Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Central bankers talk monetary policy. Policymakers, economists, and others gather in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the closely watched annual symposium, appropriately dubbed “challenges for monetary policy.” Fears of a US recession, and what to do about it, underpin this year’s event.
The UN Security Council may discuss US missiles. Russia and China have requested a meeting after the US tested cruise missiles that would have been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which it formally withdrew from earlier this month.
Boris Johnson meets Emmanuel Macron. The British and French leaders will continue trying to find a way out of the Brexit deadlock, a day after German chancellor Angela Merkel gave Johnson 30 days to come up with alternatives to the most contentious parts of the divorce agreement.
While you were sleeping
Washington governor Jay Inslee withdrew his US presidential bid. The candidate, who ran on a platform of climate change, pulled out of the race for the Democratic nomination and will instead compete for a third term as governor.
Japan and South Korea scrapped an intelligence-sharing agreement. Seoul chose not to maintain the 2016 deal with its neighbor, following Tokyo’s decision earlier this month to not include it on a “whitelist” of trusted trading partners.
The renminbi hit an 11-year low. It remains above the sensitive level (paywall) of seven to the dollar. Beijing said today it hopes the US will change course on tariffs, and warned of retaliation if not.
The Amazon wildfire raged on. The world’s largest rainforest is burning at an unprecedented rate, and deforestation linked to cattle ranching is likely to blame. Still, Brazil’s far-right president has accused green groups, without evidence, of starting the fires “to call attention against me, against the Brazilian government.”
Bangladesh again tried to send some Rohingya home. No one turned up to be repatriated to Myanmar, citing a lack of safety and citizenship guarantees. The UN has called Myanmar’s oppression of the Rohingya Muslims a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”
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Quartz Obsession
Tramadol is the opioid crisis you might not have heard of. While oxycodone and fentanyl get headlines in the West, tramadol use is surging in West Africa and parts of the Middle East. Despite being much less potent, it’s still addictive. Time to crack down? Not so fast—in many countries, it’s the only widely available and affordable form of pain relief for patients. Go beyond the headlines with today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Practice doesn’t make perfect. The “10,000-hour rule” produces as many mediocre talents as it does experts.
Governments should just print more money. They could kick-start stalled economies, so long as they stop at the first sign of inflation.
We have too many “National Something” days. The growing number of fake, corporate-sponsored holidays is just sad.
Surprising discoveries
SONG TITLES ALL LOOK LIKE THIS NOW. unless they look like this. All-or-nothing capitalization is a trend that’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Los Angeles is cooling its sidewalks with goo. As global warming exacerbates extreme urban heat, titanium dioxide-infused gloop could help reduce temperatures.
A septuagenarian won a 1,000-kilometer horse race. Mongol Derby champion Bob Long said intense preparation gave him the edge.
Hong Kong protest tattoos abound. From umbrellas to bleeding eyes, activists are getting permanent reminders inked onto their skin.
A black hole devoured a neutron star. For the first time, scientists have detected gravitational waves that may have originated from one such collision.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, SONG TITLES, and sidewalk goo 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 Adam Rasmi and edited by Jason Karaian.