What to watch for today
Iran and the world inch toward a nuclear deal. The agreement to ease economic sanctions on the oil-rich country could be announced as early as today. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said there are only a “few steps” left before a deal is done.
US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton talks economics. The front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination outlines her economic plan for supporting “everyday Americans” as she looks to edge out her progressive rival, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. Clinton is expected to criticize the sharing economy for its part in suppressing wage growth.
GM negotiates with its staff. The United Auto Workers union begins talks on a new four-year contract between workers and the automaker. GM is trying to keep costs low to compete with Japanese and Korean rivals.
Puerto Rico squares off with its creditors. The US territory meets creditors for the first time since governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla described the island’s $72 billion debt as ”unpayable.”
Flight delays from London’s Heathrow airport. Europe’s busiest airport is operating a delayed timetable after protestors camped out on the runway to protest plans for the airport’s expansion.
Over the weekend
Greece agreed to its creditors’ demands. After 17 hours of talks, Euro zone leaders reached an agreement with Greece that allows them to open discussions on a third bailout for the country, worth nearly €90 billion ($100 billion). But before the deal can be signed, European creditors have demanded that Greece pass several laws within three days, including changes to taxes and pension payments.
Nintendo’s CEO died at 55. Satoru Iwata, also president of the Japanese gaming company since 2002, died on Saturday from cancer. He oversaw the creation of two successful gaming consoles—the Nintendo DS and the Wii—and was greatly admired by fans.
China’s exports beat expectations… Shipments rose 2.8% in June compared with a year earlier, marking the first increase in four months; imports fell by a better-than-feared 6.1%. The results might point to a stabilizing of the Chinese economy, following premier Li Keqiang’s various stimulus measures aimed at achieving 7% growth this year.
…And its government arrested dozens of human rights lawyers. More than 50 lawyers and activists were interrogated and detained in an organized crackdown, according to Amnesty International. The government is increasingly concerned about human-rights leaders using social media to gather support for their causes.
Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer to win Wimbledon. The two tennis players, ranked first and second in the world respectively, have faced off 40 times, with each winning 20 times, making it one of the most competitive and evenly matched rivalries in tennis history.
The “Bloom County” comic strip is coming back. Berkeley Breathed, creator of the satirical comic, hinted on Facebook that new stories are on their way—probably inspired by Donald Trump announcing his candidacy for the US presidential race. Billionaire Trump recently held an anti-immigration rally in Arizona.
Quartz obsession interlude
Hanna Kozlowska on the disturbing pipeline to prison for girls that suffer sexual abuse in the US. ”Some of the girls are victims of sexual trafficking. They get arrested for truancy or prostitution—at ages as young as 13—and instead of receiving support, they are placed in the juvenile justice system.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Europe is surrendering its tradition of privacy. It is considering giving up data protection laws in the interests of corporations.
Beware Uber addiction. Once you get used to the convenience of drivers on demand, it’s terribly hard to give it up.
Celebrity activism doesn’t help the needy. It’s a branding exercise that can do more harm than good.
Greece should adopt the Chinese yuan. Going back to the drachma would be perilous, and China would appreciate a foothold in Europe.
An Iran nuclear deal will benefit oil consumers. Lifting sanctions on the country means even more supply.
Surprising discoveries
Fancy ice is adding 60-80 cents to your cocktail. ”Artisanal ice” is a growing trend in the US.
2,500-year-old gold coils mystify Danish archeologists. Around 2,000 gold spirals were found in a field, but nobody knows what they were for.
Hiccups can’t be explained. We know what they are, but not how we get them.
Your memory can’t multitask. Scientists found that trying juggle several memories at once forces your brain to drop one.
This startup is getting attention for the wrong reason. ”Grexit,” launched in 2011, is an email software company.
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