Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Luckin Coffee brews up second-quarter earnings. The Beijing-based chain is aggressively trying to dislodge Starbucks in China, and has yet to make a profit. Chinese conglomerate Tencent also reports second-quarter earnings today, while Macy’s earnings provide insight into the state of consumer spending at US department stores.
Greta Thunberg departs for the US. The Swedish climate activist sets sail on a zero-carbon footprint yacht for an upcoming UN climate summit in New York. The 16-year-old has attracted praise and criticism in the increasingly polarized climate change debate.
A$AP Rocky awaits his verdict. The American rapper, whose real name is Rakim Meyers, was detained and charged with assault in Sweden in July, but was released from custody earlier this month. If found guilty, he would have to return to Sweden to serve his prison term.
While you were sleeping
German GDP heightened fears of a euro zone recession… The US-China trade war and a general global slowdown contributed to a fall in exports, causing Europe’s largest economy to shrink by 0.1% in the second quarter. Economists are urging chancellor Angela Merkel to intervene by enacting looser fiscal policies.
…while China announced unexpectedly weak data for July. Industrial output growth dropped to a 17-year low of 4.8% from a year earlier, even lower than bearish forecasts, as the trade war intensified. Trump’s delay of new tariffs until December has done little to assure investors.
Hong Kong airport resumed operations. The Airport Authority has banned protests there except in designated areas, after a fifth consecutive day of rallies turned violent late yesterday. In an escalation of rhetoric, China today likened the demonstrators to “terrorists.”
The fight against a Brexit shutdown escalated. UK House of Commons speaker John Bercow said he will do anything he can to stop prime minister Boris Johnson from suspending parliament in order to push through a no-deal EU departure, while former chancellor Philip Hammond accused Johnson of wrecking any chance of a Brexit deal.
Police released a timeline of the Dayton shooting. The gunman was able to shoot 26 people in just 32 seconds, according to a detailed breakdown of the Aug. 4 attack. The debate around gun violence has persisted since the Ohio and El Paso, Texas mass shootings, with 2020 Democratic candidates making gun control a central campaign pitch.
Quartz Membership
You know the theory: human labor doesn’t stand a chance against machines—after the “automation apocalypse,” only those with spectacular abilities and the owners of the robots will thrive. But you might want to also familiarize yourself with the competing view: In the long run, we’re going to be just fine. In our guide this week to the future of work: an optimist’s argument for how automation will impact jobs.
Quartz Obsession
Is it lights out for fireflies? Their bioluminescent flirtations bring wonder to the summer across the globe, and we’ve harnessed their wondrous chemistry to track bacterial contamination in food, cancer cells in humans, and to build better light bulbs. But light pollution and habitat loss has their population on the wane. Shine a light on the subject at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Going part-time doesn’t have to be a dead end. Crafting a flexible career is possible if managers and employees collaborate.
Social media is ruining resumes. There’s a fine line between standing out and being too casual.
Women aren’t responsible for fixing the pregnancy penalty. Having children and a career is absolutely doable with society’s support.
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
Surprising discoveries
Dr. Martens has a thriving vegan boot business. Sales of the company’s leather-free line have soared by “multiple hundreds of percent” in recent years.
Virtual society is getting a third life. A gaming startup is creating an online world where users can build relationships with AI.
Zebras and cows could soon be cohabitating. Mixing wildlife and cattle could help both the livestock and ranchers, according to new research.
The secret to life is collaboration. Amino acids and fatty acids helped each other to survive, and life was born.
Uranus is now moving backward. The planet’s apparent about-face is still visible if you look hard enough.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, collaboration tips, and Uranus 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 Sam Rigby and edited by Jackie Bischof.