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EU leaders make a final push for a recovery deal. A marathon summit that started on Friday and ran through the weekend failed to resolve key divisions between member states, who are at odds over the details of a €1.85 trillion ($2.1 trillion) relief fund. European Council president Charles Michel said he hopes to break the impasse today.
The UK accused China of human rights abuses. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said China had carried out “gross and egregious” abuses against the Uyghur ethnic minority, and Parliament must now discuss the issue after a petition calling for sanctions on China collected enough signatures. Raab is also expected to announce the suspension of the UK’s extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Meanwhile, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo begins his London visit today to discuss trade and China.
Mass protests hit Russia’s Far East… Tens of thousands took to the streets of Khabarovsk on Saturday to rally against the arrest of a popular local governor, in a show of growing discontent with the Kremlin in the region. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters in Minsk rallied against the Belarusian government yesterday, which last week barred opposition candidates from contesting in next month’s presidential elections.
…and demonstrators rallied in Bangkok. In one of the largest street demonstrations since the 2014 military coup, thousands of Thais demanded the resignation of the government, amendments to the military-written constitution, and an end to the harassment of government critics.
AstraZeneca publishes early-stage trial data for its Covid-19 vaccine. Results of Phase I tests of the vaccine, jointly developed by the pharmaceutical firm and the University of Oxford, will show whether it is safe and whether or not it induces an immune response to the coronavirus.
What to watch for
Monday: Thousands of US workers are expected to take part in “Strike for Black Lives” to protest systemic racism.
Tuesday: AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Moderna, and Pfizer testify before the US House Committee of Energy and Commerce on their Covid-19 vaccine development efforts.
Wednesday: Top Indian Air Force commanders hold a two-day conference to discuss the India-China border situation. Pompeo visits Denmark, with China’s treatment of Hong Kong high on the agenda.
Thursday: China is set to launch the Long March 5 rocket, which will carry the country’s first Mars probe mission.
Friday: Kanye West might be dropping a new album titled Donda, according to a short-lived Twitter announcement from the rapper. The euro zone, Germany, UK, and France publish data on services and manufacturing activity for July.
Charting who’s working from home
The ability to work remotely has become a make-or-break factor for many workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Unless their jobs are deemed essential, people who can’t telework face a much higher possibility of cutbacks in hours or pay, temporary furloughs, or permanent layoffs. Younger workers are less likely to be able to work from home, according to an analysis by IMF economists, as are women and less-educated workers.
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“Instead of investing in keeping people out, let’s invest in keeping people in.”—Joseph Kenner, CEO of the Greyston Foundation.
Greyston Bakery, which supplies the brownies for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, is a pioneer of “open hiring”—a recruiting approach that does away with questions about an employee’s prior education, experience, or criminal record. “There’s no interview, no questions asked. We don’t do background checks, drug tests—you show up for your first day of orientation, that is your first day on the job,” says Kenner.
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Surprising discoveries
A Swedish island is fighting coronavirus with knights. They will patrol popular spots on horseback to remind vacationers to behave responsibly.
The US military is recruiting on Twitch. They’re using the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform to connect with young gamers.
An app can track your mental health via your phone usage. It gauges users’ emotions by analyzing factors such as voice, keystrokes, and amount of sleep.
Astrophysicists unveiled the largest-ever 3D map of the universe. It’s the product of a joint effort of hundreds of researchers around the world, who analysed several million galaxies and quasars.
Sculptural foods subvert our expectations. The “cake meme” upends how humans categorize information about the world, often leading to a spike in stress hormones.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, 3D cosmos maps, or public health knights 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 Mary Hui, Isabella Steger, Marc Bain, Walter Frick, Karen Ho, and Jackie Bischof.