Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Mike Pompeo faces his Senate confirmation hearing. Last month the CIA director was nominated by Donald Trump to replace Rex Tillerson as US secretary of state. Considered more hawkish on international issues than Tillerson, Pompeo has railed against the Iran nuclear deal and is expected to signal a hard line on Russia. The hearing can be watched live.
Theresa May holds an emergency meeting on Syria. With Donald Trump pressing for coordinated military intervention in Syria over a chemical weapons attack, the UK prime minister is considering bypassing the convention that parliament is offered a vote before military action. She and her cabinet colleagues will discuss the next steps.
The Impossible Burger hits menus at White Castle outlets. It will be the first plant-based patty to be sold in an American quick-serve restaurant, according to White Castle and California-based Impossible Foods. The chain’s menu has been dominated by actual meat for nearly a century.
The European Central Bank releases minutes from its March meeting. After the gathering, the ECB dropped its promise to increase bond purchases if needed, with bank president Mario Draghi describing the decision as “unanimous.” Today investors will find out what the discussion among policymakers was like.
While you were sleeping
China sounded off about US tariffs threats. A commerce ministry spokesman said China would fight “till the very end” if the US insists on unilateralism and trade protectionism. Meanwhile China’s ambassador to Peru said a potential trade war between the world’s two biggest economies could bolster Latin America’s exports.
New Zealand banned all new offshore oil exploration. The government will grant no new permits in a move hailed by environmental groups as a win in the fight against climate change. The decision won’t affect the existing 22 permits, some of which have decades left on their exploration rights.
Pope Francis admitted to “grave errors” in a Chilean sex-abuse scandal. He blamed a lack of “true and balanced information” for his defense of Chilean priest Juan Barros, whom victims claimed had witnessed and ignored their abuse. He also invited the victims he had discredited to Rome so that he might seek their forgiveness personally.
The Pentagon stopped accepting deliveries of F-35 jets from Lockheed Martin. At issue is who will cover the costs for fixing a production error, Reuters reported—what is likely to be an expensive, logistically complicated effort. At least two foreign governments have also stopped accepting deliveries of the made-in-Texas jets because of the problem.
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
A mummified monkey turned up in a US department store’s ceiling. A mayor believes his father stole the then-live animal and then ditched it.
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 Syrian man has spent over a month living in a Kuala Lumpur airport. He fears being arrested in his country for refusing a call-up for military service.
A burglar in the US 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.
Clarification: Yesterday we wrote that China’s nouveau riche are hunting in places like Texas, Russia, and Canada, where visitors can pay up to $50,000 to kill polar bears. There are, of course, no polar bears in Texas—yet.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, plant-based burgers, and CryptoKitties 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 Isabella Steger.