Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
India launches a new navigation satellite. IRNSS-1I is set to replace a faulty spacecraft in India’s NavIC, a multi-satellite system that provides India with its own dedicated navigation system.
Updates from central banks. The European Central Bank releases minutes from its March meeting, when it signaled a shift towards tighter monetary policy (paywall). Meanwhile, Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda will hold a press conference, during which investors will be listening for hints of policy normalization.
Delta’s first-quarter results. The airline is expected to report a 6% rise in revenue, although it’s struggling to compete while facing rising fuel prices (paywall). New US tax laws gave it an $800 million boost last quarter.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump threatened intervention in Syria. In a tweet Wednesday morning that responded to a reported chemical weapons attack on the town of Douma (paywall), the US president warned Russia that US missiles to Syria “will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’” Oil prices surged and stock prices plunged following the tweet.
House speaker Paul Ryan won’t seek re-election to Congress. Axios reports that the conservative Wisconsin lawmaker, who is second in line for the US presidency, is planning his exit as the GOP faces an increasingly difficult path to maintain its grip on the House of Representatives.
Mark Zuckerberg wrapped up day two of his testimony. The Facebook founder and CEO faced a tougher crowd on the House side of Congress, and was grilled on issues from privacy to Russian propaganda (paywall). Lawmakers again threatened regulation, and Zuckerberg revealed that Cambridge Analytica had obtained his personal data, too.
A plane crashed near the Algiers border, killing 257. The Algerian military aircraft was carrying soldiers, their families, and refugees, and crashed soon after its takeoff from a Boufarik military base. The cause of the accident is unclear; it appears to be the nation’s worst-ever aviation disaster.
Pope Francis admitted to “grave errors” in Chile sex abuse scandal. He blamed a lack of “true and balanced information” for his defense of Chilean priest Juan Barros, despite claims from victims that Barros had witnessed their abuse. The Pope invited them to Rome so that he might beg forgiveness, and also summoned Chile’s bishops to the Vatican to discuss the scandal.
Quartz obsession interlude
Olivia Goldhill on how scientists keep “discovering” things stoners already know: “The research on mystical experiences compared the sense of spirituality that comes from psychedelics with that which comes from religious experiences. But…simply describing trips is, at least in some cases, considered a worthwhile addition to the academic literature.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Instagram might be Facebook’s saving grace. Its audience is young and growing, and the platform hasn’t yet lost itself in too-quick innovation.
TV is finally celebrating working-class families. Sky’s In The Long Run and Netflix’s On My Block could help bridge the divide.
CryptoKitties are no laughing matter. Toys—even digital ones—often breed good ideas, and anything that’s both scarce and in-demand should be taken seriously.
Surprising discoveries
World leaders are not invited to the royal wedding. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are breaking with precedent and keeping the event politics-free.
Airbus wants to turn cargo holds into a nap zone. Lie-flat berth modules could be in both new and old jets by 2020.
A mummified monkey turned up in a department store ceiling. A nearby town’s mayor believes his father stole the (then-live) animal, then ditched it.
A burglar rented out the home he robbed. An elaborate scheme—complete with fake framed photos—tricked victims into handing over rent while the real owner was away.
A suicide pact turned out to be partying metal fans. Acting on a tip, Scottish police arrived to rescue adults and children wearing heavy makeup and listening to loud music.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, monkey mummies, and royal wedding invites 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 and edited by Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz and Susan Howson.