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What to watch for today
The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator returns to Brussels.
French leader Emmanuel Macron has given prime minister Boris Johnson
to overhaul his Brexit plan—the bloc said his proposals last week
for a binding treaty. And a Scottish court is set to
asking what penalties Johnson will face if he doesn’t seek a Brexit delay if no deal is reached by Oct. 19.
Extinction Rebellion protests begin. A two-week long civil disobedience campaign in dozens of cities around the world kicks off as climate activists demand urgent government action to stave off an environmental apocalypse.
China and the US resume trade talks. Deputies from both countries will meet today in Washington DC ahead of discussions between top officials on Thursday and Friday, just a week before threatened US tariffs on Chinese goods are set to increase.
Nobel Prizes on deck. First up is the prize in medicine or physiology. Scientists who made discoveries leading to new treatments for breast cancer and hepatitis C are among the favorites.
Over the weekend
Talks between the US and North Korea failed. Or did they? While North Korean envoys said discussions broke down because the US “brought nothing to the negotiation table,” the US side was more sanguine.
The UN called for a probe into Hong Kong violence. Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called for an independent inquiry after two teenagers and a journalist were injured in the protests last week. Much of the city’s subway system was shut over the weekend, but thousands took to the streets anyway in defiance of the new anti-mask law.
Another whistleblower came forward. The attorney representing the first whistleblower over the White House’s call with Ukraine says a second person with knowledge of the allegations has spoken with the inspector general.
Portugal’s Socialists held on to power. Incumbent prime minister António Costa and his party won the general election, bucking the trend of the rise of far-right populist forces seen elsewhere on the continent. It remains short of an outright majority, and discussions begin today to form a government.
The death toll in Iraq’s protests surpassed 100. At least 25 were killed over the weekend in clashes Baghdad with security forces as weeks of anti-government demonstrations continued. Yesterday’s violence erupted just hours after the government announced a raft of socioeconomic reforms.
Quartz Obsession
The koi fish is increasingly fashionable. Over the past century, the fancy carp have been bred for glamour, leading to beauty contests and big business. A starter koi can cost from $50 to $500, but a prize koi can go into the millions (and outlive you). If that sounds like too much money or effort, koi tattoos are chic, too. Dive in at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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GDP is not a measure of human wellbeing. Modern economies need a better measure of welfare, like an ease-of-living index.
No one wants to fly commercial airplanes without pilots. Autonomous flights make sense—but only if passengers accept them.
Women should learn to self-promote like a politician. The tendency to count themselves out of the running before they’ve ever taken a step is holding women back.
Surprising discoveries
A women’s underwear company wants us to imagine men having periods. It’s part of a national campaign by Thinx to tell people about menstruation underwear.
Giant pigs might solve China’s pork shortage. An enterprising farmer thinks breeding gargantuan pigs could increase supply and bring heftier profits.
A travel guru is imposing a carbon tax on himself.
Rick Steves encouraged millions of Americans to travel and is now
reckoning with his cost to the environment
.
The NBA had to apologize for hurting Chinese feelings. The apology came after a Houston Rockets manager tweeted in support of the Hong Kong protests.
It’s been 10 years since the swine flu pandemic. The outbreak sent many to pharmacies for flu shots, forever changing how we are vaccinated.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, political basketball, and underwear 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 Mary Hui and edited by Tripti Lahiri.