Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel face off. In his first foreign visit as British prime minister, Johnson visits Berlin to kick off a series of talks with European leaders about—what else—Brexit. He will meet the German chancellor in an attempt to negotiate a new withdrawal deal, with just over two months before the Brexit deadline.
Target, Lowe’s, and Nordstrom report earnings. Tariffs on Chinese goods could put pressure on big-box retailers. Analysts also expect weak earnings from Nordstrom after Macy’s disappointed last week and as department stores continue to struggle.
Ryanair tries to block its pilots from striking. The Dublin-based budget airline is seeking an injunction from a British court to bar UK pilots from holding a 48-hour strike over pay starting tomorrow. A ruling in a parallel case in Ireland to stop a similar walkout is also expected.
The Fed offers clues on monetary policy. Investors will look for signs that the US central bank could cut interest rates further in the minutes of its July rate-setting meeting. The Fed lowered its benchmark rate in July by a quarter point, the first cut since the 2008 financial crisis.
The Obamas’ first film debuts on Netflix. American Factory, which documents the aftermath of a Chinese company reopening a shuttered Ohio car plant, is the first movie released under the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground.
While you were sleeping
Sony and Disney split over Spider-Man. Peter Parker could disappear from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe after the studios failed to renew a financial deal for the character. Sony acquired the film rights for Spider-Man in 1999.
Donald Trump cancelled a visit to Denmark. The US president called off the trip after Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said that Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory that Trump had expressed interest in acquiring, was not for sale.
Cardinal George Pell lost his appeal against child sex-abuse convictions. The former Vatican treasurer is the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of sexual abuse, and was sentenced to six years imprisonment in March over the abuse of two choirboys in Melbourne in the 90s.
Qatar withdrew its support for China. The country was one of several mostly majority-Muslim nations to sign a letter last month supporting China’s human rights record, despite its mass detention of Muslims in its Xinjiang region. Qatar has now informed the United Nations Human Rights Council it’s rescinding its signature.
Alibaba postponed its secondary listing in Hong Kong. The Chinese e-commerce giant, which is listed in the New York Stock Exchange, has reportedly decided to put off its $15 billion Hong Kong listing, set for later this month, amid the city’s ongoing protests.
Quartz Membership
Sign up for your free membership trial.
Self-driving cars could turn the US into a utopia or dystopia, with the outcome determined by policy as much as technology or economics. An examination of America’s chance for a transportation “do-over” is part of our week-long exploration of the future of driverless vehicles.
Quartz Obsession
Where did the world’s worst superhero come from? Whether he’s doing something unsavory with an alligator or shoplifting a chainsaw, Florida Man makes headlines around the world. His fame, though, is born out of some of the state’s best laws and the internet’s worst instincts. The Quartz Obsession pays homage to the man, the myth, and the meme.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation on the Quartz app!
Courage shouldn’t be an entry-level job requirement. What companies really want, and should say instead, is “good judgment.”
Paper straws suck. The greener alternative to plastic does its job poorly, and isn’t saving the planet.
Better-paying jobs could save capitalism. Delivering more income to workers would boost vital consumer spending.
Surprising discoveries
Lava lamps are the key to strong encryption. Internet security company Cloudflare trains cameras on the kitschy bubblers to find true random numbers.
A fungus could destroy the world’s favorite banana. The Cavendish’s hardiness helped it crowd out other species, but that also makes it more vulnerable.
Brazil lost 500 million bees. Deregulated agricultural pesticides are the prime suspect in a massive wave of apian deaths.
The world’s oldest webcam is being retired. The FogCam, set up in 1994 to monitor weather on the San Francisco State University campus, will go offline soon.
Unreliable cellphone data is shaking the Danish legal system. Authorities plan to review more than 10,000 cases after discovering errors in data submitted as evidence.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, groovy security strategies, and hardy bananas 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 Alison Griswold and edited by Jason Karaian.