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Here’s what you need to know
The Kim Jong Un mystery continues. Speculation intensified over the weekend about the health of the North Korean leader, who last appeared in public April 11. It’s unclear if he’s fine, in a coma after a botched surgery, or deceased—and, if the latter, who takes charge.
Covid-19 surged in Singapore. On Sunday the city-state reported 931 new cases, bringing its total to over 13,000, the third most in Asia after China and India. Migrant workers living in close quarters account for the majority of the infections.
Hong Kong police broke up a protest. The anti-government rally took place in an upmarket shopping mall and drew about 300 demonstrators, the first sizable gathering since last month. On April 18 the government arrested 15 senior figures of the pro-democracy movement.
Boeing changed course on Embraer. It looked set to buy 80% of Embraer’s commercial jet business for $4.2 billion, but on Saturday it backed out of the deal. The troubled US plane maker will announce its first-quarter results Wednesday.
India shot down a tax-the-rich proposal. On Saturday about 50 Indian Revenue Service officers recommended raising taxes on the super rich and foreign companies to address the pandemic’s economic fallout. The government quickly squashed the idea.
What to watch for this week
- The Bank of Japan is expected to announce a plan today to boost financing assistance for companies struggling in the wake of Covid-19.
- HSBC reports its first-quarter results Tuesday, with a steep decline in profit expected.
- Tesla delivers its quarterly numbers Wednesday, following a production boost from its Shanghai Gigafactory.
- On Thursday Taiwan reveals its first-quarter GDP numbers, and an updated full-year forecast. The IMF believes Taiwan’s economy will shrink 4% in 2020.
- Apple shares its results at 5pm ET Thursday, having confirmed it won’t hit its guidance. Supply-chain disruptions in Asia have taken a toll.
- British prime minister Boris Johnson returns to work today, having recovered from Covid-19.
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Charting the demand for YouTube exercise videos
Around the world, millions of gym enthusiasts are stuck at home because of the pandemic—but still want to exercise. A growing portion of the fitness industry is going online (✦ Quartz member exclusive) to help them do just that. But some fitness entrepreneurs are already there, including the most popular creators of exercise videos on YouTube, who’ve scored a traffic boost without breaking a sweat.
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- The coronavirus pandemic is pushing the fitness industry out of the gym and onto the screen. Some firms are capitalizing on that shift, with well-funded players doubling down on free trials. But others won’t recover.
- Home fitness is nothing new. Physicians have prescribed it since at least 600 BC.
- Before you get moving, fitness experts have some advice on how to avoid injury while exercising at home. The key is mobility training focused on joint health.
We’re obsessed with Pokémon
The vast Pokémon universe is the most lucrative franchise in the world. More than two decades after its monsters broke out of their Poké balls and onto the world stage, it’s still going strong. Light-years beyond paper trading cards or even the 8-bit GameBoy, the latest developments, like the Detective Pikachu movie and Pokémon Go app, continue to put up numbers. The Quartz Daily Obsession is determined to catch ’em all.
Matter of debate
Blame the Chinese political system for the evictions of Africans in Guangzhou. The highly publicized incidents sparked international outcry and forced Beijing to address accusations of racism. But Shanghai-based YouTuber Simon Yu argues that most of the blame must fall on a flawed meritocracy that rewards progress on a narrow set of statistics—while ignoring the broader impact of government interventions.
Surprising discoveries
Bamboo shoots are having a moment… Search interest in bamboo recipes has shot up 4,850% as novice chefs across Asia turn to home-cooked meals for comfort.
…and so are drive-in movie theaters. Families are flocking to restaurants that have set up screens in their parking lots to offer epidemic-proof entertainment.
Scientists want to know what your sourdough starter smells like. The researchers are using the bread baking trend to study the distribution of bacteria species around the world.
Paleontologists identified the “most dangerous place in the history of planet Earth.” Morocco 100 million years ago was teeming with carnivores on land, air, and sea.
A developer built an ode to dying websites. Her strange site, packed with relics of internet design, invites visitors to remember (or learn) what it was like when the web was weird.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, bamboo recipes, and memories of the digital days of yore 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 Steve Mollman and Nicolás Rivero.