Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The US makes a tariff decision on the EU. As the end of the exemption period looms, the European Union is braced for Washington to slap tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum today. The US tried and failed to win concessions from the bloc, which is now threatening retaliatory duties on key US imports.
Costco reports on its latest quarter. It’s expected to post a rise in revenue, boosted by growth in memberships and increased store traffic in the US. Investors are keen to see how its e-commerce platforms are doing.
Facebook holds its annual shareholders meeting. Shareholders will vote on the company’s internal controls and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership. Activist investor Arjuna Capital is demanding more detailed reports on content moderation on the platform.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump backed Dan Donovan for the New York Republican primary. The president endorsed incumbent Donovan via Twitter on Wednesday evening. He’s up against Michael Grimm, who resigned from Congress over tax fraud in 2014. Both men tried to position themselves as Trump’s favorite candidate.
FirstGroup considered getting rid of Greyhound. The British transport company replaced its CEO and reshuffled its leadership after a disappointing year. It blamed the drop in profit on Greyhound’s performance in the US, where it’s struggling to compete with low-cost airlines, and said it might sell the bus company.
Mike Pompeo dined with Kim Jong Un’s top general. The secretary of state and Kim Yong Chol met in an East Side apartment last night, ahead of a full day of meetings on the upcoming Trump-Kim summit. Pompeo tweeted: “Good working dinner with Kim Yong Chol in New York tonight. Steak, corn, and cheese on the menu.”
A no-confidence debate on Spain’s prime minister got underway. The parliamentary session on whether to remove Mariano Rajoy from office started today. The vote is expected on Friday afternoon. If Rajoy is out, it’ll lead to a second major political crisis in southern Europe—Italy’s lack of government is still roiling markets.
The US Pacific Command got a rebrand. It will now be called the US Indo-Pacific Command. The name change is largely a response to the way in which China’s increasing maritime assertiveness is forcing more US-India defense cooperation.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Ephrat Livni on how scientists found the spiritual part of our brains. “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 patronize mothers who are running businesses.
The popularity of “ugly” clothing proves confidence is cool. Sitting easily in one’s skin—and gear—is the best look.
Showing the aftermaths of school shootings breeds more shooters. They aspire to cause the same chaos and pain (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.
Walmart is offering its employees college educations for $1 a day. It’s part of the retailer’s efforts to rebrand itself as an attractive place to work.
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.
One Chinese company now controls most of the world’s lithium. Tianqi Lithium controls over half the current global production of the essential metal for batteries.
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 Jill Petzinger and edited by Lianna Brinded.