild horse. The Bureau of Land Management’s corrals are at capacity.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, political lexicons, and click-wheel iPods 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 Steve Mollman and Michael Coren.