Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
EU leaders talk Brexit in Salzburg. UK prime minister Theresa May will try to convince her counterparts to embrace her “creative” Brexit plan, as the clock ticks down toward a disruptive “no deal” exit.
Afghanistan’s president visits India. Ashraf Ghani will hold talks with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, with a new development agreement and regional security issues high on the agenda.
Brazil’s central bank rate decision. The bank will likely hold rates at a record low of 6.5% as inflation moderates, despite pressure from the real (paywall). The currency has fallen sharply this year in the face of uncertainty ahead of next month’s presidential election.
While you were sleeping
North Korea will allow weapons experts in. On the second day of talks with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, South Korean president Moon Jae-in said the country will allow experts to witness the dismantling of a missile development site. President Donald Trump quickly hailed the news, which could inject momentum into stalled nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the US.
Christine Blasey Ford might not appear before the US Senate. Blasey, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party in the 1980s, says the FBI should investigate (paywall) before she testifies. The US Senate has set a hearing for Sept. 24 to question the two, and Republicans could push to schedule a confirmation vote if she doesn’t show up.
A Moroccan pop star was detained in France for rape. Singer Saad Lamjarred, whose hit “Lm3allem” has been viewed 670 million times on YouTube, had been charged in August with raping a woman in Saint-Tropez. Two years ago the Moroccan king paid his legal fees after he was arrested on a different rape allegation.
US-based journalists for China’s state news agencies are foreign agents. The Justice Department order (paywall) that they register as such affects journalists for Xinhua News Agency and the CGTN television channel, and comes as a trade dispute between the two countries escalates.
Japan’s trade deficit doubled. The increase recorded in August was driven by energy imports. Its surplus with the United States reduced sharply as it purchased more liquefied natural gas and dispatched more of its own exports to China, amid concern over Trump’s anti-import policies.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Natasha Frost on how the story of segregation in Los Angeles was only preserved by its black-owned papers. “White-owned papers published headlines like ‘Keep Maywood White,’ while the South Los Angeles Homeowners’ Association issued written advice on how to ‘Protect Your Home Against the Encroachment of Non-Caucasian People.’ It was especially galling for people of color… ‘to be drafted into a war that was all about fighting the Nazis and fighting another version of white supremacy that somehow Americans pretended didn’t exist.’” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Women are better traders than men. In stressful financial situations, men are more likely to panic.
Open borders hurt immigrants. They create a permanent underclass (paywall) that’s difficult to escape.
Gamers are athletes. While glued to their screens, they produce as much cortisol as race-car drivers.
Surprising discoveries
Skin grafts could treat cocaine addiction. A natural enzyme that breaks down the drug could be introduced by stem cells carrying a certain gene.
Itsy-bitsy spiders caused nursery rhyme terror. A UK town was plagued by eerie singing until investigators found that bugs were triggering an unusual security system.
Great white sharks have hit ocean paydirt. The yearly congregation of sharks in the Pacific is there for the all-you-can-eat buffet.
Venezuelans felt salty about Maduro’s “Salt Bae” feast. The president’s lavish meal at the Turkish celebrity chef’s restaurant didn’t sit well with a nation in financial crisis.
Maine lobsters will get pot before the pot. A restaurateur believes in getting the crustaceans high before boiling them to death.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, salty steaks, and chilled-out seafood 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 Tripti Lahiri and edited by Alice Truong.