Mueller testifies, more notable earnings, mouse mountaineers

Robert Mueller takes the stand. The former US special counsel will appear before two House committees to answer questions about his 448-page report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller made a last-minute request for his longtime aide, Aaron Zebley, to be sworn in alongside him. [Quartz Daily Brief]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! What to watch for today Robert Mueller takes the stand. The former US special counsel will appear before two House committees to [answer questions about his 448-page report]( on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller made [a last-minute request]( for his longtime aide, Aaron Zebley, to be sworn in alongside him. Boris Johnson takes office at 10 Downing Street. The new UK prime minister with a [colorful CV]( will address the nation after a meeting with the Queen this afternoon. Among his top priorities: forming a new government and [pushing Brexit through](. Facebook pays $5 billion in a sweeping settlement. An accompanying complaint by the US Federal Trade Commission is [expected to accuse]( the tech giant of mishandling user data, including phone numbers and facial-recognition settings. Facebook will [create a privacy panel]( as part of the deal. CFOs report earnings en masse. Facebook, Boeing, and Tesla—all with a tumultuous first half of 2019 behind them—will [post their financials](. Also reporting today: [AT&T, Ford, LVMH, and UPS.]( Sponsor content by Accenture Technology isn’t just a tool anymore, it’s central to our identities. With a rise of "digital demographics," businesses can build ongoing personalized relationships with consumers based on how they use technology. As your preferences evolve, your technology will too. Check out [Accenture's 2019 Technology Vision]( for more technology trends. While you were sleeping The US began an antitrust review of big tech firms. The Justice Department will look into [how internet giants accumulated market power]( and whether they have acted to stifle innovation or reduce competition. While specific companies haven’t been named, dominant players like Google, Facebook, and Amazon appear to be targets. China outlined its foreign priorities. In its [first white paper]( since Xi Jinping took office in 2013, China’s defense ministry said US unilateralism and “power politics” undercut global stability. The text also [declined to rule out]( using force to reunify Taiwan with mainland China, and said it would combat what it called separatist forces in Tibet and the Xianjing province. Pressure mounted on Puerto Rico’s governor. Almost two weeks of mass protests over leaked messages prompted Ricardo Roselló’s [chief of staff to resign]( yesterday, and may push the governor [to step down today](. Top aides—and perhaps Roselló himself—[were also ordered]( by the US territory’s Justice Department to hand over their cell phones for investigation. Deutsche Bank took a tumble. A recently announced massive restructuring, which will see [18,000 jobs cut]( by 2022, contributed to the bank booking a [net loss of $3.51 billion]( for the second quarter, the German lender said today. The news sent shares down 5% in early trading. A mixed day for automakers. Some accelerated (French carmaker PSA [reported record profits,]( thanks to new models and cost controls), some hit the brakes (German carmaker Daimler said it would [look to cut costs]( after posting its first loss in a decade), and some stalled completely (Japanese carmaker Nissan is expected to announce [more than 10,000 job cuts]( when it posts earnings tomorrow.) Quartz Obsession The “dewiness” makeup trend has the world aglow. Imported from South Korea, the intensive regimen produces “glass” or “honey” skin: a backlash to the matte- and contour-heavy Instagram aesthetic of recent years, a complement to the athleisure look, and a way of saying “anti-aging” without saying it. [Dew drop in at the Quartz Obsession](. Matters of debate [Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!]( Behaving like a buffoon is no longer a bar to leadership. Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are making us rethink what power looks like, [for men at least](. The US has a lot in common with China’s surveillance state. But at least [China acknowledges that it has one](. Fortune 500 companies’ days are numbered. Those that don’t quickly [adapt in a brave new world of AI and robots]( will go under. Surprising discoveries A man is walking backwards for the environment. The [800-km (500-mile) journey]( aims to raise awareness about Indonesia’s forests. Cities are finally reaching gender parity. For decades, [urban women have outnumbered men]( times (and the economy) are changing. There’s only one good way to stroke a cat. Scientists confirm that as with humans, [it’s important to respect boundaries](. A typo changed the meaning of Ireland’s commemorative moon landing stamps. The post office accidentally celebrated landing on gaelach (the Irish) [instead of gealach (the moon)](. The best mammalian mountaineer is a mouse. The yellow-rumped, leaf-eared mouse [can live at elevations of more than 20,000 feet](. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, purr-fect strokes, and correctly-spelled stamps 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. Enjoying the Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here to sign up.]( Want to advertise in the Quartz Daily Brief? Send us an email at ads@qz.com. 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