Good morning, Quartz readers! We’ve got something new today: an all-new version of the Quartz Index, which highlights statistics that show how the global economy is changing. Like our app, it’s designed to shine on your phone.
What to watch for today
The UN Security Council discusses a chemical weapons attack in Syria. The US, France, and Britain have blamed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad for the death of scores of people, including many children. Russia and China have blocked previous attempts to sanction Syria’s use of poison gas.
Yum China reports its first-quarter results. It has over 7,500 locations in China—mostly KFCs and Pizza Huts—and plenty of room to grow given the nation’s expanding middle class, but faces intense competition. Spinning off from Yum Brands last fall allowed it to adapt menus more to local tastes. Investors will look for hints it’s working.
A peek behind the Fed curtain. The US central bank raised its benchmark interest rate in March (paywall), signaling increasing confidence in the economy. Details from last month’s meeting will hold crucial clues about future hikes.
While you were sleeping
A top Federal Reserve official resigned for leaking information. Richmond Fed president Jeffrey Lacker admitted that he shared confidential details about the central bank’s plans with a hedge fund advisory service. Law enforcement officials said no charges would be filed.
The US approved China’s biggest foreign acquisition. Antitrust regulators cleared state-owned China National Chemical’s $43 billion takeover of Swiss pesticide maker Syngenta, after requiring the combined company to divest three pesticides.
North Korea fired another ballistic missile into the sea. The timing was not likely coincidental, with US president Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping meeting in Florida tomorrow. Rex Tillerson, Trump’s secretary of state, responded cryptically to the launch, saying the US “has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment.”
Uber and Lyft scored a victory in Seattle. A US federal judge put on hold rules that would allow contract drivers in the city to unionize, saying the issue needs “careful judicial consideration.” Both ride-sharing firms have fought the local ordinance, seeing it as a threat to their business models. The injunction came after the US Chamber of Commerce filed a suit to block the rules.
Quartz obsession interlude
Heather Timmons and Zheping Huang on the divergent paths of Xi Jinping and Donald Trump: “While Trump, a first-time politician, flaunted a flamboyant lifestyle through most of his adult years, Xi emphasized restraint and control as he steadily rose through the ranks of China’s Communist Party after a bruising childhood.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
China makes authoritarianism look good. A powerful political system is more attractive than freedom or prosperity.
The man who invented the web is disappointed with how it turned out. Tim Berners-Lee is frustrated with pernicious ads and privacy violations.
Comic book fans aren’t into “diverse” superheroes. Marvel says sales of titles featuring women and minorities have been disappointing.
Surprising discoveries
Harrison Ford got a slap on the wrist for nearly colliding with a passenger jet. He admitted that he was flying like a “schmuck.”
A Swiss man is being prosecuted for liking a Facebook post. He faces defamation charges in an online spat involving animal rights and anti-Semitism.
Cuban winemakers use condoms to produce affordable wine. The rubbers are placed over jugs and stand erect as the fruit ferments.
Makeup retailers are riding a selfie boom. Shoppers are emulating the looks they see on Instagram and Pinterest.
An amusement park ride feeds on your fear. The Neurotransmitter 3000 prototype speeds up and slows down based on your heartbeat.
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