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What to watch for today
The UK parliament reconvenes amid chaos. MPs are expected to bring legislation to the floor that could delay prime minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans or flat-out forbid a no-deal departure from the EU. Johnson’s government is threatening party expulsion of any Tory MPs who support extending the Brexit deadline.
South Africa and Nigeria release GDP figures. Africa’s two largest economies are expected to deliver tepid second-quarter data. South Africa’s economy continues to be hampered by highly indebted power utility Eskom, while Nigeria’s heavy dependence on oil has made it vulnerable to external pressures.
The Booker Prize shortlist is announced. The longlist of 13 contenders for this year’s prestigious literary award include Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, a 1,000-page-long sentence, as well as the sequel to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The longlist will be whittled down to six books.
While you were sleeping
Hong Kong’s leader responded to an explosive leaked recording. Carrie Lam dodged questions at a news conference with regards to a recording obtained by Reuters, where she told business executives at a recent gathering that she would resign if she could and that what she’s done to the city is “unforgivable.” She condemned the leaking of remarks that were meant to be private.
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister stepped down as chairman of Aramco. While Khalid al-Falih remains in charge of key decisions on Saudi oil policy, his departure from Aramco is being billed as a logical step in the oil giant’s quest to go public. Falih tweeted his congratulations to his replacement, Yasir al-Rumayyan, head of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.
Dorian battered the Bahamas. The massive hurricane, downgraded from category 5 to category 4, unleashed water and wind damage as it churned exceedingly slowly over the Caribbean island chain on its way toward Florida. Five deaths have been reported so far, including an eight-year-old boy.
Naomi Osaka exited the US Open. The Japanese defending champion lost 7-5 6-4 to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, failing to progress to the quarterfinals. She also slips from no. 1 in the world rankings, with Australia’s Ashleigh Barty reclaiming the spot.
Matters of debate
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Canned wine is the new beer. Convenience trumps aroma.
The binge-watching model of streaming is over. The most successful and buzzy shows are those that make their audiences wait weekly for new episodes.
Unsuccessful startups get too much credit. Treating failure as nearly inevitable only encourages poor planning.
Surprising discoveries
A Chinese stamp shows a separate Taiwan. The 1968 propaganda piece seems to fly in the face of 2019 propaganda.
Great white sharks aren’t messing with us on purpose. The sharks are not especially into people, but the sea creatures’ changing habits are putting them closer to human vacationers.
Ikea hide-and-seek is ill-advised. Police turned visitors away from a store in Scotland after more than 3,000 people threatened to show up for the game.
A Singapore shop’s closing sale has lasted two years. Misleading promotions like this one will soon be forbidden.
Japanese toilets are finally making a splash in the West. Sales of the electronic bidets are increasing in part due to concern over the environmental impact of toilet paper.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Merlot six-packs, and politically sensitive stamps 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 Isabella Steger and edited by Tripti Lahiri.