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What to watch for today
Donald Trump rallies support. The US president heads to Greenville, North Carolina, a battleground state he narrowly won in 2016, for his first official rally since kicking off his 2020 re-election campaign.
The G7 talks cryptocurrencies and digital taxes. Over a working dinner in France, the group’s finance ministers will discuss the impact of digitalization on the world economy and debate how to tax tech giants like Google and Amazon. France has vowed not to back down on a digital tax, despite US threats of legal action.
A tech earnings roundup. eBay is expected to post a bump in earnings, helped by a slight uptick in sales, while IBM could post another decline. Netflix looks set to deliver earnings down from a year ago as competition in streaming grows. Meanwhile, Bank of America reports amid a difficult trading environment.
While you were sleeping
The US House voted to condemn Donald Trump’s racist tweets. Four Republican leaders joined 235 Democrats to pass a resolution to formally denounce the US president’s recent xenophobic tirade against four progressive Democratic congresswomen of color, in which he told them to “go back” to their “crime infested” countries.
Amazon reached a deal with Germany’s anti-trust watchdog. The online retail giant agreed to overhaul its terms of service for third-party merchants, who had complained of unfair treatment. The changes will also apply in the US, as well as a range of countries in Asia and Europe.
Protesters inked a deal with Sudan’s generals. Following intense overnight talks, an accord was signed that will establish a transitional power-sharing arrangement, with the new military-civilian body ruling for three years, followed by elections.
Myanmar’s military leaders were hit with US sanctions. The army chief and other senior commanders have been barred from entering the US in response to their roles in the massacres of minority Rohingya Muslims. Critics say the move is largely symbolic.
Renault charged up. The French automaker formed a joint electric vehicle venture with Chinese car manufacturer Jiangling Motors, as it prepares to launch a battery-powered car in the world’s largest EV market.
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Reporter Natasha Frost has been helping us navigate the changing world of philanthropy, which is under more scrutiny than ever. But it’s not just big spenders that are under the microscope—it’s the recipients of their money as well. Today, she lays out the pressure facing charities, which are often trapped into taking tainted money from corporations.
Quartz Obsession
Wikipedia is the internet’s last utopia. As Facebook grapples with disinformation and YouTube’s algorithms steer visitors to extremist content, Wikipedia remains an oasis of objective, neutral calm. That is, until you click over to the “edits” tab. A fractious group of volunteer editors brawls behind the scenes of every page of the internet’s encyclopedia—making decisions that may skew the web’s most popular trove of knowledge. Sate your curiosity with the Quartz Obsession.[1]
Matters of debate
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TikTokers are the new YouTubers. The younger, hipper video platform is home to the next generation of star creators.
Canada has overregulated legal weed. Stringent policies put Canadian producers at a disadvantage against US competitors.
Put diaper-changing stations in men’s rooms. Businesses should accommodate dads with small kids and big messes.
Surprising discoveries
A Titanic survivor’s light-up walking stick is up for sale. The cane, used by Ella White to guide her lifeboat to safety, is expected to fetch at least $500,000.
A million alien conspiracy theorists want to storm Area 51. A Facebook event proposing a breach of the classified US military base includes amusing discussions of how to distract the guards.
Scientists found an alien moon nursery. Chile’s ALMA Observatory spotted a new moon being born in a ring of planetary debris 370 light years away.
Grimes revealed her wellness routine. It includes sword fighting and screaming sessions, the Canadian musician revealed.
Iceland wants to return to its pre-Viking past. The island nation is trying to restore some of the 97% of the country’s forested areas razed by the marauders within a century of their arrival.
Correction: Yesterday’s Daily Brief named the US House speaker as Nancy Policy. Though a robust lawmaker, her correct name is Nancy Pelosi.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Icelandic tree seedlings, and invites to conspiracy theorist gatherings 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 Adam Rasmi and edited by Jackie Bischof.