Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Donald Trump is expected to effectively ban Huawei. The US president could sign an executive order as early as today (paywall) barring domestic companies from using telecommunications equipment made by firms posing a national security risk—a move that would all but block the Chinese tech giant from the country.
New Zealand and France tackle online violence. Jacinda Ardern and Emmanuel Macron meet with tech and European leaders in Paris today to discuss the “Christchurch Call,” a plan to eliminate terrorist and violent content online. Ahead of the meeting, Facebook unveiled new restrictions on its live-streaming feature to try limit future abuse.
Alibaba and Tencent earnings. China’s tech giants are both under the microscope, as investors fret about the US-China trade war and a slowing Chinese economy. Alibaba is trying to diversify away from e-commerce into cloud computing, while Tencent’s may be emerging from the aftermath (paywall) of a government video game crackdown.
Congress holds hearings on Boeing and Hong Kong. A commission on China will discuss Hong Kong’s autonomy, while a House committee will discuss the Boeing 737 Max, which was grounded in March after two fatal crashes. Southwest Airlines, a major operator of the fleet (paywall), is also likely to discuss the grounding at its annual shareholder meeting today.
The US reports industrial production and retail sales. Numbers are expected to slow (paywall) due to—you guessed it—the US-China trade war. Slowing China retail and industrial output figures out today reflected consumer concerns over the economy.
While you were sleeping
The US pulled embassy staff out of Iraq. The State Department has ordered all non-emergency staff out of the country amid worsening tensions with Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported (paywall). The Trump administration is divided over how to respond to Iran (paywall), with European allies concerned about the spillover effects of any confrontation.
Alabama outlawed almost all abortions. The state’s senate passed a bill that criminalizes abortions at any stage of a pregnancy; doctors who carry out the procedure could face up to 99 years in prison. An exemption is permitted if the mother’s life is threatened, but not in cases of rape or incest. The bill now goes to Republican governor Kay Ivey, an opponent of abortion.
San Francisco banned government use of facial recognition. Officials voted eight to one to pass the “Stop Secret Surveillance Ordinance,” making it the first major American city to ban police and other government agencies from using facial recognition technology.
Germany’s economy rebounded slightly. Despite an ongoing manufacturing funk, the country reported 0.4% growth (paywall) in the first quarter of 2019, following two quarters of stagnation last year. Numbers across the Eurozone beat expectations, but the escalating US-China trade conflict could impact the region.
Sudan’s army and protesters settled on a three-year transition period. After negotiations were marred by violence this week, the two sides reached an agreement to transfer power to a civilian administration after last month’s ouster of president Omar al-Bashir.
Quartz Obsession
Doorbells: With the dawn of the electric era came a new domestic anxiety—the piercing buzz of a visitor at the door. Now, new hyper-connected digital versions have only amplified the unease, raising complicated questions about data security, community dynamics, and surveillance. Eyeball the story in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Membership
China has been building its aviation prowess for decades. Could Boeing’s 737 Max crisis help its ascent? Asia bureau chief Tripti Lahiri tracks the opportunity presented for China’s commercial aviation dreams by Boeing’s crisis.
Matters of debate
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Noisy coworkers are the most disruptive office distractions. It’s not the temperature or the traffic noise—it’s us.
Long-distance relationships are getting closer. Advances in technology make the dreaded status more bearable.
Everything should take 20 minutes. It’s objectively the ideal amount of time for any task.
Surprising discoveries
A probe revealed how US Navy pilots drew a giant phallus in the sky. “Balls are complete,” said one of the two prankster pilots.
Jumpsuits are going mainstream. The revolutionary and futuristic one-piece garment is now turning up in white-collar boardrooms.
Even a fast-growing industry dominated by women pays women less. Three-quarters of social media influencers are women, but men earn up to 23% more for posts.
New Zealand’s PM returned a $5 bribe from the dragon lobby. An 11-year-old wanted Jacinda Ardern to fund research on the mystical reptiles.
A condom maker has a new baby-preventing product. Skyn’s “baby blocker” tool lets users erase photos of their friends’ kids on social media.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, unobtrusive doorbells, and workplace-appropriate onesies 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 Sam Rigby and Jackie Bischof.