Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Shinzo Abe makes nice with Donald Trump. Ahead of his trip the Japanese prime minister asked business leaders to come up with a tweet-friendly figure for planned investment in the US. Abe hopes to smooth over Trump’s accusations of unfair trade practices. Last year, Japan sold $68.9 billion more goods to Americans than it bought from them.
China begins fingerprinting all foreign visitors. The country’s Ministry of Public Security is starting the protocol in Shenzhen, and will eventually expand it to all entry and exit points. Officials said the practice, which catches up to border protocols in the US and Japan, is in response to terrorism concerns and a marked increase in foreigners crossing the border.
Australia braces for blackouts. A heatwave that will bring temperatures of 40°C (104°F) to South Australia and New South Wales is threatening demand spikes and electricity shortfalls. For his part, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is blaming unreliable power on an “ideological” shift toward renewable energy.
While you were sleeping
A US appeals court denied Donald Trump’s bid to lift a travel-ban freeze. A three-judge panel ruled unanimously that the ban violates the due process rights of people affected without a sufficient national security justification. The case could wind up in the Supreme Court within days—Trump immediately tweeted “See you in court, the security of our nation is at stake” after the ruling.
Trump backed the “One China” policy. Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping had a long-overdue phone call on Thursday, and the US president agreed to honor the policy that recognizes Taiwan as part of China. Last month he raised alarm in Beijing by suggesting the policy—long recognized by the US—was up for negotiation.
Consumer giant Reckitt Benckiser doubled down on moms. The British owner of Durex, Lysol, and Scholl confirmed it will acquire the US infant formula company Mead Johnson for $16.6 billion. It also reported that annual profit for 2016 rose 8% to £2.4 billion ($2.9 billion). Its chief executive has defined (paywall) its target market as ”mums not molecules.”
Renault peddled SUVs to Europeans and it worked. The French car company’s 2016 profit surged 38% to €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion) from the year before thanks to the popularity of its new SUVs among Europeans. Its share price rose 4% in Paris on Friday morning. CEO Carlos Ghosn said the automaker would be open to a merger with Nissan if the French government would sell its stake in Renault.
Hundreds of thousand of Iranians protested against Donald Trump. Ayatollah Ali Khameni, Iran’s supreme leader, had urged citizens to join the demonstrations to show that Iran wasn’t afraid of American “threats,” following Trump’s statement that he’d put the country “on notice” after its recent missile test. Many Iranians carried banners saying “Death to America” and effigies of Trump.
Quartz obsession interlude
Dan Kopf on why schools should nag parents: “Multiple experiments have found that one of the best ways to improve kid’s performance is to badger parents with information about the truth… When parents are consistently informed about what’s actually happening at school, research shows their kids’ grades improve dramatically.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Twitter is a cautionary tale for Snapchat. Stagnant user growth and ongoing losses show exactly what Snap shouldn’t do after its IPO.
The term “fake news” is officially meaningless. It has been hijacked to mean any news that a politician doesn’t like.
Chronically late people share one positive trait. Tardiness is the optimistic belief that you can do more than is humanly possible.
Surprising discoveries
NASA built a computer chip capable of surviving on Venus. The silicon carbide chip can withstand temperatures of over 752°F (400°C).
Ultrasounds are a shortcut to well-aged liquor. The sonic frequencies hasten the release of the compounds that give brandy its distinct flavor.
Scientists have mapped the quinoa genome. Unlocking the superfood’s genetic code could make it as affordable as wheat.
Researchers suspect some Dead Sea scrolls were stolen from a cave. Nearly 1,000 have been found at 11 sites, but a twelfth location in the West Bank may have been looted.
The former Obama White House photographer is trolling on Instagram. Pete Souza has been posting photos of the former president that slyly criticize Donald Trump’s policies.
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