Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The US Congress gets back to work. Lawmakers have a lengthy to-do list now that summer recess is over. Possible flashpoints include gun control, a border wall, and trade policy, but keeping the federal government funded—and averting a partial shutdown—after Sept. 30 is expected to take priority.
Trump tries to rally support. The US president is in North Carolina ahead of tomorrow’s special election that is widely seen as a tossup. If Republican Dan Bishop wins, it will be a sign of Trump’s support, particularly among suburban voters, heading into 2020.
Boris Johnson heads to Dublin. The UK leader will meet his Irish counterpart and discuss Brexit before trying, yet again, to get British parliamentary backing for a snap election. Opposition MPs have pledged to reject new polls until a no-deal departure from the European Union is off the table. A bill to block this will become law today.
The UN nuclear watchdog discusses Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors will be asking Tehran to explain traces of uranium found in samples from a warehouse. Yesterday, Iran announced a further retreat from its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.
Over the weekend
The US cancelled Afghan peace talks. After president Trump on Saturday abruptly called off secret talks with major Taliban leaders at Camp David, the insurgent group said the move will only cost more American lives. The US remains keen on a peace deal.
China’s exports fell. They were down 1% in August from last year, surprising analysts. Shipments to the US plummeted 16% year-on-year, while imports from the country fell even further. US-China trade talks are expected to resume next month.
British Airways pilots went on strike. Nearly all flights were cancelled due to the 48-hour walkout over pay. Chief executive Alex Cruz said that the first such action in the airline’s 100-year history will “punish the brand.”
Hong Kong protesters asked the US for help. Demonstrators waving the Stars and Stripes marched to the city’s US consulate on Sunday, calling for Washington to pass legislation in support of their democratic aspirations. While the march was peaceful, clashes broke out across the city later in the day.
Ties to Jeffrey Epstein spurred another high-profile resignation. Joichi Ito, head of the MIT Media Lab, quit one day after a New Yorker article showed that the Lab had actively covered up contributions from the disgraced financier and hadn’t admitted to the full extent of the relationship.
Quartz Membership
Some 1.1 billion people around the globe smoke cigarettes. But more and more are ditching them—in the US, smoking has hit an all-time low—and that’s scary news for tobacco companies. Enter vaping—a $28 billion, nearly odorless, lifeline for the industry. Reporter Jenni Avins kicks off this week’s membership series on the vaping invasion with a state of play on how Big Tobacco and tech are reinventing smoking for the 21st century.
Quartz Obsession
Oodles of noodles. Born out of necessity in 1950s post-war Japan, instant noodles were once considered a luxury item. Now known as a cheap staple for college students or anyone trying to stretch a paycheck or prison commissary fund, instant noodles are one of the most popular packaged foods on the planet—and they’ve even been to space. The Quartz Obsession digs in.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation on the Quartz app!
We should just accept that climate change is inevitable. Doing so will help us to better prepare for ecological disasters.
Legacy college admissions have to end. They perpetuate inequality by helping families that are already successful.
Fashion weeks have lost their sense of purpose. Fast-fashion brands and Instagram gives us instant novelty.
Surprising discoveries
There’s a 40th-anniversary-edition Walkman, kind of. The screen of Sony’s new audio device mimics the turning of a cassette tape.
A sex-induced death is a workplace accident. A Paris court ruling on an incident that occurred after hours deemed the worker’s company responsible.
Scientists geolocated a Victorian-era butterfly. Researchers figured out the dusty specimen’s geographic origin by studying its genome.
Whales are dropping the pitch when they sing. Scientists have multiple theories as to why, but they all involve humans.
A map shows how a place has changed over 750 million years. Users can plug in a specific address or a more generalized location, and visualize changes over millennia.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, whale song recordings, and butterfly sightings 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 Adam Rasmi and Rashmee Roshan Lall.
From our sponsor: Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (DTC 042017 [OK1] and ICC17DTC in certain states, including NC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111-0001 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and may not be available in all states. In NY, Haven Term is DTC-NY 1017. In CA, Haven Term is DTC-CA 042017. Our Agency license number in California is OK71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.