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What to watch for today
Japan releases GDP figures. If the numbers show economic growth in the first quarter, prime minister Shinzo Abe will be more likely (paywall) to hike an unpopular sales tax as promised (he’s backtracked twice before). The results take on added weight because Japan will hold elections for its upper house in July.
Jacob Zuma returns to court in South Africa. The former president’s defense team will try to stop the proceedings and dismiss all charges of corruption against him. The state prosecutor will argue for a criminal trial. The case has been plagued by postponements, but this week may see real progress.
Ryanair releases full-year results. The low-cost airline has faced a number of challenges, among them rising fuel prices and Brexit uncertainty hurting UK consumer demand. What’s more, it has a large order of Boeing 737 Max 8s, the airplane still grounded following fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Over the weekend
Australians reelected Scott Morrison as prime minister. In a surprise, the conservative leader of the Liberal Party came out victorious, despite polls suggesting he’d lose to his rivals. The contest had been dubbed the “climate election,” with Morrison unabashedly siding with big coal.
Switzerland voted in favor of tighter gun-control laws. Though the country has a long tradition of gun ownership, voters overwhelmingly agreed to the new rules, which comply with changes in European Union regulations. Not doing so could have jeopardized the nation’s status as part of the open-border Schengen area.
Austria’s vice chancellor stepped down amid a corruption scandal. Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the far-right Freedom Party, was caught on video apparently agreeing to award public contracts to a Russian investor in exchange for favorable media coverage. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, seeing his coalition government collapse, called for a snap election.
A GOP lawmaker called for Trump’s impeachment. Michigan representative Justin Amash said his fellow Republicans are deliberately shirking their duty to thoroughly review Robert Mueller’s 11 conclusions on obstruction of justice by the US president. “President Trump,” he tweeted Saturday, “has engaged in impeachable conduct.”
Exit polls pointed to a victory for Narendra Modi. With voting in the world’s largest election wrapping up Sunday, exit polls suggest that India’s prime minister, who appealed to his Hindu nationalist base, will likely remain in power and gain an even larger majority in parliament. Official results will be announced May 23.
The Netherlands won the Eurovision Song Contest. Duncan Laurence made an impression with his piano ballad “Arcade,” earning him this year’s trophy. Meanwhile the supposedly nonpolitical competition, held this year in Tel Aviv, was once again infused with politics, including a statement that Madonna worked into her performance.
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Matters of debate
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Eating healthy is too much work. Navigating the grocery aisles to find food that’s nutritionally beneficial, yet also affordable and tasty, increasingly feels like more trouble than it’s worth.
Work-life balance shouldn’t be tied to child-rearing. The expectation that non-parents put in extraordinarily long hours and exhibit a single-minded focus on their jobs also means that working parents are more likely to get sidelined at the office.
Completely online relationships are the new norm. Thanks to always-on internet connections, teens feel less need to meet romantic interests in person.
Surprising discoveries
Milkshakes have replaced eggs as the UK’s protest weapon of choice. Edinburgh police asked McDonald’s to stop selling the beverage ahead of a rally for right-wing leader Nigel Farage.
An Icelandic canyon shut down after a Justin Bieber-inspired tourist surge. The music video for his “I’ll Show You” was shot at Fjadrárgljúfur Canyon, leading to an overwhelming number of visitors.
A billionaire will pay off all the student debt of nearly 400 graduating seniors. Robert F. Smith made the announcement at Atlanta’s Morehouse College, where he gave the commencement speech.
Making kids go vegan can lead to jail time in Belgium. A new ruling will make it easier for officials to take legal action against parents in cases where poor health is associated with a vegan diet.
There’s now a facial recognition app for pandas. It will boost conservationist efforts in China, where fewer than 2,000 giant pandas remain in the wild.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, milkshakes, and big-hearted commencement speakers 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 Steve Mollman and Mike Murphy.