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What to watch for today and over the weekend
India lands a rover on the moon. If successful, the country will become only the fourth nation to nail a soft landing on Earth’s satellite—an impressive feat given the program’s limited budget. The landing, expected in the early hours of Saturday local time (or between 4pm to 5pm ET Friday) can be streamed live here.
The UK’s House of Lords signs off on Brexit delay. The upper house of parliament is expected to move forward a bill to prevent the UK’s exit from the European Union without a deal. It’ll then return to the House of Commons for another vote next week. It’s been a devastating few days for prime minister Boris Johnson, who said yesterday he’d “rather be dead in a ditch” than see another Brexit delay. Brexit divisions also took a toll on the Johnson family.
The US releases jobs data for August. The economy and jobs growth have been strong in spite of headwinds from global trade tensions and Brexit. The latest numbers come after a survey showed manufacturing contracting for the first time in three years, and amid signs that a recession could be in the future.
Iran announces another departure from the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran says it will unveil its next move on Saturday if the EU fails to come up with a viable workaround to US sanctions. Experts say the announcement could include updates to the country’s rate of uranium enrichment.
Bangladesh cuts Rohingya Muslims off from cell service. About one million Rohingya could lose their mobile connections by Sunday, further isolating those living in refugee camps after fleeing Myanmar. Bangladeshi officials claim the move is necessary for “state security” and “public safety.”
While you were sleeping
Robert Mugabe died in a Singapore hospital. The 95-year-old founding father of Zimbabwe was lionized for leading the fight against white minority rule, and gaining the country’s official independence from Britain, but became increasingly dictatorial and was ousted after nearly four decades in power in a coup in 2017. His violent campaign to seize land from white farmers was widely blamed for destabilizing the country.
Samsung finally launched its foldable phone. After months of delay over problems with its flexible screen, the Galaxy Fold went on sale in South Korea today. The phone will be available in Europe later this month, but a US launch date has not yet been announced. Samsung also canceled all Galaxy Fold preorders in order to “rethink the entire customer experience.”
Fitch downgraded Hong Kong. The global ratings agency lowered its assessment of the territory’s debt from AA+ to AA with a negative outlook because of months of conflict—which have taken a toll on the economy—and concerns about the “pliability” of its autonomy. More protests are expected this weekend, even though Hong Kong’s leader has announced the bill will be officially withdrawn.
Alibaba bet $2 billion on China’s love of foreign goods. With the purchase of rival e-commerce site Kaola from gaming and music firm NetEase, Alibaba now monopolizes cross-border e-commerce in China, a sector it’s apparently confident in despite trade tensions with the US.
More US retailers banned customers from openly carrying guns. Walgreens, CVS, and Wegmans announced their moves after similar announcements from Walmart and Kroger. Walmart’s decision came after two mass shootings in its stores this summer, prompting it to also restrict ammunition sales.
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Quartz Obsession
Why buy Greenland? Donald Trump wants it for the same reasons his predecessors Andrew Jackson and Harry Truman did: political strategy in a region where America has a relatively tiny footprint. Not to mention its considerable natural resources. Now, with climate change melting sea ice and glaciers—potentially opening the island for big business—the incentives are heightened. Pay a visit at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Give forests back to the people they were stolen from. The theft of land from indigenous communities has increased the likelihood and intensity of forest fires.
There’s no such thing as a “functioning alcoholic.” Booze may help you cope, but the addiction is papering over the real problem.
Black athletes should leave white colleges. Encouraging student athletes to attend historically black colleges could bring needed money and attention to the schools.
Surprising discoveries
India’s moon mission was cheaper than making a Hollywood blockbuster. The Chandrayaan-2 mission cost less than $150 million, putting it under the budget of 2014’s Interstellar.
Scientists discovered the Loch Ness monster. After spending a year analyzing DNA data, researchers say that Nessie may, in fact, be a giant eel.
An underwater observatory has mysteriously disappeared. When divers went to check on the 750 lb (350 kg) structure they only found its shredded fiber-optic cable.
NFL teams are too expensive, even for billionaires. The league is mulling changes to ownership rules following the lackluster auction of the Carolina Panthers last year.
An Australian journalist got a surprise £55,000 beer tab. The single beer purchased at a UK hotel was supposed to cost £5.50 ($6.80).
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, beer deals, and missing observatories 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 Tripti Lahiri and edited by Mary Hui.