Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Vladimir Putin checks in with Donald Trump and Angela Merkel. Today’s phone call between Trump and Putin will be the first time the US and Russian presidents have spoken since the Kremlin criticized the US military strike in Syria last month. Putin will also sit down with Angela Merkel at his summer residence in Sochi today—it’s the German chancellor’s first trip to Russia in two years.
Can Apple maintain its quarterly mojo? After a blockbuster first quarter that sent its stock to new heights, the iPhone maker may tout emerging technologies like self-driving cars, augmented reality, and machine learning. Investors will be closely watching results from China and India.
The US Senate grills Trump’s chosen ambassador to China. Iowa governor Terry Branstad will face questions on foreign trade, human rights, and his long-standing friendship with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
While you were sleeping
Hollywood studios failed to reach a deal with screenwriters. Talks between the Writers Guild of America and studios over higher pay rates and health benefits for writers went on past midnight without reaching a conclusion. The WGA has threatened to strike if a deal can’t be reached—potentially taking your favorite shows off air. Moody’s estimates that a deal with the WGA would cost the big studios $100 million to $125 million per year.
Infosys said it will hire 10,000 American workers and open four US tech centers. The India-based IT services firm said the hires will be made over two years, and that the centers will focus on cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, with the first to open in Indiana this year. This should placate president Trump, who has accused tech companies of taking jobs from US workers.
Euro zone manufacturing kept getting better. IHS Markit’s index for April showed a reading of 56.7, a significant improvement from the month before (paywall) and a six-year high. Buoyant business conditions in France, Germany, and Italy are leading growth for the bloc. Even UK factory activity smashed forecasts.
Greece cut a last minute deal. Discussions on a package of reforms that the troubled country needs to enact if it’s to get more rescue funds went on into the early hours of the morning. Greece now has until May 22 to legislate labor, energy, and pension reforms if they want euro zone finance ministers to approve the bailout.
Rising oil prices tripled BP’s first-quarter profit. Like rivals Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and Total, who all reported healthy first quarters, London-based BP enjoyed a lift from higher oil and gas prices. BP’s cost cutting drive is paying off, and it has a bunch of new projects launching in the coming months.
Quartz obsession interlude
Chase Purdy on Guinness going vegan. ”Brewers often use fish bladders, more formally known as isinglass, for the filtering of cask beers… Because of the use of an animal product, hardline vegetarians and vegans don’t permit themselves to drink Guinness beer. [The company] announced that it has eliminated fish guts from its filtration process for kegs.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
It’s time for Australia to choose between China and the US. The country must carve out a new identity as Western influence wanes in the region.
Wasting time is the secret to happiness. Slacking off allows for recharging and decluttering the brain.
Standing desks are distracting. The higher vantage point gives our brains access to more human faces that we unconsciously have to interpret.
Surprising discoveries
Switzerland wants to rebuild its glaciers. A thin coating of flakes from snow machines would reflect more sunlight, protecting the ice below.
Marine Le Pen totally plagiarized François Fillon. The far-right French presidential candidate purposefully copied chunks of the defeated conservative candidate’s speech.
An Indian politician is handing out bats to prevent domestic violence. “If your alcoholic husband is physically abusive, thrash him,” suggests Madhya Pradesh minister Gopal Bhargava.
Drug-abusing nerds are hiding their stashes in calculators. At least that’s what the US anti-drug agency claims (paywall).
A delicious Indian berry contains a crucial ingredient for creating cheap solar cells. A pigment found in jamun (Syzygium cumini) absorbs large amounts of sunlight.
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