Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
North Korea may test another nuclear bomb. The US has deployed radiation-sniffing aircraft to Okinawa, after satellite images showed a launch site “primed and ready” for North Korea’s sixth nuclear weapons test. North Korea’s vice foreign minister, meanwhile, said that the Korean peninsula is stuck in a “vicious cycle,” and criticized Donald Trump for “making trouble” on Twitter.
Mike Pence heads east. Starting Saturday, the US vice president will visit South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia, as part of a tour to discuss economic policies. Tensions may be high in Indonesia due to US assertions about trade abuses and immigration restrictions perceived as targeting Islamic-majority countries.
Turkey decides whether to give Erdogan more power. A pivotal referendum on Sunday will decide whether the country will scrap its parliamentary system in favor of an executive presidency. If president Recep Tayyip Erdogan succeeds—polls suggest the vote will be close—he will wield near-absolute power.
While you were sleeping
Nintendo rocked its most recent console launch. The Japanese gaming giant announced it sold 906,000 units of the Nintendo Switch in North America—more than any other US launch in the company’s history. The strong start could mark a broader revival for Nintendo, which has suffered as consumers get their gaming fix on smartphones instead of home consoles.
A mass evacuation of besieged Syrian towns got underway. More than 30,000 people are being bussed out of four towns caught in the crossfire between rebels and Syrian forces as part of a Qatar-Iran brokered deal. More than 64,000 civilians have been trapped in these places, in what the UN describes as a “catastrophic” situation.
Apple eyed a stake in Toshiba. Apple is the latest company to announce an interest in Toshiba’s chip business, which the Japanese group is selling to offset huge losses in its US nuclear unit, Westinghouse. Apple would team up with its key supplier, Foxconn, to offer several billion dollars for a 20% stake in what is currently the world’s second-largest chip maker.
Amancio Ortega retook second place in the world’s rich list. The share price of Spanish fashion giant Inditex, parent of Zara, rose on Thursday, which added more than $600 million to owner Ortega’s fortune—and pipped Amazon’s Jeff Bezos for second place. A dip in Amazon’s share price left poor Bezos with a net worth of just $76.4 billion. Bill Gates remains top, with a cool $86 billion to his name.
Quartz obsession interlude
Leah Fessler on the common thread between scandals at United and Thinx: “Each of these scandals arises from the same predicament: When companies place material success and self-interest over the essential values distinguishing them from competitors, things tend to head south. Fast.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Myanmar’s human rights abuses aren’t all on Aung San Suu Kyi. The military deserves much of the blame.
Donald Trump always believes the last person he’s spoken with. It’s a trait that explains his recent policy reversals.
North Korea wants violence but not war. Historical documents suggest the regime views minimal military conflict as a deterrent to all-out war.
Surprising discoveries
Potato chips are going for $12 a bag in Japan. A potato crop failure in Hokkaido has caused panic buying and empty supermarket shelves.
There’s a shrimp that kills fish with a sonic blast. Synalpheus pinkfloydi, named after the classic rock band, can create a sound louder than a rock show.
Instagram’s Snapchat clone is more popular than Snapchat. Instagram Stories has amassed 200 million daily users in eight months.
Women are leading Sunday mass in Portugal. A shortage of priests in the countryside requires volunteers, both male and female, to oversee services.
United’s newest headache: scorpions on a plane. A passenger was stung after the arachnid fell out of an overhead bin.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, stowaway scorpions, and precious Doritos to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android.