Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Jeremy Hunt debates Boris Johnson. The final two candidates to be Britain’s next prime minister will face off for the second time in a showdown organized by the Sun newspaper.
The EU hits Turkey with sanctions. Most high-level contacts will be frozen and the flow of funds will be cut by the bloc in response to the country’s drilling activities in Cypriot waters, which Brussels has condemned as illegal.
Jacob Zuma faces a corruption inquiry. The former South African president will appear before a judicial panel for five days of testimony over allegations that he helped private interests loot the state during his nine years in office.
A rescue plan for Italy’s bankrupt flagship carrier. The country’s state-owned railway, and investors including US carrier Delta Airways are ready to take a stake in Alitalia. The rescue package will be presented formally today.
Over the weekend
China reported its slowest economic growth in 27 years. The country’s second-quarter GDP growth slumped to 6.2%, showing a further loss of momentum amid increasing pressures from the trade war with the US.
Police fought protesters in a Hong Kong mall. In the sixth consecutive week of protests that began in opposition to a much-maligned extradition bill, a peaceful rally in the suburban district of Sha Tin on Sunday ended in clashes with police in a luxury shopping mall.
India called off its moon mission. The scheduled launch of Chandrayaan-2—the country’s biggest moon mission yet—was aborted less than an hour before takeoff due to a technical glitch. A new launch date has not been announced yet.
Donald Trump tweeted racist attacks against congresswomen. The US president told a group of four progressive Democrats to “go back” to the “crime infested” countries they came from, falsely implying they weren’t natural-born American citizens. Separately, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement began raids on undocumented families.
Clashes broke out at the Bastille Day military parade in Paris. Celebrations of France’s national day, attended by key EU leaders including French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel, were followed by violence between anti-government protesters and police.
A weekend of cricket and tennis. At Wimbledon, Romania’s Simona Halep defeated Serena Williams, while Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in the men’s tournament. Meanwhile, England clinched a dramatic victory over New Zealand at the Cricket World Cup, becoming world champions for the first time.
Quartz Obsession
Black Sabbath invented heavy metal 50 years ago. It’s a small miracle that the Birmingham band made it big—what with an original name like the Polka Tulk Blues Band, and guitarist Tony Iommi’s two missing fingertips. The musical genre they helped establish would spawn a horde of subgenres, all ready to come at you with their horns out. Get thrashing with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
Productivity gurus are ruining walking. Don’t treat it as a creativity hack and just go on a stroll for its own sake.
On Amazon Prime Day, cancel your account. Cut out impulsive shopping and feel better about yourself.
Safe spaces at work are still lacking. Pride month reminded us of the scarcity of safe spaces, including in the workplace.
Surprising discoveries
Etsy is the internet’s tropical fruit stand. The website known for its DIY artsy merchandise also sells rare-to-America fruits like mangosteens and rambutans.
People are turning to cows for therapy. At one bed and breakfast in New York, hour-long “cow cuddling sessions” cost $75.
Neanderthals were mostly right-handed. Ancient tools and the skeletal record suggest that our hominin ancestors had a rate of right-hand dominance that is about equal to our own.
An endangered flower might be easier to save than first assumed. New photos prove that multiple moth species can pollinate the iconic ghost orchid.
A book vandal is on the loose in England. The literary defacer has been ripping pages in books at a library and a charity shop in Kent, before returning them to the shelves.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, hard-to-find fruit, and ghost orchids sightings to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Mary Hui and edited by Isabella Steger.