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What to watch for today and over the weekend
Angela Merkel gets visited. Chinese vice president Wang Qishan and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo both have spots on the German chancellor’s Friday calendar, but it’s not clear whether they will cross paths. Both are likely to want to discuss security issues with Merkel, including recent tensions between the US and Iran.
Tesla opens shop in China with locally made Model 3s. In a big move towards catching up with rival Chinese electric vehicle brands, the US automaker confirmed on its Weibo account that as of today, buyers can pre-order Model 3s made at Shanghai’s new Gigafactory 3. The price tag is $10,000 less than the American version.
India shows signs of an impending economic slowdown. The nation’s fourth-quarter GDP numbers as well as its full-year data are expected to show growth that falls short of projections on Friday. Analysts are recommending strong government support and benign monetary policy to right the ship.
The US-China trade war ratchets up yet another notch. It’s Beijing’s turn to add another layer of pressure by possibly making good on a threat to slap higher tariffs on some imported US goods Saturday. And the world gets that much closer to a global recession.
While you were sleeping
Mark Zuckerberg lives to lead another day. The Facebook CEO came out on the right side of a vote at the company’s annual meeting, where shareholders decided that he will remain chairman. The failure of the attempt to keep one individual from holding both roles wasn’t a surprise, since that one individual holds about 58% of the voting power.
China stopped ordering US soy. After US president Donald Trump last week announced an aid package benefiting soybean farmers struggling with the effects of the trade war, Chinese buyers halted new orders of the crop, which could drive a wedge between Trump and his base. Previous orders are still moving forward.
Austria appointed its first female chancellor. Brigitte Bierlein will form an interim cabinet until snap elections in the fall. The previous government collapsed after two officials were caught on film in Ibiza purporting to offer public contracts in exchange for campaign help.
Ben & Jerry’s wants in on CBD. The iconic US ice cream manufacturer said it has plans to introduce a CBD-infused line, pending the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the use of the non-psychoactive cannabis product in food. Ben & Jerry’s called for fans to contact the FDA during its public consultation period which goes through July.
More media companies spoke out against Georgia. The US state, whose tax incentives make it a popular location for film and TV productions, has drawn the ire of NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia. Both joined Netflix and Disney in promising to reconsider their relationships if Georgia moves forward with strict anti-abortion laws.
Membership
In today’s member exclusive, reporter Hanna Kozlowska looks at the rise of the microinfluencer with continued coverage of the Mom 2.0 Summit, which gave businesses the chance to court bloggers in Austin last month, in a bid to promote their wares.
Quartz Obsession
Climate anxiety is going around. And it’s not just the dire and increasingly well-understood effects of living through related catastrophes like fire and drought—the American Psychological Association has recognized that being inundated by the bad news of a slow-moving disaster, delivered 24/7 by news and social media, could be wearing us down.
Matters of debate
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Being late to the airport is a coping mechanism. Cutting it close on purpose is just another way of managing air travel anxiety.
“Meat” by definition refers to something that was once a living, breathing animal. The US cattle industry thinks alternatives created in a lab don’t qualify.
Fox News is the real misinformation machine. The wide reach of the network’s doctored storytelling makes Facebook’s fake news problem look like no big deal.
Surprising discoveries
LeBron James travels with a supply of luxury candles. The NBA superstar says it’s his way to bring the essence of home on the road.
People in Hawaii are eating “rat lungworm” along with unwashed produce. The parasite originates in rodents (paywall) but is passed to plants by snails and slugs.
If rat lungworm doesn’t kill you, chicken nuggets probably will. Two long-term European studies link ultra-processed foods with early death and poor health.
Hydrogen-powered hover crafts could solve gridlock and pollution. A prototype exists for an autonomous aircraft that, its maker says, could revolutionize urban transport.
Nonprofit jobs can pay off. Average compensation at a nonprofit is almost $8 per hour higher than what for-profit workers earn.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, luxury candles, and clean produce 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 Jessanne Collins and Susan Howson.