Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
US slaps more tariffs on Chinese products. The White House is expected to announce another list of 800–900 smaller exports on Friday, with Beijing threatening to return the favor. The tariffs come at a tense time, with China playing a crucial role in helping the US convince North Korea to denuclearize.
The Bank of Japan holds steady. The national bank concludes its two-day June meeting, and economists expect no changes (paywall) announced Friday, predicting the bank will stay the course for its current policy of monetary easing.
The moon causes confusion over Eid in India. Muslims celebrate Eid—the end of Ramadan—when the crescent moon is sighted in the sky. Predictions differ as to whether the moon will be visible on Friday or Saturday, but officials have confirmed that most Indian banks will be closed for the holiday on Saturday either way.
The World Cup heats up. Day two sees 2010 World Cup winners Spain taking on reigning European champs Portugal on Friday, while Egypt faces off with Uruguay.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump was sued for using his nonprofit as a personal fund. New York attorney general Barbara Underwood accused the US president and three of his children—Ivanka, Eric, and Donald, Jr.—of engaging in “illegal conduct” (paywall) when using the Donald J. Trump Foundation’s funds. Underwood has asked a state judge to dissolve the foundation.
Russia opened the World Cup with an easy win. The hosting team easily beat Saudi Arabia with a final score of 5–0. The two teams were the lowest-ranked seeds in the tournament, but Russia nonetheless exceeded expectations both on and off the pitch. Despite logistical problems and obvious PR issues, the Cup thus far has been smoothly run.
The DOJ criticized James Comey on the Clinton emails. A new report from the Justice Department skewered the “speak or conceal” metaphor Comey repeatedly uses to justify revealing a probe into Hillary Clinton’s additional emails just before the 2016 election. DOJ inspector general Michael Horowitz instead called it a choice to “follow or depart” from policy.
Argentina moved closer to decriminalizing abortion. A last-minute shift in the nation’s Chamber of Deputies pushed a legalization bill forward on a 129-125 vote. The bill, which would allow abortions up to 14 weeks, will be scheduled for a senate vote in September. President Mauricio Macri remains opposed, but said that he won’t veto the bill if it passes in both houses.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Jennifer McCormack on the science of “hangry”: “Feeling hangry occurs when your hunger-induced negativity gets blamed on the external world around you. You think that person who cut you off on the road is the one who made you angry—not the fact that you’re ravenous.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Business travel is bad for your health. Irregular sleep, bad food, and general stress hamper productivity, performance, and wellness.
Fake meat has a brand problem. Lab-grown cell-cultured burgers face an even tougher sell (paywall) than plant-based products.
“Unlimited” time off is a scam. Personal guilt and corporate pressure means people take far less vacation time than they need.
Surprising discoveries
The Mediterranean diet’s benefits were retracted. Faulty methodology undermined the study on the oil- and fish-heavy diet.
A cat is the official results predictor for the World Cup. Mouse-catching psychic Achilles accurately predicted Russia’s 5-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.
DJ Khaled is suing for his child’s name. One-year-old Asahd Khaled is “instantly famous,” his father says, and the Asahd fashion line should find a name elsewhere.
Amazon taught Alexa how to speak French. It took a ton of work (paywall) and critical partnerships to get her up to speed.
Inventors can’t figure out jetpacks. Boeing asked for functional personal flight devices, but got flying motorcycles instead (paywall).
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, clairvoyant cats, and real jetpacks 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 and edited by McKinley Noble and Susan Howson.