Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Julian Assange attends an extradition hearing. UK home secretary Sajid Javid signed a US request for extradition of the WikiLeaks founder, and now a London court will begin proceedings to decide whether the order is compatible with Assange’s human rights. He faces 18 charges in the US, related to computer hacking and publishing classified information.
Millions of workers strike in Brazil. Transport services will be hit today with bus drivers and metro workers among those taking part in a nationwide labor action against president Jair Bolsonaro’s plans to overhaul the country’s pension system. The strike is expected to be bigger than one in 2017 that drew 40 million workers in 150 cities.
EuroPride takes to the streets. Since 1992, Europe’s largest pride parade has been attracting thousands—sometimes millions—of demonstrators to different cities in Europe. This year, the march takes place tomorrow in Vienna.
Hong Kong braces for more extradition protests. Protest organizers have called for another march on Sunday, one week after one million people turned out to call on the government to scrap a controversial bill that would make it possible to send suspects to the mainland for trial. An occupation of streets during the week forced the government to postpone debate on the law.
While you were sleeping
The US blamed Iran for the latest oil tanker attacks. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the type of weapons used in yesterday’s Gulf of Oman attacks points to Iran, which denies any involvement. Two tankers caught fire, including a Japanese one while prime minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Oil prices jumped in response.
The Christchurch shooter pleaded not guilty to 92 charges. The charges include 50 counts of murder, 41 of attempted murder, and a terrorism charge for the mass shootings in March at two New Zealand mosques, which was partly broadcast live on social media.
Six hundred companies urged Donald Trump to drop the China tariffs. In a letter to the US president, Walmart, Target, and other retailers and manufacturers warned “both sides will lose,” if the trade war doesn’t end. The US Trade Representative’s Office will hold hearings from Monday on proposed tariffs on another $300 billion of Chinese goods.
The White House is losing its press secretary. Donald Trump tweeted that Sarah Huckabee Sanders will step down at the end of this month. He congratulated her on a job well done—she speaks far less to the press than her predecessors did (paywall)—and signaled that she could be considering a run for the governorship of her home state of Arkansas. He did not indicate who her replacement will be.
Broadcom lowered its revenue guidance by $2 billion. The chip manufacturer blamed the reduced expectations and deflated second-quarter results in part on US export restrictions on Huawei, one of its biggest customers. Its shares dropped more than 8% on the news.
The Toronto Raptors won their first NBA title. The Raptors—whose name was inspired by the 1990s movie Jurassic Park (paywall)—toppled the reign of the Golden State Warriors, winning 114-110 in Game 6 of the finals.
Membership
The rapid decline of the world’s bee population presents a major challenge to farmers. In the latest chapter of our deep-dive into next-generation food startups, we speak with Israeli technologists working on ways to support and monitor bee colonies. This week’s Private Key explains the ground rules for building a blockchain business, and in our members-only video series, Strava CEO James Quarles discusses how to grow a business anchored in an online community.
Quartz Obsession
Lox is a modern twist on an ancient practice. Humans have long preserved fish of all kinds with salt, smoke, and fermentation. All it took was a transcontinental railroad and a wave of Yiddish-speaking immigrants to New York City to compel us to pile thin slices of cured salmon atop bagels and cream cheese. Dive in with the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Your home office needs at least two chairs. A seat that’s different in design than your desk chair can change your perspective.
Slack has a workplace harassment problem. The communication tool doesn’t have the functionality to mute or block someone.
Do talk to strangers. Research suggests that connecting with random people can be surprisingly fulfilling.
Surprising discoveries
The only known recording of Frida Kahlo’s voice was found at a Mexican library. It comes from a radio show that profiled the artist’s husband Diego Rivera in 1955.
Humans were getting high on cannabis 2,500 years ago. A tomb in western China revealed the earliest evidence to date.
The London Metal Exchange is sobering up. In an effort to clean up an image that’s been alcohol-soaked since Victorian times, the LME has banned booze (paywall) on the floor.
Wyoming is an unlikely blockchain hub. The least populated state in the US is increasingly crypto-friendly (paywall), ahead of a formulated federal policy.
A British athlete mailed his amputated toes to Canada. They’ll be preserved in rock salt for at least six weeks before featuring in a Yukon hotel’s famous whiskey Sourtoe cocktail.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, toeless drinks, and aged weed 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 Tripti Lahiri and edited by Isabella Steger.