Californian voters are deciding who’s boss

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Here’s what you need to know

California’s governor faces a recall. In a special election today, voters in the pandemic- and wildfire-hit economic powerhouse decide whether to kick Gavin Newsom out of office.

House Democrats unveiled plans for tax rises to pay for social security. Nothing on inheritance or generational wealth, but they propose higher corporate and income taxes.

Shares in a Chinese property giant took a dive. Evergrande is struggling to deal with debts of more than $300 billion, and a group of investors even staged a protest at its Shenzhen HQ.

The company that makes TurboTax software is buying Mailchimp for $12 billion. Intuit’s acquisition would expand its marketing and customer service offerings to small businesses.

A fake Walmart press release sent litecoin up 30%. It falsely claimed the retailer would accept the little-used cryptocurrency as payment.

The Great British Baking Show unveiled its 2021 lineup. Since its debut in 2010, the gentle contest has attracted a huge global audience on Netflix.

What to 🍎watch for

Apple is unveiling new hardware at its annual launch event. In another slickly produced, all-remote event, the luxury tech giant is expected to announce a new generation of iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods—although leaks and rumors suggest there won’t be too many dramatic design changes. The company is also expected to announce new software, and just yesterday, it fixed a significant security flaw in iMessage.

Today’s launch will be notable for what it will not include: Apple has delayed its plans to introduce a feature in its upcoming software updates that would scan users’ devices for child pornography. The company faced pushback from surveillance-wary users. Apple—which usually positions itself as the most privacy-friendly tech giant—may seek to shore up its privacy and security bona fides in other ways.

Israel’s Covid spike holds grim omens for other economies

On Aug. 31, Israel registered 11,000 new Covid-19 cases, the highest daily number since the pandemic began, even while 68% of the population had received at least one vaccine dose. Other governments worry their own countries may follow a similar pattern.

While not every population will be hit in exactly the same way, there are a few developments that are likely to occur:

🧒 New waves will affect more children. Until kids receive vaccinations, governments will have to make tricky decisions around keeping schools open amid new surges.

🙅 Lockdowns will be more political… The public appetite for strict curbs on freedoms has dwindled, particularly in areas with high vaccination rates that have regained some semblance of “normalcy.”

💉 …So countries will choose boosters over lockdowns. Meanwhile, developing countries will still be waiting to administer a sufficient number of first shots.

How cities are preparing for more extreme weather

Hurricane Nicholas has made landfall in Texas and Louisiana. In a record year for extreme weather events, floods have been among the most devastating, with more than 1,800 flood events across the world so far.

Here’s what cities are doing about it:

• Designing hard surfaces for better absorption—such as the “sponge city” concept popularized in China, which uses permeable materials for roads and sidewalks, as well as dedicated green spaces to absorb rainwater.
• Finding ways to retain and reuse excess stormwater. Rotterdam, for example, is using excess rainwater for water features in parks.
• Incorporating stormwater into local ecosystems by preserving and restoring natural wetlands, like New Orleans is doing.

Flooding isn’t the only natural disaster cities must contend with. The latest edition of The Forecast examines how they’re also preparing for heat, drought, and fire. ✦ The Forecast is a weekly email exclusively for Quartz members. Join today and get 40% off using code QZEMAIL40.

What we’re reading

🗣 Don’t panic when a job interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself.” There’s an easy formula for how to respond.

✈️ India’s oldest private airline is set to fly again. What’s different about Jet Airways 2.0?

😶 Microsoft may have found the answer to the “you’re on mute” problem. It’ll make video calling more like speaking with a walkie-talkie.

💸 Nigeria’s central bank denies it is threatening to seize foreign currencies. Account holders’ dollars and pounds will not be converted to naira.

🛍 Get your holiday shopping done early this year. Retailers are expecting weeks—or even months—of delays.

🎾 Emma Raducanu will bring home $2.5 million for her US Open win. That’s more than eight times the $303,000 she’d earned in her career to date.

Surprising discoveries

Karl Lagerfield’s cat was among the 1%. The late fashion designer’s estate auction will feature paraphernalia belonging to Choupette, who dined on caviar and traveled by private jet.

Ola’s new factory will be run entirely by women. The Indian ride-hailing giant is attempting to shift the gender imbalance in manufacturing.

Last month’s NYC subway stoppage was due to one errant button touch. Five hours stuck underground does not a happy New Yorker make.

Cows can be toilet-trained… Capturing even a fraction of their urine will help reduce greenhouse emissions and waterway pollution.

…And ravers can be turned into an energy source. One club in Glasgow, Scotland, will trap the body heat of its clientele to use in cold months.

Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, actual fatcats, and toilet-trained cows 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 Hasit Shah, Nicolás Rivero, Samanth Subramanian, Camille Squires, Liz Webber, and Susan Howson.