Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
China’s retaliatory tariffs against the US begin. Responding to Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, Beijing said late on Sunday it would impose a 15% duty on 120 products, including wine and some fruits, and a 25% duty on eight other products, among them pork. The tariffs go into effect today.
India hunkers down for caste protests. India’s traditionally oppressed Dalit castes, once known as untouchables, have called for protests across the country after a Supreme Court ruling last month that rights groups fear will dilute a law meant to deal severely with hate crimes against them. The court is seeking to reduce complaints lacking merit.
Egypt’s election results are officially announced. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has won—with his main rivals detained or forced out of contention, that was never in doubt. But if official figures show a low turnout, that would be embarrassing and hurt his legitimacy. Foreign reporters have been warned against “unprofessional” election coverage, with unspecified consequences.
Zimbabwe’s president begins a visit to Beijing. After Emmerson Mnangagwa took power from dictator Robert Mugabe last November, Chinese president Xi Jinping promised to support Zimbabwe no matter what. In his first official trip outside Africa, Mnangagwa seeks to deepen Zimbabwe’s economic relationship with Beijing through Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Over the weekend
Kim Jong-un clapped along to K-pop in Pyongyang… For the first time in 10 years, Seoul sent a music delegation to its northern neighbor, with performances by the likes of Seohyun and the girl group Red Velvet lasting until tomorrow. The entertainment precedes a summit planned for April 27 between Kim and South Korean president Moon Jae-in.
…while the US and South Korea began joint military exercises. The Pentagon has described the drills as defensive in nature, but even so, they are likely to test the sustainability of the region’s diplomatic thawing. While Kim has agreed in principle to meet with Donald Trump, Pyongyang’s response to the exercises could shape the tone of any meeting (paywall).
Deadly violence in Gaza prompted calls for a probe. On Friday, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian protesters, killing 16. Israel said the protesters were “rioting,” which organizers denied. The UN and EU called for an independent investigation into Israel’s actions.
China’s falling space lab came down over the central South Pacific. The bus-sized Tiangong-1 mostly burned up in the atmosphere. There had been speculation about where it might land given its uncontrolled re-entry. The “Heavenly Palace” was a source of national pride and a key step toward China establishing a permanent space station.
Pope Francis implored the world to deal with geopolitical conflict. In an Easter Sunday speech he lamented the carnage being wrought in Gaza, Venezuela, Syria, and elsewhere. He also addressed the Korean Peninsula, offering an Easter blessing to, presumably, Kim, Moon, and Trump: “May those who are directly responsible act with wisdom and discernment.”
Tesla acknowledged Autopilot was on during a recent fatal crash. Previously, it had said it was unclear whether the collision in California last month was due to driver error or to a malfunction in the car’s self-driving system. The admission capped a week of bad news for Tesla, which included an announcement of its largest-ever recall and a dip in stock price.
Quartz obsession interlude
Marc Bain on wabi sabi, the Japanese aesthetic that calls for design that improves with age. “In the past, we didn’t have the same abundance of cheap stuff… That’s generally no longer the case in rich countries: It’s easier than ever to toss out old things and buy new ones, an approach manufacturers are happy to cater to, as it keeps their sales flowing. This lifestyle may be convenient, but it’s terrible for the environment. And it’s also terrible for us.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
There’s an ideological rift opening up in the tech community. Infinite optimism vs. certainty of an inevitable catastrophe. Tech as inherently good vs. tech can be good. In Silicon Valley, it’s becoming the Mark Zuckerbergs vs. the Elon Musks.
Metaphors are dangerous. They have the power to distort reality and shape our opinions.
The exclamation mark is the worst! It is “a sign not of emotional exuberance but of aridity,” contends novelist Elena Ferrante.
Surprising discoveries
Scatterplots are the best! Research shows that, of all chart types, scatter plots are the ones people perceive most accurately and quickly.
Scientists have spent 60 years agonizing over how our knuckles crack. Some researchers think that understanding knuckle-cracking can give physiologists some insight into how healthy joints move.
Two major US cities are fighting over a bean sculpture. Chicago is angry about Houston displaying a giant, metallic bean because it looks a lot like Chicago’s giant, metallic bean.
The Thai government once tried to establish a “McDonald’s of Thai Food.” It failed, but the funding fueled the spread of mom-and-pop Thai places around the world.
2001: A Space Odyssey just turned 50. Stanley Kubrick’s seminal film opened doors for George Lucas, Christopher Nolan, and others.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Tiangong-1 parts, and controversial bean-shaped art 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 Tripti Lahiri.