Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
An ongoing investigation into the killing of police officers at a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas. Snipers took aim at a group of 10 officers, killing at least four and injuring others. The demonstrators had gathered to protest the fatal shootings of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota.
NATO leaders meet in Warsaw for two days. High on the agenda will be dealing with a newly aggressive Russia and bolstering security in eastern Europe and the Baltic. The military alliance is expected to approve the deployment of thousands of troops in Poland and Baltic countries.
Twitchy investors eye the US jobs report. The June unemployment data will take on even more importance in the wake of the UK’s Brexit vote, especially after an unexpectedly anemic jobs report in May. The numbers are certain to play a big role in the Fed’s consideration of an interest rate hike.
Japan’s parliamentary elections on Sunday. Prime minister Shinzo Abe is trying to win a super-majority in the legislature’s upper house, which could aid his goal of amending the constitution (to lift restrictions on Japan’s military, among other things). The Japanese Communist Party is also expected to win new seats.
While you were sleeping
Super-typhoon Nepartak slammed into eastern Taiwan. The Category 5 storm made landfall shortly before 6am local time, packing winds of 234 km/h (145 mph). The storm flipped over cars, forced evacuations, and closed schools, offices, and financial markets in Taiwan. It’s expected to reach mainland China Saturday morning.
Minnesota’s governor acknowledged racism caused a fatal shooting by police. “All of us in Minnesota are forced to confront that this kind of racism exists,” Mark Dayton said of the killing of Philando Castile yesterday by a police officer. Protests outside of Dayton’s office were part of a huge swell of outrage against the disproportionate killing of black men by police.
The ringleader of Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment resigned. Eduardo Cunha, who accused Rousseff of violating fiscal laws, stepped down as speaker of Brazil’s lower house of congress amid accusations of corruption and obstruction of justice. He kept his legislative seat (for now), which shields him from prosecution.
The US and South Korea agreed to deploy a missile defense system. In a joint statement officials said it would be operational by the end of next year, and would be used only to protect against North Korean nuclear and missile threats. China objected to the move.
Quartz markets haiku
Like a free diver
Kicking blindly through the deep
Yield on the T-note
Quartz obsession interlude
Marc Bain offers a conscientious shopping manifesto. “Think of your purchase as the beginning of a relationship with an item of clothing. It starts at the earliest stages of the supply chain, is carried on by the people who design the clothes and those that stitch them together, and ends in a landfill or recycling plant. You enter it at the point of purchase, and from that point on, that piece of clothing is your responsibility—it was created for you, and it’s yours to wear, to care for, and eventually to dispose of.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The BRICS have fallen. The new geopolitical order won’t be ruled by a bloc of emerging economies, but by chaos.
Black lives still don’t matter in America. Grainy videos of unjustified police killings don’t translate into justice (paywall).
A high-trust environment makes employees more productive and innovative. But leaders must work at creating one.
Surprising discoveries
A Japanese supermarket paid more than 1.1 million yen ($11,000) for 30 grapes. It will give them out to shoppers for free—at about $366 per grape.
Neanderthals probably ate each other sometimes. Butchered hominid leg bones were discovered in a Belgian cave.
Snapchat is being sued by children for its spicy content. The class action lawsuit is seeking $50,000 for every raunchy story on the popular app.
Scientists found a planet that weighs four times more than Jupiter. It orbits three stars at once.
Medical marijuana leads to less drug use. Elderly and disabled patients use fewer prescription drugs in states that make pot legal.
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