Good morning, Quartz readers!
Here’s what you need to know
Protests are spreading across the US again. With the presidential election just over three months away, Donald Trump called demonstrators “radical anarchists” after weekend clashes with police and anonymous federal agents in Seattle, Oakland, and other locations.
Republicans unveil their relief package. They propose a trillion-dollar bill today, which is expected to include another $1,200 stimulus check for Americans, an extension of the eviction moratorium, and additional funding for testing and contact tracing.
The US vacated its consulate in Chengdu. China had ordered its closure in response to its own diplomats’ eviction from Houston last week. Relations between the world’s two biggest economies are at their lowest ebb for decades.
HSBC denied assisting US authorities to capture a Huawei executive. The London-based bank had been accused (paywall) of colluding in the arrest in Canada of the company’s CFO Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei. She is still awaiting extradition.
What to watch for
Monday: Huawei begins its four-day “Better World Summit.”
Tuesday: The EU makes an announcement on export controls to Hong Kong.
Wednesday: The hajj begins, but only a limited number of people already in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to participate.
Thursday: The US reports its second-quarter GDP, which is expected to contract by an unprecedented 33%.
Friday: Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is scheduled to testify before Congress.
Charting the wealth of tech CEOs
Even among tech titans, wealth inequality is rampant. Quartz looked into how much wealth will be in the virtual room when the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google—all set to release earnings this week—appear before the US House antitrust subcommittee this week. It turns out the four men were worth a collective $265.8 billion on July 23, but some are more equal than others.
✦ For members: A long overdue overhaul to elder care
The lessons learned from the battle against Covid-19, and the universal anguish and outrage over how the disaster unfolded, may mean that senior housing could become much safer, more enriching, more equitable, and better understood. Read more in our guide to fixing elder care.
✦ Access all of our articles, presentations, field guides, and workshops by signing up for a Quartz membership.
Surprising discoveries
A piece of Mars is heading home. NASA’s Perseverance robot will carry a meteorite that’s been in London’s Natural History Museum.
A Chinese spy used LinkedIn to lure targets. The Singaporean man set up a fake consulting firm and used the professional networking site to harvest CVs.
NBA will project fans into empty game arena. They will appear courtside on giant video screens.
A Tesla designer built a better chocolate chip. He says the new chip’s flattened diamond-like shape makes it tastier in cookies.
An American official shaved off his mustache for diplomacy. US ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris’ facial hair had been accused of colonialism.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, mustache wax, and fan holograms 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 Hasit Shah, Lila MacLellan, Jackie Bischof, Nicolás Rivero, and Liz Webber.