Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The Brexit vote is finally here. The United Kingdom will decide whether to leave the European Union in a contentious and divisive referendum. The “leave” camp edged ahead in two recent polls.
Aung San Suu Kyi meets with the Thai junta. The de facto leader of Myanmar, who faced down military leaders at home, will sit down with the generals who are now running Thailand. Her three-day visit could result in, among other things, an agreement making it easier for Myanmar migrants to work legally in Thailand.
India and Pakistan join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The Moscow- and Beijing-dominated group was created as a counterweight to NATO, and also includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
While you were sleeping
Twilio’s IPO beat expectations. The offering priced at $15 a share, above Twilio’s indicated $12-$14 range, raising $150 million. At that price the startup has a $1.2 billion market cap—a good sign for other “unicorns” (private companies valued at over $1 billion). Twilio sends text messages on behalf of other services.
Kim Jong-un claimed North Korean missiles can hit US targets in the Pacific. Yesterday his military conducted an apparently successful test of its Musudan missile. Theoretically the medium-range Musudan could reach Japan and Guam, where the US has strategically important bases.
US Democrats staged a Congressional sit-in over gun control. About 30 lawmakers said they won’t budge until Republicans agree to vote on a gun control measure introduced after the Orlando massacre. Meanwhile, another mass shooting killed three Americans.
Bernie Sanders conceded the presidential nomination. “It doesn’t appear that I’m going to be the nominee,” the Vermont senator said in an interview. He recently met with rival Hillary Clinton to reportedly discuss how best to beat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Quartz markets haiku
Maybe Brexit is
like Quebexit, pretty soon
We’ll all forgets it.
Quartz obsession interlude
Jenny Anderson and Nushmia Khan on what Donald Trump and Brexit have in common. “Each camp is making its case within the cultural confines of its country. Trump is bombastic, brazenly self-promotional, and loves to talk about how rich he is… But the Brexit campaign is equally nasty, in its own particular British way.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Removing the headphone jack from phones is hostile to users. No one wants this, Apple.
The tech economy raises wages for everyone—except the truly poor. Extreme wealth doesn’t trickle down.
There’s a better way to watch TV. Play back the video at twice the normal speed.
Surprising discoveries
The US government is preparing a crackdown on frequent flyer programs. They’ve become too complicated for human understanding.
The Philippines held an apocalyptic earthquake drill. Children and government workers played dead to develop a “culture of preparedness.”
Living in a city makes birds age faster. The stress of urban life outweighs the benefits.
Burger King is selling an unholy junk food–fast food combination. Mac’n’Cheetos will follow in the footsteps of Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos.
C-SPAN is now airing Periscope and Facebook Live streams. The stodgy public broadcaster stretched a little to cover the Democratic gun control sit-in.
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