Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Astronauts set to make the first all-female spacewalk. After a controversial lack of spacesuits for women scuttled a planned outing in March, NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir are set to make a historic spacewalk outside the International Space Station today.
“Super Saturday” showdown on Brexit. The British parliament is gathering for a Saturday session, the first since 1982, to vote on a last-minute Brexit deal with the European Union. Prime minister Boris Johnson’s Northern Irish allies are expected to oppose the deal, casting its success in serious jeopardy.
Thousands plan to run in highly-polluted New Delhi. A half marathon is still scheduled for Sunday just days after the Indian capital’s air quality was downgraded to “very poor.” The government has recently enacted new measures to fend off the worsening air pollution.
While you were sleeping
“Is that the internet we want?” In a speech on free expression at Georgetown University, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed his attempts to bring the social network to China—and criticized censorship of Hong Kong content on rival app TikTok.
IMF praises cooler US-China relations. The International Monetary Fund is optimistic about the partial trade deal reached between the two countries this week—while China called on the US to cancel all tariffs ahead of any final agreement.
Turkey to pause its Syria offensive. After a meeting with Turkey’s president Erdogan, US vice president Mike Pence announced that Ankara’s military campaign in northern Syria will stop for five days while Kurdish forces retreat outside a “safe zone.”
HBO Max nabs the Studio Ghibli catalog. Iconic films such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away will be available digitally for the first time outside Japan when the HBO Max streaming service launches in 2020.
Aramco delays its IPO… again. The recent attack on Saudi oil infrastructure has led the state-owned energy company to further delay a long-planned IPO until at least its next quarterly earnings statement, the Financial Times reports (paywall).
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Why are Americans apologizing for supporting democracy in Hong Kong? A culture of hard-line nationalism has combined with growing social media and consumer activism to create a situation where even an off-hand mention of “freedom” can “hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.” The latest episode of Because China explains how China is reshaping the world.
Quartz Obsession
Vaping was on fire. Now it’s under fire. A rise in teen e-cigarette use and an outbreak of lung injuries and deaths has state and local governments cracking down on vaping. Could changing the pH of vape juice, or a newer technology called heated tobacco products, keep it from being blown away? Take a deep breath and head to the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Disruptive climate change protests make sense. Extinction Rebellion isn’t necessarily trying to win hearts and minds, they’re going for results.
We are what we own. When lives become increasingly digitized, people turn to physical possessions for affirmation of our individual identities.
Google and Facebook are destroying democracy. The decoupling of advertising revenue from journalism is at the root of the fake news crisis.
Surprising discoveries
Faster than Usain Bolt. The Saharan silver ant is the fastest ant in the world, with more than 10 times the Jamaican legend’s stride rate.
America’s last line of defense is no match for a bird. A US Navy “doomsday” plane was grounded with over $2 million of damage after hitting a bird.
Any fingerprint can unlock Samsung’s flagship phone. The Korean multinational says it is rolling out a software patch that should fix the security flaw.
Indians are learning English through TikTok. New EduTok videos use small local celebrities to help teach users English phrases and vocabulary.
Dublin is heaven for vegans. The Irish capital is home to the world’s highest proportion of vegan-friendly restaurants.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, birds of peace, and vegan treats 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 Patrick deHahn and Max Lockie.