Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
D-Day for SoundCloud. The company, which recently laid off 40% of its staff, is giving investors until the end of the day to provide nearly $170 million in new funding, warning that without the cash it will not be able to continue as a “going concern.”
Mike Pence visits Latin America. The vice president will face questions about US sanctions against Venezuela as he begins a tour through Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Panama. He is leading a surprisingly large delegation, fueling speculation about his presidential aspirations.
J.C. Penney reports second-quarter earnings. The retailer releases its figures a day after competitor Macy’s said comparable sales fell for a 10th-straight quarter, as shoppers increasingly turn to e-commerce. J.C. Penney has been trying to reduce its reliance on apparel by selling toys in its stores.
While you were sleeping
The US is banking on diplomacy to calm North Korea tension. After days of threats between Trump and Kim Jong-un, defense secretary Jim Mattis said war would be “catastrophic” and that the Trump administration is working with its allies on a diplomatic solution.
Donald Trump’s Washington hotel made a hefty profit. The opulent Trump International Hotel, which raised its rates after its owner became president (the average daily room rate went up to $660), made $2 million in profit (paywall) in the first four months of this year.
Google canceled a staff meeting over safety fears. CEO Sundar Pichai was due to hold a meeting to discuss gender issues at the company following the firing of employee James Damore. But he called it off after some staff said they were being harassed online and their details were published on alt-right websites.
Beijing cracked down on powerful social media platforms. China’s Sina Weibo, Tencent’s WeChat, and Baidu’s Tieba—with over a billion users between them—were put under investigation for allegedly breaking the country’s new cybersecurity laws by not policing what users posted.
CNN fired a conservative commentator over a Nazi slogan. The network cut ties with pro-Trump pundit Jeffrey Lord after he tweeted “Sieg Heil!” at the head of liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America.
Quartz obsession interlude
Cassie Werber on how humans and robots are on the cusp of a sexual intimacy we may never reverse. “I’m worried about the concept of ‘moral deskilling’—that we could lose some of what it is to be human. We won’t be as practiced at looking people in the eye, and trying to understand where they’re coming from.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Rwanda’s economic miracle may be a mirage. An analysis of household data suggests official statistics may greatly exaggerate GDP growth.
The TV advertising apocalypse is nigh. Disney’s forthcoming streaming service spells doom for a $40 billion industry.
The Google anti-diversity memo is scientifically unsound. And it misrepresents the nature/nurture debate to advance an alt-right agenda.
Surprising discoveries
There is evidence of “cannibalistic rituals” by early humans. Engraved bones found in a cave in Britain were linked to human cannibalism 15,000 years ago.
Biohackers created molecular malware. They’re able to infect computers by encoding malicious software into strands of DNA, unleashed once decoded by gene-sequencing software.
Fewer than 20 female rappers have hit the top 20 since 2000. Only 12% of charted rappers or rap acts have been women in the past 17 years.
Pigs got a step closer to becoming organ donors. Scientists rid pigs of viruses hiding in their DNA—one of the big hurdles to transplanting pig organs to humans.
The Beverly Hillbillies mansion is up for sale. Chartwell Estate in Bel Air, which featured in the show’s opening credits, is listed at $350 million.
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