Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Xi Jinping visits India. The Chinese president’s trip to New Delhi follows a meeting in Beijing Tuesday with Pakistani PM Imran Khan. Xi is expected to urge both countries to resolve their dispute over Kashmir through bilateral meetings—a shift from China’s earlier stance that India and Pakistan should abide by UN resolutions.
Japanese tourists take a tense vacation to Russian-held islands. About 50 citizens—some government officials and some members of the public—set off for an experimental sightseeing trip to four islands that the Soviet Union seized at the end of World War II. Officials hope the visit will pave the way for larger-scale tourism next year.
Chemists win the Nobel Prize. Informal online polls have John B. Goodenough and collaborators who helped develop lithium-ion batteries as the favorites—but don’t count out CRISPR developers Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier, and Yoshizumi Ishino.
While you were sleeping
Donald Tusk slammed Boris Johnson. The European Council president chided Johnson for treating Brexit negotiations as a “stupid blame game” and reminded him that “the future of Europe and the UK” are at stake. Meanwhile, the BBC reports that Johnson’s office now sees a Brexit deal as “essentially impossible” after a call from German chancellor Angela Merkel.
Donald Trump stonewalled the impeachment inquiry. The White House refused to turn over documents requested by congressional investigators, and ordered a US ambassador not to testify at a scheduled hearing. In a defiant letter, White House counsel Pat Cipollone declared that Trump “cannot permit his Administration to participate” in the probe.
Italy’s parliament downsized. The anti-establishment 5 Star movement pushed through a law that cuts the size of the lower house from 630 to 400 members and the upper house from 315 to 200. Proponents say a leaner legislature will save taxpayers as much as €100 million ($110 million) per year and reduce corruption.
Turkey prepared to attack Kurdish fighters in Syria. Vice president Fuat Oktay said Turkey won’t be “controlled by threats” from the US and will go ahead with its plans to strike Kurdish forces. The head of a US-trained Kurdish militia vowed to fight back, while the Turkish military tweeted that its battle preparations “had been completed.”
The US sanctioned Chinese officials for detaining Muslims. The state department slapped visa restrictions on government and communist party officials “believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detention or abuse of Uighurs, Kazakhs, or other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.” On Monday, the commerce department blacklisted 28 Chinese companies.
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War is inextricable from the place it’s fought. Cadets still walk battlefields to learn how commanders harnessed geography for their side. The fields of the future will be just as important, but they’ll be shaped by technology that allows soldiers to strike targets from thousands of miles away, to soar overhead using autonomous drones, or even leave the atmosphere behind entirely. Join Quartz reporter Daniel Wolfe as he asks where the battles will be fought in the future of war.
Quartz Obsession
Bachelorette parties are a relatively new pre-wedding ritual. Called “hen dos” in the UK, they’ve evolved from a wild night out to elaborate, pricey weekend-long affairs. Why is one last blow-out with the girls so important? The Quartz Obsession dons a “Bride Tribe” t-shirt and investigates.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation on the Quartz app!
Losing our privacy isn’t inevitable. Big Tech relies on Americans’ respect for “progress” sell new devices they don’t need.
Automation can help fight climate change. The fourth industrial revolution could cut carbon emissions, but only if it’s done the right way.
The NBA needs to choose between China and its values. Otherwise decades spent building a $4-billion market could be for naught.
Surprising discoveries
Putin’s latest photoshoot dropped. This time the Russian president chilled in a forest setting, among flowers, and, casually, on rocks.
Don’t buy a brown Tesla. Just because the color was difficult to find, doesn’t mean it’ll resell well.
Finally, a ski-slope/power-plant hybrid. It’s for recreation, it’s for education—it’s key to Denmark’s carbon-neutral plan.
Diamonds have gone meta. The “Russian nesting doll diamond” is one precious gem within another.
You’re not hearing things. The world is getting louder, and your body is taking notice.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, diamonds within diamonds, and then more diamonds within those diamonds 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 Susan Howson and Nicolás Rivero.