Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
New Zealand goes over its budget. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who contends economic growth alone doesn’t guarantee improvements to living standards, will unveil her much-touted “well-being budget.” The plan—reportedly the target of recent hacking attacks—will address social issues like loneliness, child poverty, and domestic violence.
Mark Zuckerberg’s dominance comes into question. At an annual Facebook shareholder meeting, investors will vote on various proposals to rein in the CEO’s absolute power, including changing a dual-class voting structure. Problem: He can strike down any proposals.
Saudi Arabia hosts an emergency summit. The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League will meet in Mecca amid fears of military escalation involving the US and Iran. Notably Qatar will attend, in the first high-level meeting with the Saudis since diplomatic ties were severed in mid-2017.
While you were sleeping
Robert Mueller satisfied no one. Speaking for the first time publicly about his investigation, the special counsel emphasized that he did not clear Trump of obstruction charges. But he also said he doesn’t want to testify before Congress, to the chagrin of Democrats. Here’s his full statement.
Patrick Shanahan contradicted Trump on North Korea. The acting US defense secretary said that North Korea’s recent tests of short-range missiles were in violation of UN resolutions, which prohibit the launch of any ballistic missiles. That was the opposite of what his boss said Monday in Tokyo.
Israeli lawmakers opted for a second election. After prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu missed his deadline to put together a ruling coalition, the parliament voted to dissolve itself (paywall). Voters could head to the polls in September. Last month Netanyahu had appeared to be set for a fifth term.
Canada moved to ratify the North American trade deal. Ahead of US vice president Mike Pence’s first official visit Thursday, prime minister Justin Trudeau presented draft legislation to lawmakers to green-light the accord. Earlier this month the US agreed to remove tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum products, a key demand.
A mediation for Venezuela ended with no deal. A roadmap for ending Nicolás Maduro’s presidency, offered up by opposition leader Juan Guaidó, apparently did not go down well with the side representing Maduro. Norway, which has a knack for mediating conflicts, hosted the meeting in Oslo.
Membership
Influencing, a multibillion-dollar industry, is mediated by tech giants and used by the world’s biggest corporations as a powerful marketing channel. But what’s fueling it is the labor of countless workers, who serve as de facto one-person publishers or advertising agencies. As part of our week-long examination of the influencing world, reporter Hanna Kozlowska reveals how much harder the job is than it looks.
Quartz Obsession
Webtoons are digital comics that unfurl vertically to match the way we use our phones. Like K-pop and snail slime face masks, they’re a South Korean cultural export with a rapidly expanding global fanbase. With collaborators like the late Stan Lee, their imaginative storylines are on their way to supplanting Instagram as the best way to cyberloaf.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
We’re living too long. Our brains, bodies, and creativity are at their best before 75.
Big data isn’t necessarily better data. Expect weirder (and wronger) predictions unless we get better at understanding the stories behind the numbers.
Hustle culture has got it wrong. Just like when athletes overtrain, working insane hours is counterproductive.
Surprising discoveries
Flat-earthers don’t believe in trees. They’re merely puny remnants of their massive, mountain-sized predecessors, say anti-globalists.
Plastic bags are killing Japan’s iconic sacred deer. Since March, six have died in Nara with plastic found in their stomachs.
The Netherlands ordered the Hells Angels biker gang to roll out. The country has become the first to ban an entire gang, not just local branches.
The last gorilla from Gorillas in the Mist is believed to be dead. Poppy, who was chronicled by Dian Fossey in her 1983 book, hasn’t been seen since last August.
Fossil fuels get a makeover. The US Department of Energy referred to domestic natural gas as “molecules of U.S. freedom” or, more simply, “freedom gas.”
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, gorilla tributes, and zany predictions to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Steve Mollman, Sam Grobart, and Susan Howson.