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Here’s what you need to know
Boris Johnson shared a plan for ending England’s lockdown. Yesterday the UK prime minister laid out three steps for re-opening the economy, starting with millions going back to work today and allowing unlimited exercise outdoors from Wednesday. Elsewhere, France begins testing its contact-tracing app today as it starts to ease its lockdown.
The US considers another pandemic relief bill. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow will meet with the Senate today to discuss further measures including directing more money to state and local governments, and food aid for Americans. Meanwhile, the country’s top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci is in quarantine following positive tests among White House staff.
Chipmakers eye building factories in the US. Amid tensions between Beijing and Washington, Intel said it’s in talks with the US defense department about boosting semiconductor manufacturing in America. And in another sign of fraying ties, the US is set to accuse China of deploying hackers to steal American coronavirus vaccine research.
China partially locked down a northeastern city… On Saturday authorities reported 11 new locally transmitted coronavirus cases in Jilin province and raised the infection risk level to high. Wuhan reported five new local cases.
…and coronavirus cases jumped in South Korea. Over the weekend Seoul’s mayor ordered more than 2,100 bars and nightclubs closed, just days after the national government eased social-distancing restrictions. More than 50 cases were linked to one man’s nightlife escapades. Separately, Germany’s transmission rate edged above one to 1.13, which if left unchecked could overwhelm the country’s health system by October.
What to watch for this week
- More than a dozen European countries will roll back their lockdowns today, with schools and shops re-opening.
- The English Premier League meets today to discuss restarting the season, while the European Football Union will also also discuss resuming its leagues.
- Toyota and Honda report earnings tomorrow for the fiscal year ended in March.
- Sony follows suit on Wednesday and might reveal PlayStation 5 details.
- China’s Tencent shares its first-quarter numbers Wednesday, boosted by the popularity of its video games during lockdowns.
- The US will on Friday share retail sales data for April, after a catastrophic March.
Charting the corona boost for digital payment firms
Digital payments were catching on even before the coronavirus pandemic. Now these transactions are getting turbocharged by the crisis (✦ Quartz member exclusive), and the disruption could lead to lasting changes in how people spend. PayPal had its largest single day of transactions ever on May 1, beating out heavy shopping days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Recently, share prices of payment companies like PayPal, Square, and Adyen have blown the broader equity market away.
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Coronavirus is adding an unexpected urgency to how we date. What does seeking love look like in extraordinary times? One PhD researcher is taking a look.
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We’re obsessed with the Kaaba
The cube stands alone. Photos of an empty Times Square may seem eerie, but it’s nothing compared to the strange emptiness of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where millions of Muslims arrive each year to complete a pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest site. Almost every inch of the structure at the center of it all has either a storied history or a symbolic significance. Sacred to Muslims, fascinating to all, the Kaaba has a contentious, immensely rich history written into the details. The Quartz Daily Obsession will take you on the journey.
Surprising discoveries
An 11-year-old boy broke a skateboarding record. Gui Khury, of Brazil, became the first person to perform a 1080-degree turn on a vertical ramp.
Microsoft has a tool to save you from reply-all horror. Dubbed “Reply All Storm Protection,” the feature is to be released this week.
Astronomers got lucky with photographing Jupiter. They snapped some of clearest photos of the fiery planet using the lucky imaging technique, which involves shooting lots of short exposure images.
Frog bread is taking over the internet. With brains thoroughly warped by quarantine, Twitter and TikTok users are showing off their misshapen amphibian loaves.
Young men break lockdown rules twice as much as young women. A UK study found that half of men aged 19-24 had met friends or family they didn’t live with, compared with 25% of women.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, skateboard tricks, and frog loaves 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.