Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Obama travels to Poland for the NATO summit. The Warsaw meeting will be a test of the alliance’s unity after the UK’s vote to leave the EU. Obama will meet also with Polish president Andrzej Duda about the state of Poland’s democracy, and with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko.
China releases foreign reserves numbers. Investors will be looking for signs of anxiety about the country’s weak economy and fallout from the Brexit vote. The yuan has been on a losing streak, and reserves are expected to fall to the lowest level since 2011.
Samsung turns a corner. Boosted by the much-needed success of its Galaxy S7 smartphone, the South Korean giant is expected to announce higher sales and new investments in OLED screens and other components. Pepsi also reports quarterly results.
While you were sleeping
The US was shaken by another police shooting. Federal prosecutors are investigating the killing of Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, who was shot by two police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The incident, which was caught on multiple cameras, sparked protests and widespread outrage.
A former Fox News anchor sued network boss Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. Longtime ”Fox & Friends” host Gretchen Carlson said Ailes made “sexually charged comments” to Carlson and terminated her contract after she refused his advances. Ailes has not commented on the accusations.
An unrepentant Tony Blair was chided over the Iraq war. The long-running Chilcot inquiry concluded that Saddam Hussein posed no imminent threat when the US and UK invaded, and revealed a note from Blair to George W. Bush promising: “I will be with you, whatever.”
The Federal Reserve was right to be nervous about Brexit. Newly unveiled minutes showed that the US central bank decided in June to postpone an interest rate hike because of uncertainty about the UK vote to leave the European Union. Higher rates this year are now in doubt.
Obama delayed a troop reduction in Afghanistan. The US president, who campaigned in 2008 on bringing US forces home, said he would keep 8,400 troops there until 2017, when his successor takes office. The Taliban holds more Afghan territory than at any point since the US invaded in 2001.
Quartz obsession interlude
Oliver Staley on how Lionel Messi avoided taxes by exploiting a basic human right: “The laws governing the rights to one’s image vary from country to country (and in the US, from state to state) but they’re rooted in the concept of a right to privacy, which includes the right to control one’s identity and image.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
A work-free world might not be so bad. Fears of an idle, robot-powered society are a relic of our current mindset.
Big Food is struggling in an artisanal world. Faced with consumers who want healthier, less processed food, companies are manufacturing authenticity on social media.
A drug company is gouging people with deadly allergies. Patients are turning to syringes instead of expensive EpiPens.
Surprising discoveries
The US military is creating an army of insects. Bomb-sniffing locusts with implanted electrodes are about a year away.
An Ohio airline is offering “Mile High Club” flights. For $495, couples can have an hour of romance on Flamingo Air.
Neuroscientists say multitasking literally drains your energy. Try carving out different times for specific activities instead.
Like grumpy old men, monkeys get less social with age. Elderly macaques have fewer friends and spend less time on social interactions.
In Vancouver, single women can have solo weddings. The symbolic ceremonies celebrate independence and commitment (to oneself).
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, grouchy monkeys, and solo wedding invitations to hi@qz.com. You can download our iPhone app or follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day.