Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Canada tries to unblock NAFTA talks. Foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland is heading to Washington to try and budge negotiations on the treaty between the US, Mexico, and Canada. They’ve stalled due to tough US demands.
HP presents its earnings. Analysts predict that the PC manufacturer’s quarterly report, expected after the closing bell today, will show 10% year-on-year growth in revenue.
Starbucks closes its US stores for racial bias training. Some 175,000 employees across 8,000 stores will receive the training, after a Philadelphia store manager called the police on two black men sitting in a store in April.
While you were sleeping
The Pret a Manger sandwich chain is being sold. German investment group JAB Holding is reportedly buying the chain, which began with one shop in London in 1986, for $2 billion. JAB also owns Keurig, Krispy Kreme, and last year bought Panera Bread for $7.5 billion.
Preparations for the Kim-Trump summit gathered pace. Kim Yong Chol, one of Kim Jong Un’s top aides, is believed to be arriving in Washington tomorrow. US and North Korean officials met to discuss protocol in Singapore yesterday, ahead of the proposed June 12 meeting between the countries’ leaders.
Poultry is taking priority in the US-China trade talks. Reuters reports that Washington will pressure China to drop a ban on US chicken imports (in place since the 2015 avian flu epidemic), as it’s keen for a slice of China’s $600 million market for chicken parts.
Italy’s political turmoil shook European markets. The failed attempt to form a government, and the appointment on Monday of a new interims prime minster prompted a sell-off in Italy’s bond market on Tuesday. Italian banks were among the worst performers (paywall) across European bourses.
The Golden State Warriors are going to the NBA finals. The team beat the Houston Rockets 101-92 in game 7 of the Western Conference finals. The Warriors will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in game 1.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Ephrat Livni on how US Supreme Court justices show it’s OK to be a sore loser. “Dissenting opinions don’t set legal precedents. But memorable dissents can change minds and pave the way for a shift in perspective, so that a minority view gains acceptance over time and even prevail. Or, as Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said, ‘I like to think most of my dissents will be the law someday.’” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Machines can be spiritual. Anything that mirrors humanity could one day find itself on a religious path.
GDPR will kill the innovation economy. Users are more willing to accept new privacy agreements from giants like Facebook than small startups.
Trump’s global diplomacy is a fail. Allies can’t trust the US, China has emerged stronger, and North Korea has played—and won—a duplicitous game.
Surprising discoveries
A Scottish rehab facility will treat crypto addiction. Compulsive bitcoin traders can check themselves into Castle Craig Hospital.
Israel is hugely popular on Weibo. Users regularly go to Israeli embassy posts to share anti-Islamic sentiments, many of which remain untouched by China’s censors.
The Great Barrier Reef has faced death five times. Over the past 30,000 years, coral has migrated and thinned as sea levels rapidly rose.
Fire ants are threatening Australians’ way of life. The country has spent millions to keep its fields intact and citizens picnicking.
Sesame Street is suing a NSFW muppet movie. The Happytime Murders depicts puppets swearing, having sex, and committing crimes.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, criminal muppets, and insect spray to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Jill Petzinger and edited by Lianna Brinded.