Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan markets are closed Friday for Qingming Festival. The tomb-sweeping holiday, during which people hold memorials for deceased relatives, features the burning of fake currency—which has become so realistic (paywall) that it causes anxiety at central banks.
The New Zealand mosque shooter is charged with 50 murders. 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant will appear via video in a courtroom on Friday, where he will also be charged with 39 counts of attempted murder. He will not be required to enter a plea.
Japan blasts a crater into an asteroid. The Hayabusa2 probe will detonate a “small carry-on impactor” near the asteroid Ryugu, expelling material that could shed light on its origins and physical make-up.
A pivotal US jobs report could eliminate—or confirm—fears of a recession. Analysts expect the US economy to have added 180,000 jobs in March, after an alarmingly low 20,000 the previous month.
While you were sleeping
Donald Trump delayed a US-China summit. The US president confounded expectations of an imminent announcement (paywall), telling reporters he was not ready to invite Chinese president Xi Jinping to Mar-a-Lago until prospects for a trade deal improve. Speaking alongside Chinese vice premier Liu He, Trump said: “If we have a deal, we’ll have a summit.”
Microsoft is investigating allegations of widespread sexual harassment. Quartz obtained an email chain between hundreds of Microsoft employees, describing sexual misconduct and sexist behavior that was met with indifference by HR staff. At a town hall meeting, CEO Satya Nadella “expressed his sadness and disappointment” about the incidents.
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos uncoupled their marriage and fortunes. Under terms of the divorce, MacKenzie will keep 25% of the couple’s Amazon stake, which is currently worth about $143 billion, but will relinquish all voting power. Jeff will also be sole owner of the Washington Post and space startup Blue Origin.
The US has been spying on Huawei for years. Assistant US attorney Alex Solomon told a federal judge that information gathered through secret surveillance will be used against the telecom manufacturer in an attempt to prove fraudulent activity and a disregard for sanctions. He added that the espionage was legal under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Amazon plans to launch a network of satellites. Federal regulatory documents suggest that the company intends to put 3,200 satellites into orbit. Amazon said its Project Kuiper will provide high-speed internet to people in underserved communities—though satellite internet revenues tend to come from telecoms, the military, oil companies, and cruise lines.
A US judge told Elon Musk and the SEC to work it out. The Securities and Exchange Commission had asked district judge Alison Nathan to hold the Tesla CEO in contempt of court over violating the tweet-supervision terms of his settlement. She said she would only make a ruling if the two sides failed to come to an agreement within two weeks.
Quartz Obsession
Your false eyelashes might have come from North Korea. A Chinese supplier sourced some materials from the DPRK, which Kim Jong Un is pushing to produce “the world’s best cosmetics.” It’s another unlikely turn in curious history of the appendage, which includes hair sewn into eyelids, magnetic application, and a financial opportunity the struggling cosmetics industry is going to great lengths to harness. Take a glance at the Quartz Obsession.
Membership
Since the first battery was invented in 1799 using only copper and zinc, researchers have harnessed many other elements, each with its unique properties. Today we detail all of the elements that could be used to power our world in the future, and take a tour of the world’s largest electric-vehicle battery factory.
Matters of debate
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Fortnite is a public health risk. According to Prince Harry, the wildly addictive game should be banned.
Driving in cities should not be free. The costs of congestion should be shared by drivers and passengers—just as with other forms of travel.
Nike’s Air Jordan was a sea change in menswear. The latest, most expensive sneaker is now the ultimate fashion status symbol.
Surprising discoveries
Spain’s hash is full of feces. The country’s cannabis carries a “dangerous amount of fecal matter” due to the intimate way it is smuggled.
The UN is considering floating cities to cope with climate change. Come aboard, your city’s waiting for you.
Brexit is befuddling financial news-reading algorithms. The robots that predict currency fluctuations have been overwhelmed by Britain’s legislative paralysis.
A Philippine hotel is leading the charge against entitled influencers. A hotel owner told freeloading Instagrammers to “try to actually work.”
Cats may be able to recognize their own names. But actually deciding to acknowledge the person who said the name is a different story.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, floating city plans, and recognizable cat names to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Susan Howson and Adam Pasick.