Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
North Korea offers a DMZ meeting raincheck. Officials stood up US representatives who were planning to discuss repatriating the remains of US soldiers killed in the Korean War. North Korea has rescheduled for Sunday, though some see Thursday’s no-show as a definite snub.
Pride parades in Seoul face strong protests. The annual Seoul Queer Culture Festival attracted 50,000 last year—even in bad weather. A larger turnout is expected this Saturday, along with at least two counter-protests at the same time.
France celebrates Bastille Day without Shinzō Abe. Japan’s prime minister decided to cancel on French president Emmanuel Macron, who had asked him to be guest of honor in Paris. Abe, who will stay behind in Japan to manage the aftermath of recent flooding, will send foreign minister Tarō Kōno instead.
While you were sleeping
The US called out China and Russia for violating oil sanctions against North Korea. The Trump administration asked a United Nations panel to ban all oil-product sales to North Korea (paywall), claiming that Chinese and Russian sales to the Hermit Kingdom exceed UN-mandated caps and are to blame for recent peace negotiation failures.
The AT&T–Time Warner deal hit a minor snag. The US Justice Department appealed a federal judge’s ruling that the $85.4 billion deal wouldn’t be detrimental to consumers. The department objected at the time, but didn’t appeal or block before the deal went through. AT&T shares dropped 1% at the news, but executives say they’re confident they can overcome.
The US Department of Justice will reopen Emmett Till’s murder case. In 1955, the 14-year-old Till was brutally beaten and shot after he allegedly made sexual advances towards a white woman. The case, which resulted in the acquittal of two white suspects, became a symbol for the Civil Rights movement, and will now be re-examined in light of “new information”.
Ireland divested from fossil fuels. The Republic of Ireland’s lower parliament approved a measure to sell more than €300 million ($350 million) worth of shares in oil, peat, and gas, “as soon as is practicable,” which is expected to be within five years. It will become the first country to commit to fully divesting, once the bill passes through its upper house.
Netflix swept the Emmy Awards with 112 nominations. The streaming service narrowly beat HBO’s total of 108, making it the first time HBO hasn’t led Emmy nominations in 17 years. Netflix’s nominations have grown exponentially in recent years as the company invests billions into original content.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Aisha Hassan on reading between the lines of queuing: “According to University of Melbourne psychology professor Nick Haslam, queuing is a social norm that exists because of an imbalance between supply and demand—when demand exceeds supply, lining up efficiently promotes equality.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Be better than just straws. The plastic tube should be seen as merely a good start towards cultivating eco-friendly eating and drinking habits.
Women’s workplace contributions aren’t just overlooked—they’re erased. A sexist blunder by NPR shows that female voices are still being ignored.
Alexa is a terrible doctor. The speaker has the potential to help users, but will need major structural changes to do so.
Surprising discoveries
A “Handmaid’s Tale” wine was, blessedly, canceled. Unsurprisingly, drinks themed after a hellish dystopian future are considered distasteful.
An out-of-print finance book goes for $3,000. Bootleg copies of billionaire Seth Klarman’s investing manifesto have gained a cult following.
The biggest meme is the word itself. The term, which describes a container for an idea, has connected a global culture.
The “math person” dichotomy impairs education. When teachers face their own numerical demons, their students perform better.
Humans left Africa earlier than we thought. Our ancestors’ trek across the globe began an estimated 2.1 million years ago.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, memes about memes, and footsore ancestors 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 David Wexner and Aisha Hassan and edited by Susan Howson.