Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Australia braces for grim economic results. Economists are predicting .50% GDP growth, which would be the weakest gain in two decades. Prime minister Scott Morrison, who staked his May election campaign on the economy, is preemptively blaming natural disasters and the US-China trade war for a “very difficult” quarter.
India and Pakistan discuss reopening the Karpartur Corridor. The border crossing grants Indian pilgrims passage to one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, located in Pakistan. As tensions simmer over India’s crackdowns in Jammu & Kashmir, delegates will work out the final details of the border agreement.
The US-China Commission looks back. The congressional committee, appointed to monitor the economic and security relationship between the world’s biggest superpowers, will hold a “year in review” hearing.
Moon’s regional tour continues. South Korean president Moon Jae-in departs for Myanmar where he will meet Aung San Suu Kyi and president Win Myint. Moon has promised to visit all 10 ASEAN member states during his tenure.
While you were sleeping
Boris Johnson lost his majority and a crucial Brexit vote. After a conservative MP defected from Johnson’s side in dramatic fashion, the House of Commons voted to wrest control of Wednesday’s legislative business away from the prime minister. That sets up a high-stakes vote tomorrow on a measure that would make a no-deal Brexit illegal. Johnson indicated that he would call for a snap general election, making a messy process even more convoluted.
Joshua Wong told Quartz about his imprisonment. Although he has been arrested seven times since he helped lead the Umbrella Movement in 2014, Wong says that the current Hong Kong protests are less vulnerable to “decapitation” because they do not follow any single leader or organizing body.
The US sanctioned Iranian astronauts. For the first time, the US promised to penalize companies and governments that do business with three Iranian space agencies. The Trump administration has accused the agencies of secretly developing ballistic missiles under the cover of civilian research.
Facebook rolled back facial recognition. The social media giant updated its policies, now saying it will no longer trawl through the billions of photos posted on its platform relentlessly searching for your face unless you ask for it. In the past, Facebook automatically used biometric data to suggest friends names for its photo-tagging features.
Walmart cut back guns and ammo sales. The mega-retailer announced that it would no longer sell ammunition for handguns or short-barrel rifles, allow customers to openly carry guns into its stores, or sell handguns in Alaska (the last US state where it did so). Walmart, which controls about a fifth of the US ammo market, faced backlash after two deadly shootings inside its stores.
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How many big banks does the world really need? It’s been 10 years since the financial crisis, and a handful of America’s banking giants still sit at what’s left of the big table. Kicking off this week’s field guide, Quartz’s John Detrixhe explores the industry’s struggles to figure out how to make money in a world where regulation and technology have changed the game.
Quartz Obsession
Alzheimer’s disease is a mystery. It’s the single biggest cause of dementia, but new treatments have been stalled for over a decade, and scientists still can’t predict who will develop the disease. As the world’s population ages, the drive to find a cure for Alzheimer’s has become more urgent than ever, and that has some researchers thinking outside the box. Take a closer look with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Startups should stop celebrating failure. Valorizing setbacks can harm your mental health by making entrepreneurship look easy and success seem inevitable.
HBO’s Succession is dumb. From patriarch Logan to lowly Cousin Greg, no one in the TV show’s central family has the chops to run a dynastic media empire.
It’s OK if Uber and Lyft die. If treating drivers like employees kills rideshare companies, maybe they shouldn’t exist.
Surprising discoveries
Men are pickier than women about their tennis balls. Their fussiness comes down to a subtle difference in the balls men and women use at the US Open.
OK is the most spoken word on Earth. It’s only been used for about 180 years, but its linguistic history still retains some mysteries.
Apple Airpods are causing transit issues. New York City is considering a public service announcement urging riders to secure their tiny ear computers around the subway.
India is ready to recycle. Over 90% of Indians who shop online say they would recycle more plastic in exchange for a small amount of cash.
We may figure out what color the dinosaurs really were. Fossilized remains can still tell us about their pigmentation, and the arrangement of their internal organs, millions of years later.
Junk food can make you blind. Picky eaters beware, a teenage boy was left blind after subsisting for years on a diet of French fries, Pringles and white bread.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, failed startups, and loose Airpods to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Max Lockie and Nicolás Rivero.