Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Sweden heads to the polls. With immigration dominating the political agenda, the far-right Sweden Democrats could make big gains, mirroring the rise of populism across a number of European countries. Neither of the two main political blocs are expected to win a majority.
The US could implement another round of tariffs against China. The latest batch, if given the green light, would impose 25% duties on Chinese goods worth $200 billion. Trump could approve the tariffs as soon as today; Beijing has said it’s prepared to retaliate in kind.
It’s US jobs report day. Analysts predict that US businesses added 191,000 jobs in August, up from 157,000 in July. The unemployment rate is expected to have dropped to 3.8% in August, down from 3.9% in the month before.
While you were sleeping
British Airways revealed a big customer-data breach. The airline announced that hackers had stolen personal and financial data (but not passport details) from its app and website, with about 380,000 transactions affected. The breach happened over two weeks in August, at the height of the holiday season.
The US said Syria is preparing to use chemical weapons. US special adviser on Syria Jim Jeffrey said there was “lots of evidence” that Syria was getting chemical weapons ready ahead of an expected military offensive on rebel-held Idlib province. Washington has warned that the US will respond if president Bashar al-Assad deploys chemical weapons.
A Brazilian presidential candidate survived a stabbing. A surgeon said Jair Bolsonaro, who was stabbed Thursday (paywall) at a campaign rally, was out of surgery and recovering in intensive care. The far-right politician is a presidential front-runner, known for his diatribes against women, black people, and gay people.
Naomi Osaka smashed through to the US Open finals. Osaka became the first Japanese woman to make it to a Grand Slam final, defeating Madison Keys of the US. She will go up against 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams on Saturday.
A mass grave was found in Veracruz, Mexico. The remains of at least 166 people were discovered in the eastern state, more than a year after another mass grave was found there containing 250 skulls. Drug traffickers have long dumped the bodies of their victims in Veracruz.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Maria Thomas and Isabella Steger on gay sex bans as a legacy of British rule. ”As the largest country in the Commonwealth, India’s landmark decision sends a message to other former British colonies that have stuck with draconian laws against homosexuality. Of the 70 countries around the world that criminalise homosexuality, at least 42 were once under some kind of British control. And their modern-day laws are often direct descendants of the 19th century British laws.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
There’s no honor in anonymity. Republicans who disapprove of Trump’s job performance (paywall) need to tell his voters, not the media.
Parents should raise their kids like gardeners, not carpenters. Children get hurt when their parents try to sculpt them to fit a particular idea of success.
The US Open shows that 30s are the new 20s in tennis. The game has become a power sport with more emphasis on overall athleticism.
Surprising discoveries
A trillion-metric-ton iceberg is on the move. Antarctica’s A-68 iceberg detached itself more than a year ago, but just recently starting heading north.
A Pacific island nation of 11,000 people is picking a fight with China. Nauru, a Taiwan ally, made clear it won’t be bullied by a larger country.
Hedgehogs are disappearing in England and Wales. Their numbers have fallen by 80% since the 1950s, mainly because of farming and rising badger populations.
An algorithm can identify tumors. Diagnostic help from AI could give doctors more time to focus on patients.
A Bay Area university asked professors to house students. Silicon Valley’s soaring rent prices are bleeding into college campuses.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, hedgehogs, and icebergs 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 Jill Petzinger and edited by Sarah Todd.