Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Markets monitor a wordy Federal Reserve. The US central bank is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate where it is. But analysts are bracing for comments from chairman Jerome Powell, who has been criticized for his “extemporaneous choices of adjectives and adverbs,” which have roiled financial markets.
William Barr appears before the Senate. The US attorney general will be questioned today over his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s 400-page report and the decision to not prosecute Donald Trump for obstruction of justice. Mueller reportedly wrote to Barr last month to say his four-page summary (paywall) “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” of his report.
Google employees stage a sit-in. Organizers of the Google walkout in November, which saw more than 20,000 workers protest the company’s handling of sexual harassment complaints, say they have faced retaliation in the months since, forcing them to resort to sending another public message to the search giant.
Qualcomm reports after a major settlement. The world’s largest chip supplier second-quarter results will reflect how well it is grappling with slower sales. Investors will be looking for insight on the impact of a recent settlement with Apple; disputes with the company had weighed on revenue in the past.
While you were sleeping
The US and China resumed trade negotiations. Trade representative Robert Lighthizer and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin met with vice premier Liu He, in what they called a decisive point in the talks. The pair could recommend a trade deal to president Trump within the next two rounds of talks.
France geared up for “May Day” protests. Paris deployed thousands of police and security forces ahead of demonstrations involving both trade union members and anti-government “yellow vest” demonstrators. Several countries will mark International Workers’ Day today with events celebrating labor solidarity.
Mike Pompeo warned against doing business in China’s Xinjiang region. The US secretary of state suggested the scale of Beijing’s detention of 1 million Uighur Muslims held in re-education camps resembles Nazi crimes in the 1930s. Pompeo called on US companies to reconsider their business dealings there.
Venezuela’s strongman said he defeated a coup attempt. The army overwhelmingly stood by Nicolás Maduro as opposition leader Juan Guaidó, flanked by a small cadre of troops on a highway overpass, called for military and public support to oust the president. Security forces clamped down on a smattering of protests, with Guaidó calling for more demonstrations today.
NATO stopped releasing key Afghan war data. The US-led mission will no longer report how much territory is controlled by the government and insurgents, with the latest data showing Kabul controlling less than Western officials had predicted. US and Taliban representatives are restarting peace talks in Qatar today.
Membership
We take a detour on this week’s deep dive into tech’s political ambitions to speak with former UK prime minister Tony Blair about how unprepared politicians are for the next Industrial Revolution. Recently in Silicon Valley to chat with entrepreneurs and companies, Blair says he wants to convince leaders in technology and politics to rewrite the social contract for the digital future.
Quartz Obsession
Ellipses… A symbol that means hesitancy, apprehension, and indecision seems tailor-made for the internet. As instant chat became more popular in the ’90s, designers began to use the ellipsis to indicate another party was typing, which ended up creating anxiety instead of mitigating it. Pause to consider these three little dots in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Measles outbreaks are a harbinger of doom. Governments need to step in before deadlier diseases take advantage of a drop in vaccinations.
An economic principle explains the millennial dry spell. The generation’s aversion to risk may be getting in the way of having sex.
Software shouldn’t police our interpersonal boundaries. Building up our own ability to say “no” is crucial to protecting our time.
Surprising discoveries
Mobile phones now outnumber humans. Despite widespread electricity gaps, our devices have taken over.
Warren Buffett uses cash “98% of the time.” The legendary investor usually keeps about $400 in his wallet.
Fanny packs on Crocs are absurd, but smart. The brand sells more clogs when they market outrageous variations.
The Indian army says it discovered a yeti. Photos of huge footprints on the army’s Twitter account were met with widespread scorn.
The moon is the child of Earth and a rock named Theia. A study hypothesizes the Mars-sized body collided with our planet, expelling debris that became our lunar sibling.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, creative clogs, and mythical beasts to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Adam Rasmi and edited by Jackie Bischof.