Ford is investing $11.4 billion in EV production

Plus: A truck driver deficit is behind the UK’s gas shortage. [Quartz]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! Was this newsletter forwarded to you? [Sign up here](. Forward to the friend who [deleted their social media accounts](. Here’s what you need to know Ford is investing more than $11 billion in US-based EV production. The company announced [new plants in Tennessee and Kentucky](. Goldman Sachs cut China’s growth forecast. [A major factor]( is the energy crunch that has left factories and global suppliers idle this week. Republicans in the US blocked government funding. Federal operations [could shut down]( unless a last-minute deal can be struck to allow Democrats to raise the limit on borrowing. Facebook is postponing Instagram Kids. [The new version of the app]( would have been aimed at under-13s, but the company faces criticism over Instagram’s negative impact on teenage girls. R Kelly faces a long jail sentence. A federal jury in Brooklyn found the musician [guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking](. Ferrari hired Jony Ive for its EV project. The [former Apple chief designer]( will work with the luxury car maker across its product ranges, with the first fully electric Ferrari expected in 2025. Sponsor content by JobsOhio Build your business in the world’s 21st strongest economy—without ever leaving the US. In the first seven months of 2021, more than 126,000 new companies were created in the Buckeye State. And with 0% corporate income tax and a rapidly growing workforce, there’s never been a better time to [do business in Ohio.]( What to watch for [A TikTok gif of a dog in an aviator outfit with goggles lifting up as many helium balloons are tied to its back.] Giphy TikTok is holding its first-ever [TikTok World]( event today, a presentation aimed at brands and marketers. The social video app, owned by ByteDance, has grown quickly since the start of the pandemic; it announced Monday it now counts [1 billion users](. That’s an impressive figure considering ByteDance operates a separate app, Douyin, in China and is [banned in India](, once its single largest market. The app has been trying to convince marketers to spend more money in recent years, presenting at various industry events like the IAB’s Digital Content NewFronts with slogans like “Don’t Make Ads. Make TikToks.” Now TikTok is hosting its own event, similar to Snap’s Partner Summit, designed to showcase new ad products and educate marketers on how to make effective and entertaining ads on the app. What’s causing the truck driver shortage in the UK? The UK had a deficit of about 60,000 truck drivers before the pandemic and the shortfall has grown to 100,000 in recent months. According to the Road Haulage Association, the biggest factors have been retirements, post-Brexit difficulties in hiring workers from the EU, and drivers leaving the industry for higher-paying jobs in other sectors. In addition, tax changes, known as IR35, have crimped earnings by as much as 25%. [A bar chart showing the reasons for UK truck driver shortages per a July 2021 survey by the Road Haulage Association. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Responses included: Drivers retiring, 59%; Brexit, 58%; IR35, 53%; drivers leaving for other industry, 48%; unsatisfactory pay, 39%; and other, 33%.] The shortfall has had a ripple effect, contributing to a [gasoline shortage]( that has been compounded by consumer panic buying. UK politicians are trying to repair the damage by, among other things, [issuing 5,000 temporary visas for foreign drivers](, training thousands of new drivers, and encouraging drivers to return to the industry. A lack of workers means more robots (sometimes) Chinese e-commerce companies like Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan are moving full speed ahead to [replace some delivery workers]( with robots, with plans to operate more than 2,000 between them by 2022. While the pandemic—and an accompanying labor shortage—has accelerated the trend toward automation in many industries, the full picture is a bit more nuanced: 🤖 Robots are replacing tasks, not jobs. At restaurants, for example, tech tools like kiosks can automate reservations or provide menus—freeing up workers to deliver a better experience to customers. 🤖 They’re getting cheaper and more efficient. Are robots cheaper than human labor? It depends. A robot used to move electronics will be more expensive than one moving dollar-store items, for instance. 🤖 They’re staying behind the scenes. While robots are multiplying in warehouses, don’t expect to see them when walking into a shop. The latest edition of [the Forecast]( unpacks the consequences of the Great Resignation, for employers and employees—both human and robot. ✦ Want the Forecast in your inbox each week? Become a Quartz member today and [enjoy 40% off]( with code QZEMAIL40. Quartz announcement Quartz is awarding one small business a chance to win $10,000. Sponsored by T-Mobile for Business, this new competition gives purpose-driven companies the chance to broadcast their mission across our platform with free ads plus $10k in cash. [Register here](. What we’re reading 🇨🇳 The return of Huawei’s CFO has become a nationalist moment for China. Meng Wanzhou has been [depicted as a hero]( who faced unfair treatment by the US and Canada. 💊 A daily pill to treat Covid-19 could be just months away. At least three [promising antivirals]( for coronavirus are being tested in clinical trials. 🤔 Why do so many Chinese brands begin with “Ever”? From Evergrande to Ever Given, it [comes down to Feng Shui](. 📱 The iPhone 13 is more expensive for Indians than for almost anyone else in the world. The average Indian will have to [work 724 hours]( to afford one. 👶 China is going to make it harder for women to get abortions. Leaders are worried about the country’s [shrinking population](. 💉 Travel is complicated for those who received mixed Covid-19 vaccine doses. Some countries have yet to clarify what counts as “[fully vaccinated](” for quarantine exemptions. Surprising discoveries Rajasthan shut down the internet to prevent exam cheating. Around 1.6 million people were sitting for a teacher eligibility exam, and [the Indian state wasn’t taking any chances](. There’s a new “world’s biggest Imax screen.” It’s in Germany, it’s [wider than a Boeing 737](, and it will open in time for the latest Bond film. A crypto-trading hamster is doing better than human investors. [Tunnels and a wheel]( in Mr. Goxx’s cage trigger buying and selling. Car filters are also a street drug. Please, please, [do not try this at home](. Heinz has made a product you don’t need. It both helps [squeeze ketchup from packets]( and is shaped like a ketchup bottle. SPREAD THE WORD Over 500k readers and counting. You already know why half a million people read the Daily Brief, so why not spread the word? [Share the Daily Brief today]( and get rewarded. Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, unnecessary objects, and rodent investing advice to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by [downloading our iOS app]( and [becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Scott Nover, John Detrixhe, Liz Webber, and Susan Howson. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here]( to sign up. If you’re looking to unsubscribe, [click here](. 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