Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Brazil asks China to import genetically modified sugarcane. Brazil’s agriculture minister, Tereza Cristina Dias, told Reuters she would seek approval of the crop, which is expected to be widely produced in coming years, during her trip to Beijing.
Walmart’s quarterly results. Investors will be closely watching for any trade-war impact on the retailing giant, which imports many goods from China.
SpaceX launches a constellation of internet access satellites. At 10:30pm ET (0230 GMT), the company is scheduled to send aloft 60 of its “Starlink” satellites, part of a network that could eventually total more than 1,000. The Falcon 9 rocket will carry a record cargo of 15 tons (13,620 kilograms).
While you were sleeping
The White House signaled a delay on auto tariffs. Ahead of a May 18 deadline, Trump administration officials said the decision could be put off by up to six months to avoid disrupting talks between the US, EU, and Japan. Shares of automakers, who have warned that higher duties could lead to hundreds of thousands of US job losses, rose sharply.
The FAA signaled its support of Boeing. US Federal Aviation Administration acting chief Daniel Elwell told a Congressional committee (paywall) that he supported the company’s certification process—which uses Boeing employees to inspect Boeing products—and that the lack of standard sensor reading warning lights in 737 Max planes did not contribute to the Lion Air or Ethiopian Airlines crashes.
Tencent and Alibaba bucked China’s economic slowdown. Both tech giants posted better-than-expected quarterly results (paywall), as Alibaba expanded into new regions and businesses and Tencent tapped into new corporate clients. Both companies are also investing heavily in cloud computing.
WeWork is starting a $3 billion fund to become its own landlord. The $47 billion startup said it will create a “real estate acquisition and management platform” to buy buildings—including some assets currently owned by CEO Adam Neumann—and then rent space to itself (paywall). SoftBank, which has invested $8.5 billion in WeWork, recently slashed its future investment from $16 billion to just $2 billion.
Researchers unveiled the first living organism with redesigned DNA. Scientists at Cambridge University edited E. coli DNA to remove superfluous genetic instructions. The research, published in the journal Nature, sets the stage for custom-designed organisms that could manufacture drugs or resist infection.
Quartz Obsession
Helium: US party supply retailer Party City is closing 45 stores, due in part to a worldwide helium shortage. There’s plenty of the universe’s second-most prevalent element left on Earth—but its real importance to the economy is high-tech gizmos like MRI machines and particle colliders. So why can’t supply meet demand? Find out in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Membership
Today we take a close look at Comac, the Chinese aircraft manufacturer that would like to break into the Boeing-Airbus jetliner duopoly. Also, our Private Key column wonders if spring has finally come to crypto, after a long, long winter.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
Restrictive abortion laws come at a cost…to men. Paternity is expensive, and, in many places, mandatory.
“Healthy” food products are missing the point. Many plant-based alternatives hailed as miracles contain GMOs that could prove dangerous.
You don’t need to shell out for an iPhone to get a great product. One recent smartphone release proves that fantastic phones can be affordable.
Surprising discoveries
September 11 helped create China’s surveillance state. Video surveillance manufacturers had been waiting for an excuse to go mainstream.
Driverless trucks hit Sweden’s roadways. Swedish transport startup Einride says that autonomous trucks save it 60% on operating costs.
Notre Dame architecture proposals have gone off the deep end. One involves a rooftop swimming pool guarded by statues of the 12 apostles.
Uber will let you mute your driver. A new “Quiet Mode” lets riders send a clear signal that now is not the time for idle chatter, thanks.
A stolen van was returned for beer. A North Carolina brewery promised a keg party to whoever gave back the vehicle—and saw results in 42 minutes.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, free kegs, and divine pools 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 Adam Pasick and Susan Howson, the latter through a haze of tears that this is Adam’s final (and approximately 2,000th) Daily Brief. Best of luck, Adam!