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At least 90 Afghans and 13 US troops were killed outside the Kabul airport. Two explosions were carried out by suicide bombers; US officials blamed Islamic State’s regional affiliate. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said.
The US Supreme Court overturned a moratorium on evictions. The moratorium had protected hundreds of thousands of tenants through the pandemic, but they now run the risk of being turned out of their houses if they are unable to make rent.
Japan suspended 1.6 million doses of Moderna. Multiple vaccination sites reported contamination in unused vials, raising concerns about a jab shortage in the midst of a Covid surge.
The biggest Chinese tech firms may not be able to list in the US any more. China is planning to ban tech companies holding large troves of user-related data from going public in the US—a way to control foreign investment in a sensitive sector.
Axel Springer is buying Politico for a reported $1 billion. The German publisher will acquire Politico Europe and the tech news site Protocol in the deal, which is expected to close by the end of 2021.
TSMC is reportedly raising chip prices by as much as 20%. Analysts say the move will allow the world’s largest chipmaker to invest in greater capacity, as automakers and electronics manufacturers deal with a worldwide chip shortage.
What to watch for
US Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell delivers a big speech at 10am eastern time today for the virtual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium. Even for someone whose every word is scrutinized, today’s remarks will be carefully watched.
Last year, Powell rolled out a new approach to managing the economy, to finally deliver on the central bank’s mandate of stable prices and maximum employment. This year, the ongoing pandemic has tested the Fed’s commitment, as US prices rose faster than the central bank forecast. But unemployment remains high, leaving Powell with a fine line to walk to maintain monetary policy that will continue to boost recovery. The spread of the Delta variant may stall growth, but it also takes some pressure off Powell by providing an excuse to delay plans to slow the Fed’s purchases of financial assets.
Charting the cities most prepared for climate change
For the first time this year, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cities Index added environmental security as its own separate category, as researchers recognized climate adaptation as a critical part of urban safety.
Researchers evaluated cities in two categories of data: inputs, like a place’s sustainability master plan, renewable energy incentives, and waste management systems, as well as outputs, such as air quality, urban forest cover, and water stress. They found most cities had large gaps between inputs and outputs—that is, lots of plans, but so far fewer concrete results to show for them.
A lexicon of China’s tech crackdown jargon
China’s regulatory crackdown has its own lingo. Here are a few of the most widely used terms that explain the political ideas and economic concerns that are driving Beijing to unleash measures that have upended the lives of millions, both in China and beyond its borders:
Common prosperity (共同富裕 gong tong fu yu): Simply put, it’s a bleak message to China’s wealthy elite: It’s time to redistribute their fortunes.
Double reduction (双减, shuang jian): The “double” refers to the effort to reduce both work and pressure on children coming from public schools, but also the time children spend on after-school studies at private institutions.
Savage growth (野蛮生长, ye man sheng zhang): This term is the Party’s clear warning to its tech giants: The freewheeling period under which the firms flourished thanks to relatively light regulation from the government is over.
Keep up with all of Beijing’s latest moves with Quartz’s Because China Obsession. Our coverage is made possible by support from our readers—subscribe today and get 40% off with the code QZEMAIL40.
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Surprising discoveries
The US may have a new top secret space weapon. It’s more likely to be a communications jammer than an anti-satellite missile.
To avoid harassment, some female hummingbirds sport male plumage. Female white-necked Jacobins are less likely to get pecked if they have blue feathers instead of green.
Liquid Death Mountain Water painted 100 skateboards using Tony Hawk’s blood. Did Lil Nas X start a trend?
A remarkably intact pterosaur fossil was recovered in a police raid. The 113 million year old specimen even contains preserved soft tissue.
Harvard University’s new chief chaplain is an atheist. With students increasingly identifying as spiritual but not religious, it’s not as strange as it seems.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, pterosaur fossils, and female hummingbirds who could use a break to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our iOS app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Camille Squires, Mary Hui, Annaliese Griffin, Liz Webber, and Samanth Subramanian.