Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Trump unveils a new Afghanistan plan. In a speech to congress, the US president is expected to outline how he will add troops to extend the nation’s longest-ever war, in direct contradiction to his repeated vows to withdraw from the conflict.
Japan begins the final phase of work on the damaged Fukushima power plant. The Tokyo Electricity Company is building a mile-and-a-half long underground ice-wall to stop radioactive waste from polluting the water.
Indian bank unions go on strike. Employees of nine public sector banks will stay home to protest government reforms to the industry.
While you were sleeping
A solar eclipse awed America. The first total coast-to-coast solar eclipse in 99 years caused traffic jams, medical emergencies, and wildlife dangers—and the return of Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 hit to the top of the charts. Most donned protective eye-gear, but the US president was not among them.
Herbalife’s stock soared after it announced a major buyback. The vitamin supplement company plans to purchase $600 million of its own stock. Investor Carl Icahn—engaged in a duel with short-seller Bill Ackman—agreed not to buy more than a 50% stake in the company unless he attempts to buy Herbalife outright.
Spanish police killed a suspect in the Barcelona terrorist attack. Authorities shot Moroccan national Younes Abouyaaqoub in a town west of Barcelona. He is thought to be the driver of a van that plunged into a crowd on Thursday, killing 13 people and wounding more than 100.
The US Navy took stock after a deadly crash. The collision of the destroyer USS John S. McCain with an oil tanker was the fourth major accident this year. Admiral John Richardson announced a broad investigation and a one-day safety stand-down, to be conducted over several weeks at the discretion of individual commanders.
US leaders predicted that the US will avoid a default. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and senate majority leader Mitch McConnell both said that Congress will raise the debt ceiling next month, enabling the US to continue paying interest on the national debt. But many Republicans have suggested they won’t approve a “clean” increase that doesn’t include other policy or budget measures.
Quartz obsession interlude
Chase Purdy on the paleo diet being marketed to babies: “Meals include liquified uncured bacon with organic kale and butternut squash, chicken with peas and carrots, even beef with kale and sweet potato. The product is sold in packs of six 4-ounce pouches for about $27.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
Debt ceiling? Don’t fret: / Mnuchin and McConnell say / “It’s under control.”
Matters of debate
Six hours of sleep is as bad as none at all. People who don’t get enough shut-eye function as poorly as those who stayed up for two days straight.
Spotify playlists are the new album. The streaming service is forcing artists to reshape how they make music.
Tech companies aren’t special. They deserve regulatory watchdogs like their old-economy peers.
Surprising discoveries
An Antarctic microbe could reveal the origin of viruses. The single-celled organism is host to a fragment of DNA that can build a capsule around itself.
A good credit score is, well, hot. When it comes to dating, a new survey shows that the three-digit number ranks above looks, ambition, and sense of humor.
Venus flytraps can count. It’s how their sensors tell the difference between struggling prey and a raindrop.
You can’t charge your Tesla and make a cup of tea at the same time. The average UK household would blow the main fuse if it tried.
HIV could treat cancer. The virus’s ability to inject DNA into cells (paywall) is being repurposed for a revolutionary immunotherapy.
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