Quartz Daily Brief—Google’s latest OS, L’Oreal trial, selfish Americans, ancient murder
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What to watch for today
Google unveils its latest. The company is holding its I/O event in San Fransico over the next two days. The next version of Google’s mobile operating system will probably be on the agenda. Also look out for Android wearables and virtual reality headsets, possibly made of cardboard.
A trade pact between the US and Europe faces a test. The EU’s Committee on International Trade will vote on recommendations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP. Any decision will be closely parsed for clues on whether the EU will eventually sign up for the transatlantic deal.
The L’Oreal heiress trial concludes. The case, being heard in Bordeaux, France, focuses on 92-year-old Liliane Bettencourt and the coterie accused of exploiting her (paywall).
GameStop shows its cards. The world’s largest video game retailer is expected to report below-average estimates, hurt by sluggish demand for the new Xbox and PlayStation 4 consoles and a changing market where mobile games are increasingly important.
Abercrombie & Fitch continues to tumble. The clothing company has been hurting for eight straight quarters, and is expected to report a fall in revenue once again. Customers have turned away from its logo-heavy apparel toward competitors. The company is also looking for a new CEO.
Other earnings: Avago Technologies, BanColombia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Flower Foods, Splunk.
While you were sleeping
China’s most wanted fugitive is in American custody. Yang Xiuzhu fled China in 2003, after being accused of embezzeling over $40 million, and entered the US on a fake Dutch passport last year. This is the first confirmation of her whereabouts in a decade.
Putin called the FIFA investigation “selfish.” The US is using the corruption investigation launched Wednesday for “its own selfish gains,” the Russian president told journalists. He compared the situation to the US’s handling of whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The world’s hungry dropped below 800 million. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization says the number of hungry people in the world has dropped by 216 million since 1990-1992. Much of the success has been in the developing world, where the percentage that’s undernourished has fallen from 23.3% to 12.9% over a quarter century.
The Fed is likely to raise interest rates this year. The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams said so while speaking in Singapore.
Yahoo was accused of spying. The web company is facing a US class action lawsuit for allegedly using data in emails to boost advertising.
Quartz obsession interlude
Shelly Banjo has proof that women are more committed investors from Betterment, a financial advisory firm. “Using data from its own customer base, the company found that female customers were more likely to stay the course and keep a long-term mindset than their male counterparts.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Follow the money. FIFA sponsors are aren’t blameless when it comes to the corruption scandal.
Britain is a nation in its “twilight” years. As its power diminishes, a new identity is formed.
And for once, a cup of tea won’t solve everything. The beverage is a relic of the country’s colonial past.
Russia has a patriarchy problem. Chechen teenagers forced into marriage is just one side of it.
It is time to talk about the dark side of design. Design can aid, abet and enable great acts of violence.
Surprising discoveries
We have a new ancestor. Scientists discovered a new human species.
But our heritage is a brutal one. The first known murder, 430,000 ago, may have been a bludgeoning.
Now you can look up the meanings of “emoji” and “WTF” in the dictionary. Merriam-Webster added 1,700 new entries to its dictionary.
Facebook is the new tool for ambulance chasers. Law firms now use social media to find medical lawsuit plaintiffs.
Some people like to wear suits made of bees. A man in China beat the world record by covering himself in 1.1 million bees.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, ancient skull fragments, and herbal teas to [email protected]. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day.