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China and US president Donald Trump spar in a new war of words. China’s foreign ministry said it has “no interest in interfering” in the upcoming US presidential election after Trump claimed Beijing wants him to lose. Trump has also ramped up his attacks on China for spreading alleged Covid-19 misinformation while the US is crafting plans to punish the country over its virus response (which Beijing is preparing for). The US intelligence community also issued a statement discrediting the theory that the coronavirus originated from a Wuhan lab after a report that the White House had been pushing spies to link the two.
It’s Labor Day in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore. Chinese travelers will hit the road for the five-day Golden Week holiday, but travel industry experts expect just half as many trips taken compared to last year. China and South Korea are also scheduled to begin their “Green Travel” program that fast-tracks business immigration today.
South Korea and Hong Kong drive new infections down to zero. While South Korea just recorded its first day without a new infection in nearly ten weeks, Hong Kong has now seen four days in a row with zero case growth. As a result, the University of Hong Kong’s school of public health has paused its real-time coronavirus transmission dashboard.
Apple, Amazon, and Twitter reported earnings. Twitter shares fell by almost 8% after the company reported a sharp drop in March advertising revenue. Amazon reached a new all-time high on Thursday before sinking around 5% due to new coronavirus-related costs. Apple stock also dipped after announcing flat revenue and no future guidance.
NASA issued lunar mission contracts to Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX. The US space agency insisted that its mission to send astronauts to return humans to the moon for the first time since 1972 will continue despite the pandemic.
Regional Focus: Southeast Asia
🇮🇩Indonesia—which has seen the most deaths in the region—braces for a return of migrant workers as confirmed cases cross 10,000 and towns block burials of coronavirus victims.
🇸🇬Singapore Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong warned citizens of job losses due to coronavirus-accelerated digital disruption. Furloughs have already arrived at local Grab offices, and the city-state’s McDonald’s have also extended their closures.
🇲🇾Malaysia is seeing success in containing the virus with sixteen consecutive days limited to double-digit case increases, however, that hasn’t changed Ramadan travel restrictions for the Muslim-majority.
Charting global support for lockdown measures
British people are the most world’s supportive of lockdown measures, a global survey shows. Brits express more apprehension about easing the lockdown than any other major country, according to a recent Ipsos MORI poll that surveyed some 28,000 people across 14 different countries. That includes places like the US and Italy, which have both a higher number of Covid-19 deaths and confirmed coronavirus cases.
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- The global transition to home fitness is fraught with injury, but fitness experts say staying healthy and safe is easier than it sounds. In our latest field guide on the home fitness boom, we share their advice on working out safely.
- Tesla saw its stock surge after reporting the company’s third-consecutive profitable quarter on Wednesday. These six charts help explain the automaker’s surprisingly successful streak.
- Corporate war rooms are having a moment right now. This is why military phrases are so popular in the corporate fight against Covid-19.
We’re obsessed with the Overton window
Ready for some window shopping? Since its obscure origins in a Midwestern think tank in the 1990s, the Overton window has become one of the best-known political-science concepts in the US. The idea of a mappable range of acceptable political discourse—and, more importantly, strategies for manipulating it—has entranced politicians, activists, and lobbyists for nearly 25 years. Today, it’s a go-to explanation for everything from the Trump administration’s media strategy to Brexit to Bernie Sanders’ progressive coalition-building. Change the terms of debate with the Quartz Daily Obsession
Surprising discoveries
The eels at a Japanese aquarium are feeling pretty lon-eel-y. So why don’t you give them a video call.
Scientists discover the first-known swimming dinosaur. Longer than a Tyrannosaurus rex, meet the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus.
New Zealanders’ first post-lockdown meal? A burger. Police have been sent to burger chains to safely control crowds clamoring for their first beef sandwich.
AI researchers crack musical mashups. OpenAI introduced Jukebox, a neural net that can create original music in a variety of genres based on popular artists.
Crocs are cool (again). The controversial shoe is having a moment as people don’t see friends and confine their movements to the backyard during the pandemic.
You asked about remdesivir
What’s the deal with remdesivir?
Okay, you haven’t asked yet, but we know it’s coming. Here’s what we know.
Remdesivir is an antiviral originally developed as a treatment for Ebola. It had minimal effect, but researchers later discovered it blocked some coronaviruses, including those behind SARS and MERS, from replicating in animals. Now, the drug is being tested in Covid-19 patients—and currently, the only way to get access is to be part of a clinical trial.
On April 29, we got the results—but not the data—of one US-run trial. Of 1,063 patients, those given remdesivir recovered in about 11 days, compared to 15 days for those given a placebo. It didn’t show reduced deaths, and, crucially, this is just one study. A smaller remdesivir study found no benefit compared to placebo.
The US study isn’t peer-reviewed yet—a critical vetting process for research. But based on its results, the FDA is expected to issue an emergency use authorization, which would let doctors treat patients with remdesivir outside of trials.
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Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, AI-produced songs, and chatty eels 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 Max Lockie and Patrick deHahn.