Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
More Brexit drama. British prime minister Theresa May is under new pressure to quit, and some of her cabinet could resign to convince her to do the same. Meanwhile, lawmakers will heap on yet more pressure while voting on proposed amendments (paywall) to her Brexit plan today. On Saturday, hundreds of thousands protested in London against leaving the EU.
Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron meet in Paris. The Chinese and French leaders are expected to sign a series of cooperation deals on nuclear power, aerospace and clean energy initiatives, some involving lucrative contracts.
Apple shares its plans. The tech giant is expected to preview its upcoming global video service and original programming slate—and detail a new subscription service for news—at an event in California. It appears services, not gear, will be the stars of the show.
Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Donald Trump. With Israel’s election just two weeks away, the country’s prime minister, who faces indictment on bribery and other corruption charges, is set to visit the White House today and tomorrow.
Over the weekend
The US attorney general gave lawmakers his Mueller report summary. William Barr summed up his “principal conclusions” about the long-awaited report—delivered to him on Friday— in a four-page memo. A key finding: Neither Trump nor any of his aides (paywall) coordinated with Russia’s 2016 election interference.
Thailand held its first election in eight years. Preliminary results showed that the pro-military Palang Pracharat party, which seeks to keep junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha in power, was ahead of Pheu Thai, the opposition pro-democracy party linked to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Full results should be released today.
ISIS lost its final pocket of territory in Syria. US-backed Syrian forces took the last village held by the jihadist group on Saturday, ending a four-year military operation and erasing the self-proclaimed caliphate. However, the group remains a serious and violent threat.
New Zealand banned the Christchurch attacker’s 74-page manifesto. Possessing the document, penned by an Australian man accused of slaughtering 50 people at two mosques, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while sending it carries a maximum 14-year jail term. Some free speech advocates say the ban goes too far.
Rome and Beijing drew closer. Italy became the first major democracy to sign on for China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure project, despite warnings from the US and NATO allies that it will strengthen Beijing’s hand. Italian deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio told CNBC the deals signed—worth $2.8 billion—were “nothing to worry about.”
Stocks in Asia plummeted. Signs of a potential US recession and disappointing economic data from Europe caused shares to fall sharply in Asia this morning, following a US stock market sell-off on Friday.
Jakarta got a subway. Infamous for having among the world’s worst traffic jams, the long-awaited system finally opened in the gridlocked Indonesian capital, featuring seven elevated and six underground stations. Japanese funding and expertise figured large in the project.
Quartz Obsession
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Matters of debate
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Owning a car will soon be as quaint as owning a horse. Car-sharing continues to increase, and the shift away from private vehicles will happen sooner than we think.
Menopausal women should be supported more at work. Companies aren’t making adequate considerations, and it’s hurting their bottom line.
The US needs a leader like Jacinda Ardern. The response by New Zealand’s prime minister to shootings at two mosques is hard to imagine in America.
Surprising discoveries
An algorithm has scored a major-label record deal. Endel, an app that creates music for your moods, will put out 20 albums a year for Warner Music Group.
Wite-Out has survived the rise of the digital office. Once commonly used to correct typewriter mistakes, the sticky correction fluid is still in demand.
A US high school’s crafty production of Alien has gone viral. Impressive sets and costumes were reportedly made largely using found items, and Hollywood elites are taking notice.
A Kenyan teacher won $1 million for doing a great job. Peter Tabichi, who gives away most of his income to help poorer students, snagged the Global Teacher Prize in Dubai on Sunday.
“Us” had the second-biggest opening of the year in North America. Jordan Peele’s just-released horror film also had the biggest debut for an original horror film.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, algorithmic mood music, and cases of Wite-Out 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 Mary Hui and edited by Tripti Lahiri.