Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
A big week of US Senate intelligence hearings. Top officials from the FBI, NSA, and Justice Department will testify in both public and closed-door proceedings today. The same committee will hear testimony from fired FBI director James Comey tomorrow.
Can artificial intelligence save the world? UN representatives, AI experts, policymakers, and industrialists will discuss whether artificial intelligence can help with sustainable development at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
The US Federal Reserve releases consumer credit figures. Consumer credit jumped by $16.4 billion in March. For April the increase is expected to be around $15.5 billion (pdf).
While you were sleeping
Theresa May said she’ll change human rights laws if they “get in the way” of fighting terrorism. The UK prime minister said she would make it easier to deport foreign terror suspects and “restrict the freedom and movements” of those posing a threat. With voters going to the polls tomorrow, her Conservative party has been steadily losing its lead over Labour.
The US conducted air strikes against pro-government forces in Syria. The Iranian-backed attackers had, despite repeated warnings, threatened a “de-confliction” zone near a garrison used by American special forces around the southern town of At Tanf. Syrian military leaders cautioned about the dangers of escalation.
Trump suggested solar panels could help pay for a US-Mexico border wall. The US president floated the idea while meeting with legislative leaders, according to Politico. Many lawmakers from his own party have balked at the idea of using taxpayer dollars to fund construction of the wall, which is expected to cost billions.
Uber fired 20 employees after a sexual harassment investigation. The probe, launched after a worker published an account of the startup’s toxic workplace culture, looked into 215 claims of misconduct. The findings from a separate investigation, led by former US attorney general Eric Holder, have yet to be released.
Nearly 10 million students finished cramming. The gaokao, China’s annual two-day national college entrance exam, began today. Seen as a ticket to a well-paying job, the highly competitive test inspires months of rigorous preparation—and creative means of cheating and catching cheats.
Quartz obsession interlude
Oliver Staley on how J.Crew’s iconic boss couldn’t adapt to the internet. “CEO Mickey Drexler was an Apple board member who helped Steve Jobs create the first Apple stores. Yet despite his front-row seat to the marriage of technology and retail, he admitted he was unprepared for the changes wrought by online shopping.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
Where to stash your dough? / Gold? Bonds? Or a currency / that is nine years old?
Matters of debate
The Gulf state feud is all about natural gas. Qatar’s massive reserves allowed it to challenge Saudi Arabia for regional dominance.
Canada doesn’t need the United States. Foreign minister Chrystia Freeland says it’s time to step out of its neighbor’s shadow.
The days of $1 billion movies are almost over. Changing viewer trends will make blockbuster films a rarity.
Surprising discoveries
A Siberian gardener found a massive pair of mammoth tusks. They date back about 400,000 years.
There was no $110 billion US-Saudi arms deal. The highly touted sale is mostly letters of interest and pre-existing contracts.
Scientists have found the hottest planet ever. KELT-9 has temperatures so high (7,820°F / 4,326℃ ) that it’s rapidly evaporating.
Canada rented an 11-ton counterfeit duck. A massive floating sculpture to honor the country’s 150th birthday is a complete rip-off, says the artist behind the “original” model.
Japanese interpreters are struggling with Donald Trump. They’re complaining about his garbled syntax and colloquial style.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, mammoth parts, and evaporating planets to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android.