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The EU-Balkans summit. While the gathering would originally have focused on membership prospects for the six Balkan countries that are not yet part of the bloc, it will now center on addressing the pandemic and countering Russia and China’s influence in the region. Meanwhile, German chancellor Angela Merkel will meet with the country’s 16 state heads to discuss further easing lockdown measures.
The UK’s coronavirus advisor resigned from his government role… Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist whose Covid-19 modelling convinced prime minister Boris Johnson to put the UK under lockdown, stepped down after breaching public health rules by receiving his lover on visits to his home. Separately, Johnson faces Labour leader Keir Starmer for the first time at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
…while a US government scientist filed a whistleblower complaint. Rick Bright, former director of a government agency tasked with developing drugs to fight the coronavirus, accused the Trump administration of removing him after he raised doubts about the use of an anti-malarial drug in Covid-19 hotspots.
South Korea kicked off its “everyday quarantine” scheme. Six weeks of strict social distancing measures will now ease into a next phase, with citizens urged to follow a detailed set of public health guidelines while resuming socioeconomic activities.
The White House will disband its coronavirus task force. The team will be phased out later this month as the country transitions to dealing with the aftermath of the outbreak. Meanwhile, president Donald Trump reiterated the need to re-open the economy even if more people get sick and die.
An update on research, testing, and vaccines
📚 Can I Google that for you? The search giant released an AI-powered Research Explorer to help users dig through 50,000 research papers on the novel coronavirus.
🧪 Will this be on the test? Biologists said CRISPR technology could enable reliable and cheap at-home Covid-19 tests with saliva samples. However, mass testing in the US remains a logistical hurdle, one that Alphabet’s Verily is still struggling to impact.
💉 Who’s winning the race to a vaccine? Pfizer and BioNTech SE began an experimental trial based on a new RNA technology, while Harvard hospital researchers are expanding a form of gene therapy that could help turn the human body against the disease. Finally, a new report paints a dire picture for next year’s Tokyo Olympics (paywall) if a vaccine is not widely available.
Charting US retail spending
This pandemic is drastically changing what Americans are purchasing. Each month, the US Census estimates how much money was spent at different types of retailers. The data show that spending at car dealers, restaurants, gasoline stations, and clothing stores dropped precipitously in March 2020 compared to the same month in 2019. These types of retailers are almost certain to struggle for many more months, as people try to maintain social distancing.
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- Will the US government coronavirus bailouts break politics? With a price tag that is already higher than the 2008 recession rescue package, the reverberations from this pandemic could remake the political playing field.
- What do shoppers want from companies now? The Covid-19 crisis has upended the concept of customer loyalty, with businesses coming around to the notion that if they want to sustain a long-term relationship, it’s companies that need to be loyal right now.
- Why do schools put kids through the torture of group work? Because it matters. Group work is very important for 78% of US jobs and the most valuable players often share this key trait.
We’re obsessed with knitting
The art of tying knots. Long regarded as quintessential women’s work, this stereotype has made knitting a cover for, or subject of, subversion. The subterfuge entwined with knitting dates back at least as far as the American Revolution—making it perhaps the craftiest craft. Get yourself in stitches with the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Surprising discoveries
Ghost writers on WeChat helped students cheat on their assignments. The scandal at Australia’s University of New South Wales marks a 400% surge in cases of contract cheating.
A US postal worker went viral on TikTok. She accidentally rolled straight into a live dance recording.
The remains of a Bronze Age chieftain were found beneath a skate park. His was one of two millennia-old skeletons excavated at a site in southwest England.
Interior designers are pivoting to Animal Crossing. Players can hire consultants for £40 ($50) an hour to design their in-game virtual homes.
Tom Cruise was tapped to film a movie in space. The actor will work with NASA, and reportedly SpaceX, to act in a yet-to-be detailed production.
You asked about real estate
What will happen to residential home values after the lockdown. – Hans
Whether you’re an empty-nester looking to sell or a millennial considering a first home, this is a question on many minds. For sellers, despite a US economy that is projected to plunge at a 40% annualized rate during the current quarter, the median home price rose 8% year-over-year to $280,600 in March. That’s in large part due to a shrinking housing supply that will be exacerbated by a pandemic pause in new home construction.
If you’re a buyer looking for a silver lining, construction has been one of the first sectors to resume (paywall) as economies reopen. Even in hard-hit New York City, nearly 5,000 construction projects have been allowed to continue during the lockdown. In fact, some high-profile developments are already offering hefty Covid discounts.
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Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, chic virtual homes, and ghostwritten essays 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.