Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Europe braces for a US tariffs decision. An exemption the US granted to the EU on tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum expires today. The EU could now face either restrictions or duties on exports. French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said the European response would be “united and firm.”
Sergey Lavrov visits North Korea. Russia’s foreign minister will meet with his counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, to discuss the status of the Korean peninsula as North Korea—which shares a border with Russia—prepares for a possible summit with the United States.
Facebook holds its annual shareholders meeting. Shareholders will vote on the company’s internal controls and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership. The meeting comes amid pressure from US and EU regulators over the Cambridge Analytica data leak, which affected up to 87 million users.
While you were sleeping
High-ranking US and North Korean officials dined in a New York apartment. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo enjoyed “American beef” with North Korean general Kim Yong Chol in an East Side apartment near the UN. The dinner conversation likely touched upon North Korea getting rid of its nukes and preparations for a possible summit.
Trump signed a bill for terminally ill patients to try unproven drugs. The “Right to Try” bill allows people with deadly diseases to try experimental treatments, which the US president called a “fundamental freedom.” Democrats objected to the bill last week when it was in the House, saying that the legislation was dangerous and would give patients false hope.
Trump met with Kim Kardashian. The president met with the reality TV star in Washington to discuss the issue of prison reform. Kardashian asked Trump to pardon a low-level drug offender who has served more than 20 years in prison.
China’s SenseTime reached a valuation of over $4.5 billion. The artificial-intelligence startup announced it had raised an additional $620 million, following the $600 million it raised last month. The company offers systems that analyze faces and images on a large scale, and counts Chinese government agencies among its customers.
The US Pacific Command was rebranded. It will now be called the US Indo-Pacific Command “in recognition of the increasing connectivity of the Indian and Pacific Oceans,” said defense secretary James Mattis in Hawaii. The name change is largely in response to the increasing maritime assertiveness by China that’s encouraging more US-India defense cooperation.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Ephrat Livni on how scientists found the spiritual part of our brains—religion not required. “When we feel a sense of connection with something greater than the self—whether transcendence involves communion with God, nature, or humanity—a certain part of the brain appears to activate. The study suggests that there is universal, cognitive basis for spirituality.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Terms like “mompreneur” are awful. They patronizingly underline how cute it is that mothers are trying to be entrepreneurs, or that women are bosses.
The popularity of “ugly” clothing should come as a great relief. Never mind stilettos, sitting easily in one’s skin—and gear—is the best look.
Showing the aftermaths of school shootings breeds more school shooters. They aspire to cause the same chaos and tears (paywall).
Surprising discoveries
High-protein diets have been linked to heart disease—even for vegetarians. Animal and plant protein sources (except fish and eggs) seem to put human cardiovascular systems at risk.
An “escaped” boa constrictor was just napping at home. A New York town was on red alert until the snake was found under its owner’s sink.
A televangelist said God wants his congregation to buy him another jet. The preacher says owning a fourth plane would help him spread the word more quickly.
There are two types of water. They vary slightly in the electrical fields they generate.
Southwest Airlines asked for proof from a mixed-race child’s mother. The woman, who had the child’s passport, was asked for a birth certificate or a Facebook post.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, practical clothing, and low-protein recipes 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 Steve Mollman and edited by Isabella Steger.