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The EU holds a summit. Leaders of 27 countries will gather—in person—for two days to hammer out the details of an economic recovery package, as the bloc remains divided between the wealthier, frugal northern countries, and the southern countries hardest hit by the pandemic. On the table is a €750 billion ($850 billion) fund that includes common debt, which could be distributed as loans and grants to the governments that need money the most.
Syrians go to the polls. The parliamentary elections, to take place Sunday in the 70% of the country currently being held by government forces, are the third since the civil war broke out in 2011. The ruling Baath party is all but guaranteed to make a sweep, though hundreds of candidates are running on pledges of tackling economic woes worsened by the coronavirus.
Protests continue in Russia’s Far East. Residents of Khabarovsk region will take to the streets again, after unusual large-scale demonstrations broke out last week over the arrest of popular governor Sergei Furgal. The protests are seen as a direct challenge to the Kremlin, coming shortly after president Vladimir Putin won a mandate to rule until 2036.
The US set a new record for daily Covid-19 cases. It reported over 77,000 new cases yesterday, while the number of deaths was the highest since early June. As cases spike around the country, states such as Texas and Arizona are running out of space to store bodies.
The FBI is investigating a serious Twitter hack. The federal agency, as well as New York state, is looking into yesterday’s hack of about 130 prominent accounts, including Barack Obama’s. Members of Congress are also pushing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to explain the serious security breach. Separately, attorney general Bill Barr took Hollywood and tech giants such as Apple and Google to task over censorship and other actions businesses take to continue operating in China.
Charting Americans’ final wishes
The US funeral home industry, like all businesses these days, has had to adapt to the pandemic. And the handling of bodies has evolved, too: “We have seen an increase in cremation instead of burials since Covid happened,” says Dutch Nie, a spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association. But this uptick isn’t strictly a reflection of the pandemic: It falls in line with a trend that began in 2015, and will likely continue.
✦ For members: How to build an anti-racist company
As Black Lives Matter protests prompt organizations around the world to rethink the way they do business, here are some ideas on how to combat injustice:
- Diversity programs aren’t working. Many businesses facing criticism for racist practices have long pledged to devote themselves to change. Clearly, those efforts have failed.
- Go back to the business model. Can corporate diversity alone repair harms like small-business discrimination, predatory lending, and the spread of racist narratives?
- Values don’t know borders. Consumers expect multinationals to live up to their principles wherever they do business.
- It’s an ongoing struggle. South Africa’s worsening income inequality offers a case study in the danger of pursuing non-racialism over anti-racist policies.
✦ To learn more about what it means to create an anti-racist company sign up for a free seven-day Quartz membership.
You Asked about face masks
What are the characteristics of the most effective face mask to protect against COVID 19? —Sallie
Sadly this is still a relevant question as major countries including the US, Brazil, and India, continue to see rising numbers of infections. One way of thinking about it is that the best mask is the one that you actually wear. Writing in the New Yorker, public health expert Atul Gawande referenced a study showing that “if at least sixty percent of the population wore masks that were just sixty-percent effective…the epidemic could be stopped.”
But you asked about the best. So here’s a rundown of what the different masks on the market can do to help protect you and others.
- Cloth masks help protect others from your outgoing germs, but they don’t protect well against incoming germs (especially when the fabric is damp).
- Medical-grade surgical masks are made from melted, synthetic fibers shaped into an extremely fine web. They can keep medical workers from infecting others, but don’t provide as much protection from infection as…
- N95 respirators, which are designed to fit so they form a seal around the nose and mouth. The 95 means they can block at least 95% of incoming particles as small as 0.3 microns.
- KN95 respirators are similar to an N95, but they meet slightly different specifications set by the Chinese government.
Surprising discoveries
Zappos will sell you just one shoe. A pilot program hopes to serve those who wear prosthetics or have two different-sized feet.
Ikea’s newest designer is a dog. Mr. Chuck, an Instagram-famous mini dachshund, contributed to a collection of activity kits.
No more trick-or-treating at the yakuza’s offices. The Yamaguchi-gumi crime syndicate may be barred from giving candy to minors in Japan.
Weed is growing outside Mexico’s senate building. Hundreds of marijuana plants have sprung up after pro-legalization groups sowed seeds in a park.
Barcelona is forcing landlords to fill empty apartments. Properties could be seized and rented out as public housing if company landlords don’t place tenants in them.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, mismatched moccasins, and Barcelona apartment vacancies to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Isabella Steger, Tripti Lahiri, Liz Webber, Katherine Ellen Foley, Amanda Shendruk, and Max Lockie.