US-EU trade spat, Austria election, CBD athleisure wear

New US tariffs on European goods. A WTO tribunal is expected to allow punishing duties on EU products worth billions of dollars, to settle a 15-year-old case over illegal subsidies to Airbus. The EU has a parallel case on Boeing before the WTO, but won’t know the scale of tariffs it can impose until early next year. [Quartz Daily Brief]( Good morning, Quartz readers! What to watch for today New US tariffs on European goods. A WTO tribunal is expected to allow punishing duties on EU products worth [billions of dollars]( to settle a 15-year-old case over illegal subsidies to Airbus. The EU has a parallel case on Boeing before the WTO, but won’t know the scale of tariffs it can impose until early next year. VW’s “dieselgate” finally gets to court. More than 400,000 Germans [are seeking refunds]( from the automaker, which has already paid more than $30 million in fines and compensation for emissions test cheating. It’s the largest legal claim of its kind in modern German history. Updates on the European economy. From Germany: [releases on]( unemployment, consumer prices, and retail sales are due. [From the UK]( housing prices, lending, and final second-quarter GDP readings. [From Italy]( unemployment and consumer prices. Over the weekend The Trump-Ukraine story got some new twists. The US president was warned that his [Ukraine conspiracy theory was bonkers]( months before he asked its leader to help investigate his political rival Joe Biden. On Sunday, House intel committee chairman Adam Schiff said the whistleblower [would testify]( soon. Meanwhile, the president said that he wants to [“meet my accuser]( Austria’s conservatives won out over the far-right. Former chancellor Sebastian Kurz led his People’s Party to [its best result since 2002]( the Greens did well, and the far right Freedom Party was punished by voters for a corruption scandal. Forming a coalition will be the tricky bit. Boris Johnson was put on the back foot. The UK PM [denied any wrongdoing]( in his ties to US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, amid allegations she received favorable treatment while he was mayor of London. Johnson also [denied squeezing the thigh]( of a female journalist at a lunch 20 years ago. Hong Kong protested. [Clashes erupted]( again across various neighborhoods, police used water cannon and rubber bullets, and fired [a single warning shot]( as large crowds protested ahead of the 70th anniversary tomorrow of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Yemen’s Houthis said they killed or wounded 500 Saudi soldiers. If confirmed, the August [cross-border raid]( could raise still more questions about the strength of Saudi defenses, following recent drone attacks on oil facilities. Separately, a bodyguard of the Saudi king was[shot dead by a friend](. Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy. The American fast-fashion retailer, which has struggled in the era of online shopping, said it plans to[close up to 178]( of its more than 800 stores. Quartz Membership [Sign up]( for your free trial. More than a billion passengers criss-cross the globe each year. And by 2035, annual air travel is expected to double. But breakneck growth of this sort is hard to manage—especially with insufficient infrastructure, growing regulation, and a limited supply of jet fuel. Quartz’s travel reporter Natasha Frost explores these issues and more in a [state-of-play analysis]( of the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. Obsession Welcome to hell. Whether it’s an inferno, an icy cold realm, or a cubicle, it’s also big business. For many, hell is a place that runs on bribes, bargains, and dirty deals. The Quartz Obsession [opens up the Devil’s ledger](. Matters of debate [Join the conversation on the Quartz app!]( Economists don’t deserve your anger. [It’s not true]( that they exacerbate inequality and engage in groupthink. There’s nothing like a global music model. Production, distribution, and consumption is [not the same]( in Monrovia as in Milwaukee or Milan. Children shouldn’t bear the burden of climate action. They should be in school, [not on the streets](. Quartz announcement New parents aren’t the only ones who deserve paid leave. Quartz’s Lila MacLellan argues that companies should offer a reason-blind paid leave option for all employees. [Read more from How We’ll Win 2019.]( Surprising discoveries The human brain works more like a sieve than a spotlight. [A new theory]( says we know how to focus on the important. Switzerland auctioned off a dictator’s cars. Luxury vehicles belonging to the son of Equatorial Guinea’s authoritarian leader [went under the hammer for millions apiece](. China gave away more than 620,000 TVs. The authorities want the Oct. 1 parade marking their 70th year in power[to be widely watched](. Some athleisure wear is now CBD-infused. Prices start at $120 for a sports bra, which gets 40 wears before [the cannabis oil runs out](. Thailand wants a new capital. Inspired by similar plans elsewhere in Asia, prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the move from [overcrowded and polluted Bangkok]( is a “possibility.” Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, confiscated supercars, and favorite capital cities to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by[downloading our app]( and[becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Adam Rasmi, Luiz Romero, and Rashmee Roshan Lall. Enjoying the Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here to sign up.]( Want to advertise in the Quartz Daily Brief? Send us an email at ads@qz.com. To unsubscribe from the Quartz Daily Brief, [click here](.