Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Argentina tries to contain its currency crisis. Finance minister Nicolas Dujovne will announce new measures to cut spending ahead of his meeting with IMF head Christine Lagarde tomorrow. Last week, the central bank raised a key interest rate to 60% and asked the IMF to speed up payment of a $50 billion loan.
China and Africa discuss trade imbalances. Chinese president Xi Jinping reiterated his commitment to trade reforms and building “an open world economy” ahead of the two-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
US markets are closed today for Labor Day—and Americans are on the move. Airlines for America predicted that 16.5 million passengers will fly on US carriers over the holiday weekend, a 3.5% year-over-year increase. Car travel will also be up; the National Safety Council estimates 420 people could die on US roads over the long weekend.
Over the weekend
Myanmar sentenced two Reuters journalists to seven years in prison. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were found guilty of breaking a state secrets law. The UN, EU, and US have called for the journalists’ acquittal. In a statement, Reuters’ editor-in-chief called the verdict “a major step backward in Myanmar’s transition to democracy.”
A huge fire destroyed Brazil’s 200-year-old National Museum. The museum in Rio de Janeiro contained more than 20 million artifacts, including Greco-Roman art and some of the first fossils found in Brazil. “Two hundred years of work, research, and knowledge were lost,” said president Michel Temer on Sunday.
WPP named Mark Read as its new CEO. Read, a company veteran, has been leading the advertising group (paywall) since Martin Sorrell’s sudden departure in April. He will receive a fixed salary of £975,000 ($1.3 million)—and take on the gargantuan task of consolidating the company’s vast array of services into a streamlined “one-stop shop” for advertisers.
Turkish inflation rose to nearly 18% last month. The embattled Turkish lira dropped against the US dollar after today’s reading revealed inflation was up from 15.9% in July (paywall). Transportation prices climbed more than 27% year-over-year, with prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages up by almost 20%.
Nicaragua expelled a UN human rights team. The UN’s Central America human rights office was told to close after publishing a report detailing repression, torture, and abuse of protesters by the government. More than 300 people have died in violent clashes between protesters and authorities since April.
The US honored John McCain. In a memorial service on Saturday, former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama praised the late senator’s moral compass and stressed the importance of bipartisanship. McCain, who died at age 81, was buried in a private ceremony on Sunday at the US Naval Academy cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.
Quartz obsession interlude
Gwynn Guilford on the sports drink of choice for ancient Rome. “The Romans were famed for their innovations in military logistics… But an army can’t win if it’s thirsty. Enter posca. This blend of vinegar and water—though sometimes salt, herbs, and other stuff—holds a special place in beverage history thanks to its role as the Gatorade of the Roman army.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The world has underestimated China’s scientific power. Its share of global scientific output rises substantially if you include the work of Chinese scientists abroad.
John McCain’s funeral was the biggest resistance meeting yet. Two former presidents and McCain’s daughter teamed up to rebuke Trump’s leadership (paywall).
Teslas just aren’t cool. Their street cred lags way behind brands like Mercedes-Benz—if you’re using hip-hop and R&B as a metric.
Surprising discoveries
A ninth planet could be lurking behind Neptune. Scientists searching for the mysterious “Planet Nine” (paywall) believe it could weigh up to 20 times the Earth’s mass.
Back-to-school shopping lists in the US include bulletproof backpacks. Military-grade bags have found a customer base in parents fearful of school shootings.
Airports are using algorithms to detect lithium-ion batteries. Their presence in air cargo has led to at least 200 fires or explosions in the last 20 years.
Sephora is selling kits for aspiring witches. It’s part of a larger trend of brands peddling mysticism.
Elon Musk is part of a Bangkok exhibit on the Thai cave rescue. A painting of his face stands alongside a 10-meter (33-foot) replica tunnel in an upscale shopping mall.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, ancient sports drinks, and rappers’ wheels to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Jill Petzinger and edited by Sarah Todd.