Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The former US special envoy to Ukraine testifies. Kurt Volker resigned last Friday following mentions in the as-yet-unnamed whistleblower’s complaint about a call between presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. Having removed himself from the post, he could prove much more candid in the information he gives as part of the House impeachment inquiry.
A historic storm aims for Ireland. Lorenzo’s erratic behavior—including two periods of sudden intensification and an unlikely path in the northern Atlantic—has made it a record-breaker. Western Ireland is bracing against expected 62–80 mph (100–130 kmph) winds.
Cambodian journalists receive a verdict. Yeang Sothearin and Uon Chhin, both former employees of Radio Free Asia, have been held on charges of espionage and creating pornography. The Cambodian government had threatened that any RFA staff still operating after the local bureau shut down in 2017 would be charged as spies, but the two insist they’re innocent.
The India Economic Summit 2018. Lasting through Friday in New Delhi, the conference features a session on the region’s digital revolution in partnership with Quartz India. Moderated by Quartz editor Diksha Madhok, the panel speakers include Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani, Wipro chairman Rishad Premji, and Heng Swee Keat, the deputy prime minister of Singapore. Watch the livestream here.
While you were sleeping
Iraqi protests claimed more lives. Three civilians and one police officer were killed in Nasiriyah, following two deaths—one in Nasiriyah and one in Baghdad—the previous day. Protesters demonstrating widespread unemployment and the corruption of prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s government were met with tear gas and live ammunition.
Boris Johnson revealed his Brexit plan. Under the British PM’s proposal, Northern Ireland would leave the European customs union after a four-year transition period, necessitating a border with customs checkpoints across Ireland. The EU balked at the offer as the Brexit deadline looms ever closer.
Vladimir Putin made a dig at Greta Thunberg. The 66-year-old Russian president swiped at the 16-year-old climate activist, remarking that “no one has explained to Greta that the modern world is complex.” Putin is the latest in a long line of powerful men who have reached for a familiar playbook to discredit Thunberg’s call to action.
Microsoft flaunted its latest devices. While taking a few jeering swipes at MacBooks, Microsoft showed off a new line of Surface laptops, which, it says, are faster and better suited for work. The company also jumped onto the wireless earbud bandwagon and teased an upcoming folding-screen tablet and phone.
US stocks embraced the fall season. The S&P 500 dove 3.5% from Monday to Tuesday, and the Nasdaq and Dow Jones Industrial Average saw similar drops for the second day in a row. The culprits made up a critical mass of concerns—a gloomy outlook for manufacturing, slowing stock buybacks, trade war worries, and impeachment jitters all likely contributed.
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As past-their-prime airports are abandoned, what should—or can—be done with the unique spaces and buildings left behind? Santa Monica Airport near Los Angeles will be closing in 2028, with residents hoping to see the space turned into a park. Aero-philes in in Montreal weren’t so lucky; Mirabel Airport was demolished in 2014. But from Berlin to Hong Kong, it’s a question on more lips than you might imagine. Quartz’s Natasha Frost takes a look at the new adventures of old airports as part of this week’s airline industry field guide.
Quartz Obsession
The census is more than a count: it’s civilization. It’s one of the first steps for a new country. It taught us how to quantify society. It reflects how economies and people change. And, crucially, it tells us just how big Burning Man is. But in the future, will we really need them? See what the survey says at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Logistics are more glamorous than glamour. Smooth operations trump stunning design when it comes to keeping a brand afloat.
Fanfiction is the best writing education. Young authors grow quickly among a supportive community of reviewers, critics, and peers.
Flight shame will stall airlines’ growth. Guilt-ridden passengers are placing conscience ahead of convenience and searching for alternatives to air travel.
Surprising discoveries
Horrible bosses follow a saboteur playbook. A declassified spy manual shows how the US planned to use uncooperative coworkers to take down Nazis.
Scientists have busted a ghost particle’s mystery. The neutrino traveled 3.8 billion light years from a galaxy with two supermassive black holes before zapping Antarctica.
Kalashnikov drones will guard endangered leopards. Would-be Amur leopard poachers will have to tangle with a kamikaze killing machine.
The actually sad are overshadowed by “sadfishers.” British headmasters say their students make “exaggerated claims about their emotional problems to generate sympathy.”
Instagram is the new book. More than 300,000 readers have tapped through classics on the New York Public Library’s Instagram story.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, sympathy likes, and Daily Brief fanfiction 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 Nicolás Rivero and Susan Howson.