Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
A Scottish court rules on a Brexit extension letter. Judges are expected to give their decision this morning on whether a court can send a letter to the EU on behalf of the government, if prime minister Boris Johnson fails to do so, asking for a delay if no deal is struck by Oct. 19. However, the court has hinted it could suspend the hearing until Oct. 21.
The EU’s finance ministers gather in Luxembourg. A discussion paper prepared for the meeting is expected to say that euro zone economic activity will not rebound this year, and to call for preemptive fiscal stimulus. They will also discuss how to fund a €17.5 billion ($19.2 billion) budget for investment over seven years.
The Nobel Prize in chemistry. 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. The live stream of announcements can be watched here.
While you were sleeping
Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $8 billion in punitive damages. A Philadelphia jury ruled against a subsidiary of the health care company, saying it had failed to warn that young men using its antipsychotic drug Risperdal could grow breasts. There are thousands of similar cases pending in the state.
Ecuador’s protesters stormed the parliament. Thousands of demonstrators converged on the capital of Quito as they continued to demand an end to austerity and the return of fuel subsidies, with one group briefly charging into the National Assembly before being driven back by security forces.
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, the president’s legal counsel Pat Cipollone declared that Trump “cannot permit his Administration to participate” in the probe.
The US sanctioned Chinese officials for Xinjiang abuses.
The State Department
on Chinese officials suspected of being involved in human rights abuses of Uighurs and other minority groups.
It follows the commerce department’s
blacklisting of 28 Chinese entities on Monday
.
Turkey prepared to attack Kurdish fighters in Syria. Vice president Fuat Oktay said he won’t be “controlled by threats” from the US and will go ahead with plans to strike Kurdish forces. The head of a US-trained Kurdish militia vowed to fight back.
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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
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Chefs should own their signature dishes, not the restaurant. But because the US doesn’t copyright recipes, cooks have to navigate murky legal waters.
Automation can help fight climate change. Efficiency savings could cut carbon emissions, but only if we can manage our consumption.
The NBA needs to choose between China and its values. On the line is a $4 billion market, which it has spent years building.
Surprising discoveries
Pirate radios used by Indonesia fishermen are disrupting airplanes. Pilots complain that the radio waves could disrupt their aircraft’s landing.
Nickelback’s “Photograph” saw a 569% surge in downloads. It’s all thanks to Trump’s copyright-infringing tweet featuring a doctored clip of the music video.
Brown Teslas lose their value the quickest. The color is most likely to be discounted on the used Model S market.
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 written by Mary Hui and edited by Isabella Steger.