Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Tesla reports its results. The electric-car maker is expected to post a loss, but sales could jump as much as 50% this quarter. Tesla’s deliveries have been lagging this year, with the company blaming a shortage of parts for its Model X. Investors will be looking out for news about the company’s plans to be profitable by the end of the year, and for increasing production of its new Model 3 to meet high demand.
Voters cast their ballots in the high-stakes Indiana primary. The state’s vote could prove pivotal in the Republican race, clinching the nomination for Donald Trump. He’s battling against Ted Cruz, who has been relentlessly campaigning. On the Democratic side, the vote won’t change much, but it will test the loyalty of Bernie Sanders voters.
Obama goes to Flint. The US president was invited by an 8-year-old girl to visit the Michigan city where aging pipes have exposed thousands to lead poisoning. Obama will meet with Flint’s residents, but has not committed to drinking water from the city system.
While you were sleeping
Google and Fiat Chrysler announced a partnership for self-driving minivans. With rumors circulating, the CEOs of both companies confirmed in USA Today that they’d inked a deal to build Google’s self-driving technology into 100 Chrysler Pacifica minivans. It’s the first time the tech giant will be sharing its self-driving secrets with an automaker.
Sprint added customers, but lost money. The wireless carrier attracted 22,000 new subscribers in the quarter with heavy discounts at the expense of revenue, which decreased by 2.5%, to $8 billion. Sprint reported a loss of $554 million, more than twice as large as the $224 million loss recorded at this time last year.
“Hamilton” set a new record for Tony Award nominations. Everyone’s favorite musical about the first secretary of the US Treasury earned a whopping 16 nominations for “the Oscars of Broadway,” in a range of categories including acting, directing, design, music, and choreography. The previous record for Tony nods was 15, set by “The Producers” in 2001.
A US Navy SEAL died in Iraq. He was hit by “direct fire” when militants from the Islamic State (ISIL) overran Kurdish peshmerga forces in a town outside of Mosul, in northern Iraq. The elite soldier is the third American killed in direct combat against ISIL since the US launched its campaign against the extremist group in 2014.
An appeals court lifted the WhatsApp ban in Brazil. A lower court’s decision to suspend the messaging service for 72 hours was overturned by another judge, following an appeal from WhatsApp’s lawyers. The Facebook-owned messaging service has some 100 million users in Brazil, where the government is fighting to access user encrypted data.
Quartz markets haiku
Still slowing, China
wants economists to focus
on the bright side—hmmmm.
Quartz obsession interlude
Jason Karaian on a new role model for corporate leaders. “If you haven’t heard of Claudio Ranieri, or appreciate what he achieved in his first season in charge of English soccer club Leicester City, it’s time to familiarize yourself…The 64-year-old Italian coached the 5,000-to-1 underdogs to the unlikeliest of championships in the Premier League this season, with a backstory and style perfectly pitched to the modern management zeitgeist.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The US has never been more ripe for tyranny. America’s expanding democracy made Donald Trump’s rise possible.
Today’s chatbots are heartless. They get things done—but the chatbots of yesterday were designed to have pleasant conversations while offering useful information.
Replays have ruined watching sports. Computers are used to double-check referees’ calls, but they’ve just bred anxiety among fans.
Surprising discoveries
A high schooler grew hundreds of “mini-brains” for scientific research. He did it with a device he 3D-printed.
Entrepreneurs want to build Brazil’s first erotic theme park. But local officials are afraid it will attract “debauched individuals.”
Flying coach is bad for your mood. Passengers are more likely to fight on planes if they have to walk past first class.
It’s a logistical nightmare to remove a 60,000 lb. whale from a beach. It’s so brutal that children must be evacuated from the premises.
Scientists may have found a cure for traumatic memories. A pill commonly prescribed to treat heart disease may help patients overcome their fears.
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