Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
A tense NATO summit begins. European Council president Donald Tusk has warned Donald Trump to “appreciate your allies” in Europe after Trump hinted he would play agitator (paywall) at the meeting, which comes just days before he meets with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Andrej Babis faces a confidence vote in parliament. The billionaire prime minister of the Czech Republic needs the support of hard-line communists for his coalition to survive. Opposed to NATO, the party has friendly ties with the ruling communists in Cuba, China, and North Korea; thousands of protesters have demonstrated against cooperating with it.
China contends with Typhoon Maria. The giant storm made landfall this morning (local time) in Fujian province and has the potential to cause widespread damage along one of the world’s most heavily populated coasts. Flooding rainfall will remain a danger into Thursday and Friday. Taiwan and already-flooded parts of Japan escaped direct hits.
While you were sleeping
Britain plans to fine Facebook over data protection breaches. Information commissioner Elizabeth Denham said she’ll fine the company £500,000 ($663,850)—paltry, but the maximum amount allowed—following an investigation into the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Her office also warned political parties to audit their data protection practices.
China warned the US against its proposed extra tariffs on $200 billion of goods. The commerce ministry said the measures would be “completely unacceptable” and China would respond. US businesses in China fear Beijing’s threats could mean anything from consumer boycotts to stricter inspections to delays in deal approvals.
A nonprofit offered $20 million to reunite migrant families in the US. The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services said it will present the US government with enough “bond” money to get 2,500 immigrant mothers—the estimated number of children still separated from their parents—out of detention centers.
The world celebrated the Thailand cave rescue. After the last member of the boys soccer team trapped deep in a cave complex was brought out safely, congratulatory messages came in from around the world, including ones from players in the World Cup. Donald Trump tweeted that it was a “great moment” and praised the rescue team.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Natasha Frost on the tiny tool that holds it all together. “Sure, paper clips may not be flashy or glamorous, but they’re very good at the very specific thing that they do. It’s been well over 100 years since a patent was issued to William Middlebrook for a paper-clip-making machine—yet despite a century of innovation, this very early piece of stationery tech has proven virtually unimprovable.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Flossing might as well be fun. A luxury floss brand illustrates the allure—and maybe even the health benefits—of aspirational consumption.
Being emotionally mature improves soccer skills. Empathy, positive thinking, and reframing emotions are just as important as physical prowess.
Alexa is destroying freedom of choice. Smart speakers don’t deliver on their promise to bring consumers more options.
Surprising discoveries
One-third of caught seafood doesn’t get eaten. While fishing is becoming more sustainable, food waste is problematic.
China now owns more than 70% of Kenya’s external debt. That figure is eight times more than the share of Kenya’s second-biggest lending partner, France.
NASA is partnering with “Peanuts.” Charlie Brown and Snoopy have been tasked with getting kids excited about space exploration and STEM again.
Trump’s got a present for “Rocket Man.” The US president plans to give Kim Jong Un a signed CD of the Elton John song.
“Novichok” vodka is in bad taste. The 75% ABV liquor, named after the toxic nerve agent, was heavily criticized.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, extra seafood, and extravagant dental floss to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Steve Mollman and edited by Tripti Lahiri.