Good morning, Quartz readers!
Here’s what you need to know
Some businesses are reopening in Asia… Peugeot has restarted its joint venture with China’s Dongfeng Motor Group in Wuhan, and most of Huawei’s 150,000 China-based employees are back at work. Meanwhile, Nike’s China experience helped it develop a pandemic playbook to use as other countries shut down.
…while others are still struggling. Canceled orders from US and European clothing companies could be devastating to Asia’s factories. Less than a quarter of US companies surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in China say their businesses are back on track.
The UN is asking for $2 billion to help conflict zones tackle the pandemic. During the past week, Syria, Libya, and Gaza all reported their first Covid-19 cases. Funding is desperately needed to bolster testing, medical care, and ongoing humanitarian relief.
Softbank Group ditched Moody’s. The Japanese tech conglomerate broke ties after the credit ratings agency downgraded the company’s rating by two notches. Meanwhile, Softbank-backed ride hailing company Ola reportedly wants the Indian government to help out its drivers.
Korea’s Telegram sex-crime scandal is making waves in China. Seeing similar incidents of sexual exploitation, women in China are now speaking out against these acts on Weibo, and advocating for publishing the identities of registered users of porn sites.
Remote worker, homeschooler—it’s a lot all at once. Mass school closures mean that many new remote workers face the competing challenges of full-time work and full-time childcare. In Quartz’s next Remote Control workshop, parents will get expert advice on managing multiple tasks and warding off chaos. Join us Thursday at 1pm EDT. (We know that’s late for readers in Asia, but Quartz members will have access to the recording of the seminar.)
Testing, testing
Scientists are at work on an immunity test. Finding out who’s had the coronavirus and is no longer susceptible will help answer big public health questions and find recovered patients whose antibody-packed plasma could help in producing treatment and even a vaccine.
The UK announced that home tests will shortly be available nationwide. Public Health England initially said that 3.5 million 15-minute finger-prick tests would be available within a week, but later walked back any timeline promises, citing a need for more trials.
Some companies are using testing as a perk for the wealthy. An upscale Swiss hotel charges $500 for a Covid-19 test—and $4,800 for nursing care—as a way to quarantine in the lap of luxury.
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Countless startups face going out of business. Advice from the experts—and past lessons learned—can help entrepreneurs respond to the coronavirus epidemic.
Tensions between the US and China are threatening global scientific progress. And now, more than ever, science is what we need.
Listen to the US national parks, and stay calm. We’ve collected the sounds of nature to help you focus.
Quartz daily obsession
Skeuomorphs are visual throwbacks. You’ve seen them if you’ve ever added an item to your “cart” while shopping online, or dragged a file to your computer’s trash or recycle bin. In digital design, the term refers to icons that hearken back to what was once a necessary physical feature on an older version of the device. But now, skeuomorphism itself is becoming obsolete. Take a trip down digital memory lane with the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matter of debate
Fighting misinformation is harder than platforms would have us believe. According to cognitive psychologists Gordon Pennycook and David Rand, they “should rigorously test their ideas for combating fake news and not just rely on common sense or intuition about what will work.” Even iconic myth-busting site Snopes can’t do it all alone.
Surprising discoveries
What would you pay for iSneakers? A pair of Apple-branded footwear from the 1990s was auctioned for $9,687.
A street food vendor helped archaeologists find a lost Mayan capital. The tip led to a dig on a cattle rancher’s yard near the border between Mexico and Guatemala.
The US navy spends $400,000 per toilet flush. Its newest aircraft carriers have a clogging issue.
Digital first dates are on the rise. Meeting up the old-fashioned way—through Tinder—is no longer possible under strict lockdowns.
Computers could soon learn to smell. Intel is replicating some bits of the brain capable of taking a big whiff.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, lost cities, and far too expensive footwear to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Susan Howson and Liz Webber.