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What to watch for today
The first Queen’s speech for more than two years. Elizabeth II’s address, which opens the new session of the UK parliament, outlines the government’s plans for life after Brexit. UK and EU negotiators are meeting again in Brussels.
The family of Harry Dunn are in the US. The parents of a British teenager allegedly killed in a road collision by Anne Sacoolas, an American intelligence official’s wife, say they’ll only take up her offer to meet if she agrees to return to the UK.
And the winner is… The Booker Prize announces which literary work takes home the prestigious award, and £50,000. Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments is the favorite among six contenders, including US author Lucy Ellman’s 1,000-page, one-sentence novel.
While you were sleeping
The Nobel prize for economic sciences has been announced. The joint winners are Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer, for their work in alleviating global poverty.
China’s president issued a rare threat. In Nepal, Xi Jinping said attempts to divide his country would lead to “bodies smashed and bones ground to powder,” likely a reference to Hong Kong protesters. Xi has yet to comment directly on the unrest.
The Kurds said Syria is now helping them against Turkey. Syria’s state media appeared to confirm the deployment of its forces to the northern border with Turkey, where the Turks have continued their assault on Kurdish territory vacated by the US.
Catalan separatist leaders have been sent to jail. Spain’s Supreme Court has sentenced nine politicians and activists to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition over their role in an independence referendum in 2017.
Japan has deployed 110,000 rescuers in the aftermath of a huge storm. Typhoon Hagibis made landfall Saturday, and at least 35 people died. The Rugby World Cup has continued, despite a few postponements.
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The iPhone has revolutionized the way humans communicate, and made Apple one of the wealthiest companies on the planet. But recently, its luster seems to have faded. Our new field guide this week, by Quartz technology editor Mike Murphy and reporters Ananya Bhattacharya and Adam Epstein, offers an in-depth examination of all the bets Apple is making, near- and long-term, to keep us buying its offerings of the brushed aluminum gadget.
Quartz Obsession
The cobra effect is a hell of good intentions. It’s a particularly brutal form of unintended consequences in which incentives to fix a problem only make the problem worse. The fail is so named because an attempt to eliminate actual cobras ended up with way more cobras, and while it’s not typically that freaky, it can get much worse. Survey the damage at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Thomas Edison’s greatest invention wasn’t the lightbulb. He created the worldview behind what we call R&D.
A carbon tax won’t stop climate change. Plans to address global warming that don’t deal with inequality are dead on arrival.
The US should ban dolphin shows. Big companies and other countries have already halted entertainment featuring the intelligent sea creatures.
Surprising discoveries
Researchers are laser mapping all of Earth’s land. The project will record cultural, geological, and environmental treasures at risk from climate crisis.
A pair of “Jesus shoes” are selling for $4,000. The Nike Air Max 97 sneakers, featuring Jordan River holy water blessed by a priest, are on resale for an ungodly sum.
California hotels are getting regular-size shampoo bottles. A new ban on the miniatures will reduce the number of single-use plastics.
The UK’s Royal Mint now offers a $23,000 payment card. Owners of the solid-gold offering won’t be charged foreign exchange and transaction fees.
Doodles in a NYC dive bar could be worth millions. Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara drew them on the walls of Niagara (after a few drinks) in 2009.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, shampoo refills, and laser maps 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 Hasit Shah.