Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Barack Obama holds his first public event since leaving the White House. The former US president will speak with young people about civic engagement and community organizing at the University of Chicago.
Protests by Russian truckers gain speed. Despite the Kremlin downplaying (paywall) the situation, thousands of long-haul truckers are demanding the repeal of a tax hike on the use of federal highways. An opaque company with ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin is behind the electronic toll scheme.
The ISS commander beats the record for time spent in space by an American. Peggy Whitson, 57, is on her third long-duration mission. She will receive a congratulatory call from president Donald Trump for breaking the 534-day record, and will remain on the International Space Station until September.
Sheryl Sandberg’s new book is released. Read our review of Option B, the Facebook COO’s book about recovering from setbacks and dealing with grief, written with psychologist Adam Grant.
Over the weekend
France’s next president will be a former banker or a far-right populist. The first round of voting winnowed the field to Emmanuel Macron, who has never before run for office, and Marine Le Pen, who wants to take France out of the EU. European stocks and the euro leapt on Monday as investors breathed a sigh of relief (paywall) to see Macron through to the second round. The runoff vote is on May 7.
Beijing urged Washington not to agitate North Korea. President Xi Jinping appealed for restraint (paywall) on a Monday phone call with Donald Trump, after North Korea said on Sunday that it’s ready to strike the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which is approaching the Korean Peninsula.
Jimmy Choo put itself on the market. The high-end footwear company, which is 70% owned by JAB Luxury, decided to put itself up for sale as part of a strategic review, but said it hasn’t yet been approached. The company is valued at around $840 million.
American Airlines dodged a scandal with a quick apology. After a string of bad onboard incidents for US airlines, American swiftly launched an investigation and denounced an employee for supposedly assaulting a woman with a baby.
Scientists and their fans took to the streets. Scientists across the world devised clever signs for the March for Science on Saturday: A baby held one reading, “Remember polio? Neither do I. Thanks, science!” One with a blow-up dinosaur read, “Ask how climate change went for me.” Kids in New York held one saying ”Make America scientific again.”
Quartz obsession interlude
Paul Smalera on Fox’s business incentive for dropping Bill O’Reilly—his age: “Nothing about the way Rupert Murdoch has ever operated suggests he is interested in overpaying celebrities of his own creation to work through their declining years, while putting his business interests at risk. He has shown us who he is over and over, and we should, as the saying goes, believe him.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
It’s time to break up Google. Tech monopolies like Google and Facebook are stymying innovation, costing millions, and must be regulated (paywall).
Trump is right to end foreign aid, even if his reasons are wrong. Cutting aid to countries where it has proved ineffective would incentivize them take charge of their own future.
Relationships work best when partners don’t have too much in common. Different personalities, interests, and religious views can broaden perspectives and deepen love.
Surprising discoveries
Prince had over 2,000 pairs of shoes. The late musician had a preference for ankle boots with three-inch heels.
A 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara sparked the modern US environmental movement. Residents discovered there were few laws to help them clean up the mess and protect the environment from disasters.
The farthest you can get on Earth from a Trump property is an island off the coast of Angola. But with just one largely abandoned town, Baia dos Tigres isn’t the safest getaway (paywall).
Larger-sized clothes fit badly for a painfully obvious reason. Designers ineffectively “scale up” the dimensions of each piece, instead of simply fitting clothes on larger models.
Naked mole rats can survive without oxygen for nearly 20 minutes. Enzymes in their hearts and brains convert fructose into energy.
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