Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Republicans are rolling into Cleveland, Ohio. The weeklong Republican National Convention begins today. An estimated 50,000 people will descend on Cleveland to watch Donald Trump receive the official presidential nomination, while another few thousand are expected to protest. The Cleveland police union has asked the governor to suspend open-carry laws to preserve officers’ safety.
Bad news for Russian athletes. A committee of anti-doping officials from 10 countries is expected to request that the Russian delegation be banned (paywall) from the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, which start in August. The request could happen as soon as today.
Earnings aplenty. Bank of America, Netflix, Charles Schwab, Yahoo, and Hasbro will all report quarterly earnings.
Over the weekend
SoftBank Group neared a deal to buy ARM Holdings for about $32 billion. The Japanese telecom conglomerate is betting the technology and patents of the UK microchip designer will become increasingly important as ever more devices get connected to the internet. With the pound down after Brexit, other British companies could also become tempting targets.
Turkey conducted mass arrests after a failed military coup. The government has arrested 6,000 people, and is threatening war on any country that supports cleric Fethullah Gülen—who lives in Pennsylvania. The US has banned all flights to and from the country.
Three US police officers were shot dead in Baton Rouge. A gunman killed at least three police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and several more were injured. The assault comes roughly a week after the shooting deaths of five police officers in Dallas.
French police made arrests in the Nice attack. Three more people have been arrested in connection with the truck attack that killed at least 84 people in Nice, France. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the violence, although any connections between the terrorist group and the truck driver who plowed through the promenade remain unclear.
Bill Gates pledged a new investment in Africa. The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist said that his foundation will give $5 billion to Africa over the course of five years. The funds will go in part toward HIV treatment and prevention.
A social media star died in an “honor killing.” Qandeel Baloch, a Pakistani social media celebrity known for criticizing her country’s treatment of women, was murdered on July 15. Her brother reportedly confessed to strangling her because he felt she was bringing shame to their family.
Quartz obsession interlude
Marc Bain on a designer growing Alexander McQueen’s skin in a lab: “Tina Gorjanc… is working on a project that will use McQueen’s DNA to grow skin, which she plans to tan and turn into leather jackets and bags. The skin will even bear tattoos based on the exact ‘locations, size, and design,’ of McQueen’s, she says.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Air travel is a modern manifestation of class warfare. Airline-loyalty programs that sort travelers into different lounges are just a corporate version of Plato’s gold, silver, and bronze citizens.
Turkey was already undergoing a coup—by its own president. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been slowly taking over all aspects of state power.
The Nice attack will dominate the Republican and Democratic conventions.
US politicians have to explain
to keep citizens safe.
Surprising discoveries
Netflix is bringing mixtapes into the 21st century. Customers can now send each other “flixtapes”—customized playlists of movies and TV shows according to themes or moods.
The humble mushroom could help wean us off sugar. A Colorado startup called MycoTechnology is peddling fungi as a way to mask bitter flavors and help food companies cut back on sweeteners.
Make way for the clever ducklings. Researchers found that baby ducks can distinguish between objects that are the same and objects that are different, which suggests a surprising capacity for abstract thought.
Mike Pence has some strong feelings about Disney cartoons. Back in 1999, Donald Trump’s running mate argued that the movie Mulan was a liberal attempt to shift attitudes about women in the military.
A healthy diet can help fight depression. Nutrients found in foods like avocado and eggs allow our brains to stay in good shape.
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