Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Spain heads to the polls. The polarized country will hold its third general election in four years in what will be the most tightly contested vote in decades. Prime minister Pedro Sánchez called the snap poll in February after right-wing parties and separatist Catalan parties rejected his 2019 budget.
Shinzo Abe tours North America… Japan’s prime minister will have another round of trade negotiations with Donald Trump at the White House, before heading north to discuss stronger military cohesion with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.
…As Japan goes on a long holiday. Ahead of next week’s abdication of 85-year-old emperor Akihito and the crown prince’s ascension to the throne, the government has declared an unprecedented 10-day vacation starting tomorrow. Also preparing to take the limelight is princess Masako, who will become the new empress.
Better-than-expected US GDP numbers. Despite lingering recession concerns and crushing middle-class tax penalties, a strong job market could push America anywhere from 2.1% to 2.8% annualized growth for the quarter.
Uber reveals terms for its initial public offering. The ride-sharing giant is reportedly seeking a valuation of between $80 and $90 billion, down from its target of $120 billion, in a reflection of its smaller rival Lyft’s poor stock performance following its listing last month.
While you were sleeping
Mozambique was hit with the strongest storm in its history. Only five weeks after a huge storm battered the southern African nation, cyclone Kenneth made landfall in the country’s north and forced thousands to evacuate to shelters. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves inland.
Kim Jong Un blamed the US for the diplomatic impasse. At his first summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the far eastern port city of Vladivostok, North Korea’s leader slammed the US for acting in bad faith at their most recent talks in Vietnam. Kim added that he hoped to usher in a “new heyday” in Pyongyang-Moscow ties.
A fake German heiress was found guilty on multiple fraud charges. Anna Sorokin, accused of scamming her way into New York society and swindling more than $200,000 from banks and friends, was convicted in a Manhattan court and will be sentenced next month.
Amazon delivered somewhat more than expected. The company’s first-quarter earnings showed a record-high net income and higher profit margins, but growth in revenue and ad sales slowed. The company also said it will make one-day shipping the new standard for members of its signature Prime program.
Northern Ireland is investigating up to 200 former British security officers. Relations between the region and the British defense ministry are worsening due to disagreements over the handling of widespread allegations of illegal actions during the Troubles, including the violent attacks of Bloody Sunday in 1972. Officials from Belfast and Dublin are also expected to announce plans to restart talks about power-sharing today.
Membership
The first-ever entire sequencing of the human genome in 2000 proved that all humans are, in the big picture, identical. But reporters Katherine Ellen Foley and Daniel Wolfe argue the recent rise of direct-to-consumer genetic tests are distorting our view of race and humanity. Over in Private Key, Matthew De Silva looks at the dizzying pace of theft by the “blockchain bandit.”
Quartz Obsession
Tom’s Restaurant: The Seinfeld coffee shop that begot the MP3. The stand-in for the sitcom’s café is the subject of Suzanne Vega’s hit “Tom’s Diner,” which was used to tune the music compression algorithm for the human voice. Just above the shop, the term “black holes” was coined. That’s a lot of history for a humble eatery. Join us for a cup at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Automation and globalization exacerbate inequality. The two forces can strain social tensions to breaking point.
Thanos isn’t good at math. Physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson questions the Marvel supervillain’s universe-devastating logic.
We should parent like an economist. A data-centric child-rearing approach is a lot less stressful.
Surprising discoveries
The world’s second-largest diamond is mediocre. The 1,758-carat, tennis-ball-esque stone is huge in size but variable in quality (paywall), and won’t fetch a record-breaking price.
North Korea billed the US $2 million for Otto Warmbier’s care. The American student, who was released back to the US in a comatose state after a lengthy detention, died in June 2017, and it’s unclear whether the bill has been paid (paywall).
The royal baby gets its own cheese. The “vibrant orange” Westminster Royal Mark red cheddar celebrates Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s forthcoming bundle of joy.
A Clockwork Orange may have a sequel. The 200-page manuscript of A Clockwork Condition was discovered in author Anthony Burgess’s archives.
The best day to get married is a Tuesday in January. Pricey weddings set marriages up for failure, so consider the least popular day-month combination.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, manuscript discoveries, and ugly diamonds to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Mary Hui and edited by Isabella Steger.