Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Donald Trump turns back the clock on US-Cuba relations. The US president is expected to at least partly reverse the Obama-era measures that opened the country to US trade and travel in 2014. Foreign policy experts say such a move would benefit Russia, forcing the island to rely more on its economic support.
The Dalai Lama gives a contentious speech in California. Chinese students, who account for 14% of the University of California San Diego’s student body, say the school was insensitive to invite the exiled Tibetan leader —who is critical of Beijing—to give a commencement address.
Yahoo ceases to exist. Board member Thomas McInerney will become CEO of the newly renamed Altaba, a holding company with stakes in Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan.
While you were sleeping
All the victims from the London high-rise fire may “never be identified.” Police made this shocking announcement as emergency services enter a third day of searching for bodies in Grenfell Tower, West London, which went up in flames on Monday. The death toll currently stands at 17, but is expected to exceed 60. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the fire, after experts raised questions about a recent renovation.
Mobike got mo’ millions to expand. The Chinese on-demand bike rental service secured $600 million in fresh funding to expand beyond China. The company says it already operates more than five million bikes, mostly in China and Singapore, but now it’s eyeing aggressive expansion in the UK, launching later this month in Manchester.
Tesco beat the Brexit blues. Consumers opting for fresh produce boosted Britain’s biggest supermarket chain by 2.3% in like-for-like sales in the first quarter, thanks in part to lower prices aimed at protecting shoppers from inflation and the weak pound.Tesco’s international business fared worse, falling 3%.
Russia said it may have killed ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The defense ministry said Baghdadi may have been one of those killed by a Russian air strike on an ISIL military council meeting on May 28 in Syria. It’s not the first time Baghdadi’s death has been reported—he was recently believed to be hiding in the desert and not in either Mosul or Raqqa.
Australia announced a nationwide gun amnesty. For the first time in 21 years, gun owners can surrender their firearms without facing a penalty starting in July. The three-month amnesty is an effort to reduce gun ownership and prevent terrorists from obtaining firearms. Australia has 2.89 million guns registered among 24 million Australians, an increase of 9% in the last five years.
The Bank of Japan kept its monetary policy steady. As expected, the central bank left short-term interest rates at -0.1%. It also expressed confidence that the country’s economic recovery, led by strong exports, was gaining momentum.
Quartz obsession interlude
Thu-Huong Ha and Nikhil Sonnad on what we reveal when we draw a circle. “Americans tend to draw circles counterclockwise. Of nearly 50,000 circles drawn in the US, 86% were drawn this way. People in Japan, on the other hand, tend to draw circles in the opposite direction. Of 800 circles drawn in Japan, 80% went clockwise.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Hedge funds need to stop naming themselves after Greek gods. Medea slaughtered her sons, Hermes was the patron of swindlers, and don’t even start with Icarus.
Instagram is rendering record labels obsolete. Through social media, musicians can finally be their own bosses.
Extremists aren’t always criminals. Engaging with people who are moving toward political violence is essential to preventing terrorism.
Surprising discoveries
You could be a tree someday. Two Spanish brothers make biodegradable urns that seed pines, redwoods, maples, and oaks from human ashes.
The secret to AI may be knowing how to say “good job.” New research suggests that humans may be the best at helping machines learn.
Sushi robots could serve up Japan’s economic recovery. Automation is compensating for the nation’s shrinking population, especially in the food and restaurant industry.
Baby sea turtles are baking on the beach. Rising temperatures on Florida’s coasts are killing hatchlings and skewing turtle populations.
The universe has a bruise. An anomalous region of the sky might be the mark left from an ancient collision with another universe.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, biodegradable urns, and sushi robots to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android.