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What to watch for today
More Brexit drama. British prime minister Theresa May is facing renewed pressure to quit, with lawmakers voting on proposed amendments (paywall) to her Brexit plan today. On Saturday, an estimated 1 million people 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. Services, not gear, are likely to be the stars of the show.
Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Donald Trump. The Israeli prime minister, who was scheduled to address the pro-Israel AIPAC conference tomorrow, will visit the White House today before returning home early following a rocket attack north of Tel Aviv that left several injured.
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 to interfere in the 2016 election.
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. The self-proclaimed caliphate 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. Some free speech advocates say the ban goes too far. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern today ordered a judicial inquiry into whether the attack could have been prevented.
Uber got a new ride. Bloomberg reports Uber is set to purchase (paywall) its Middle East rival Careem in a $3.1 billion deal. The purchase comes ahead of Uber’s highly-anticipated IPO, which could see the ride-sharing company valued at up to $120 billion.
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. Both groups have said they will seek to form a coalition government (paywall) to take power.
Rome and Beijing drew closer. Italy became the first major democracy to sign on to China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure project, in a deal worth $2.8 billion, despite warnings from the US and NATO allies that the investments will strengthen Beijing’s hand in the region.
Quartz Obsession
True crime content has exploded in the age of podcasts and streaming services. The new era features a new kind of narrative, which goes deeper than salacious stories to analyze faulty investigations and examine crime’s broader social context. The Quartz Obsession holds a magnifying glass to the genre.
Membership
Immortality is a quest as old as humanity itself, and is now getting some serious backing from Silicon Valley and elsewhere. In today’s state of play memo, Quartz reporter Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz investigates the worlds of people who are looking to cheat aging and death, and all the ways scientists, tech billionaires, and some pretty left-of-center thinkers are looking to extend our lifespans beyond the infinite.
Matters of debate
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Owning a car will soon be as quaint as owning a horse. The shift away from private vehicles to car-sharing will happen sooner than we think.
Menopausal women should get more support at work. Not making adequate considerations could hurt a company’s 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. The sticky correction fluid once commonly used to correct typewriter mistakes is still in demand.
A US high school’s crafty production of Alien has gone viral. Impressive sets and costumes reportedly made using found items have Hollywood elites paying attention.
A Kenyan teacher won $1 million for doing a great job. Peter Tabichi, who gives away most of his income to help poor students, snagged the Global Teacher Prize in Dubai.
Uri Geller is proposing a telepathic way out of the Brexit. The psychic wants Britons to use mass-telepathy to call for another referendum.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, algorithmic mood music, and crafty costumes 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.