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Here’s what you need to know
Samsung is working with General Motors on a $3 billion battery factory... The plant, to be built in the US state of Indiana, will support GM’s future electric vehicles.
… and ended IBM’s patent supremacy. The US tech giant has received more patents in the past 30 years than any other company, until last year, when the South Korea electronics firm surpassed it.
The Biden administration scored a $66 million profit in its first oil trade. The US sold 3 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for $95 and repurchased them at $73.
US inflation is at its lowest since March 2021. The latest data is another prong in the argument for the Federal Reserve to pause rate hikes or even reverse them.
What Twitter CEO’s first email to staff really says
Linda Yaccarino’s inaugural staff memo represents the dual mission of her job: to appease both advertisers and Elon Musk.
Her letter starts like this:
“People keep asking me: Why Twitter? So, I’ll tell you.”
Our reading goes more like this:
“Typically when someone becomes the CEO of a multibillion-dollar media company, people don’t ask why they took the job. The real question people are likely asking Yaccarino is, “Why would you work with Musk?”
We’ve annotated Yaccarino’s full memo to put her words into context. Read our interpretations.
Pop quiz: The fall of the Instant Pot
As demand for the Instant Pot rapidly depressurized, its maker tried to develop which household appliance?
A. A mini oven
B. An air purifier
C. A wine opener
D. A portable sink
Find the answer in our report on why the now bankrupt maker of the pandemic darling stopped cooking up interest.
One big number: 1.5 million
The number of electric vehicles Toyota plans to sell each year by 2026
The Japanese automaker has an ambitious new plan to update its EV technology to make cars run longer, all while automating factory assembly tasks to curb its production costs. But will it be enough to help Toyota reach its climate goals?
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Surprising discoveries
People keep stealing Pokémon cards from retailers. A recent heist in Japan included 1,500 cards that were worth ¥1.15 million ($8,200).
A crawlspace in a Los Angeles home was housing 1 million pennies. The problem is that no banks want them.
Homegrown solar and wind components in the US are now cheaper than imports. It’s the first time this has happened in the country’s history.
An incredibly rare Roman tomb was found in London. The mausoleum is likely the most intact of its kind that has been unearthed in Britain.
A 14-year-old is about to graduate from college in California. He already has a job at SpaceX.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, piles of pennies, and solar panels to talk@qz.com. Reader support makes Quartz available to all—become a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Morgan Haefner.