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Here’s what you need to know
Boris Johnson returns to work. The UK prime minister faces a series of urgent questions when he’s back at his No.10 desk, including whether and how to ease lockdown measures. The current social distancing rules are up for review on May 7.
EU ministers discuss how to save the travel industry. The Greek tourism minister said he would push for a common set of rules for the bloc when he meets with his counterparts today to deliberate on regulations like Covid-19 immunity certificates and traveller screenings.
Australia rolled out its contact tracing app. More than 1.1 million users had downloaded the COVIDSafe app within hours of its launch last night. The government has said that 40% of the population would need to use the app for maximum effectiveness. Meanwhile, Israel’s Supreme Court said the government must legislate its use of Covid-19 phone-tracking and begin drafting the law by April 30.
Italy and Spain outlined roadmaps to easing confinement rules. Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte said yesterday that the country’s manufacturing industry will start re-opening on May 4, but schools will remain closed until September. Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said individual exercise and family walks will be permitted from May 2, while children were allowed to play outside for the first time in weeks yesterday.
The Kim Jong Un mystery continues. Speculation intensified over the weekend about the health of the North Korean leader, after reports emerged that a Chinese delegation including medical experts was dispatched to the country. South Korea has repeatedly insisted that Kim is alive and well.
Hong Kong riot police broke up a protest. The anti-government rally took place in an upmarket shopping mall and drew about 300 demonstrators, who had gathered to sing and chant. Authorities have intensified its crackdown on the protest movement in recent weeks.
What to watch for this week
- Norway re-opens its primary schools today, and France presents a plan on easing its lockdown tomorrow.
- HSBC reports its first-quarter results tomorrow, 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.
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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
Let’s turn golf courses into public parks. Why not transform the rolling greens usually reserved for the select few into vast expanses where people can enjoy socially distanced time outdoors? San Francisco has done it, and a politician for the UK’s Green Party has petitioned for it.
Surprising discoveries
Russian protesters went virtual. They dropped thousands of pins in front of government buildings on online maps—a creative workaround to lockdown measures.
A US official resigned after throwing his cat during a Zoom meeting. The Californian planning commissioner tossed his pet off-screen, was apparently drinking beer, and was heard making derogatory remarks.
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.
Scientists want to know what your sourdough starter smells like. They’re using the bread-baking trend to study the distribution of bacteria species around the world.
A developer built an ode to dying websites. It’s packed with relics of internet design, and 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, dissenting pins, 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 written by Mary Hui and edited by Isabella Steger.