Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The Bank of England shares its Financial Stability Report. The release follows a Monetary Policy Committee meeting last week that saw a hawkish shift in sentiment even as rates were held steady. Bank governor Mark Carney will hold a press conference to discuss the results.
US lawmakers vote on an immigration compromise. The House measure is a “compromise” not between the left and the right, but between those Republicans wanting more moderate policies versus those pushing tougher measures. Few expect the bill to pass, but many will watch to see if it fares better than a hard-line bill that failed last week.
Silicon Valley discusses a crisis in consumer privacy. Top officials from Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other tech firms will convene for half a day in San Francisco to talk about a way forward after the EU’s strict new personal-data rules and Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal, in a special meeting convened by a trade group.
A Japanese space probe meets up with an asteroid. After traveling 2 billion miles in four years, the Hayabusa 2 will rendezvous with a rock named Ryugu. The probe will survey the celestial object and bring samples from it back in 2020, shedding light on the origin of the solar system and helping to set the stage for asteroid mining.
While you were sleeping
Britain is underestimating the size of its EU divorce bill. In a report from the cross-party Public Accounts Committee, lawmakers concluded the government’s estimate is at least £10 billion ($13.2 billion) too low and subject to many uncertainties. The group said better information would be needed for a vote on the withdrawal process to be meaningful.
China’s industrial profits rose sharply in May. They leapt 21.1% on-year last month, according to official data, compared to a 21.9% increase in April. The January-May period saw year-on-year growth of 16.5%, with industrial firms helped by a strong property and infrastructure construction market, even as the trade spat with the US intensifies.
A US federal judge moved to keep immigrants and their children together. Granting an injunction in a lawsuit filed by to the American Civil Liberties Union, district court judge Dana Sabraw ruled agents can no longer separate immigrant parents and children caught crossing the border illegally, and must work to reunite families split up in custody.
Mitt Romney easily won the Republican Senate nomination in Utah… That makes him the heavy favorite to prevail in the fall general election, given that the state hasn’t had a Democratic senator since 1977. Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, could pose problems for Donald Trump, whom he once called a “con man.”
…And a top Democrat lost to a 28-year-old woman. House representative Joe Crowley, who has been in Congress since 1999, was widely viewed as an eventual successor to minority leader Nancy Pelosi. Instead he was trounced in a New York primary by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic Socialist who until recently worked as a bartender.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Simon Chadwick on China’s record fan showing at the World Cup—despite not even qualifying. “[It] plays to a narrative now routinely associated with China’s increasingly affluent population: people who are keen to engage with the world’s biggest and best football tournament for the status it confers upon them, which they may also consume in conjunction with supporting a similarly status-laden national team or superstar.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The US crackdown on sex workers will backfire. Banning legal brothels and escort websites puts vulnerable women at greater risk.
Law enforcement shouldn’t use facial-recognition software. The technology infringes on individual rights and is susceptible to racial discrimination.
“Find your passion” is bad advice. Psychologists recommend seeking personal growth over waiting for sudden inspiration.
Surprising discoveries
Amateurs “fixed” another piece of priceless art. A 500-year-old Spanish statue of St. George was either irretrievably damaged or majorly improved, depending on your taste.
Kids found a loaded gun at an IKEA in Indiana. An armed customer left his firearm on a showroom sofa, resulting in a gunshot but no injuries.
California starfish are frantically breeding to survive. The sea stars have also developed protective genes to bounce back from a recent brush with extinction.
The US imported more seafood in 2017 than any other year. More than 90% of the seafood the public consumes is brought in from elsewhere.
Robot dragons are the new robot dogs. A serpentine, floating aircraft made of synced thrusters can fit in tight spaces and carry cargo.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, unimproved art, and randy starfish 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.