Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Donald Trump announces his decision on the Paris climate treaty. According to multiple reports he’s decided to pull the US out of the landmark deal, which seeks to limit greenhouse gas emissions. If so, the US will join Syria and Nicaragua as the only countries to abstain from the accord. He tweeted he’ll share the verdict at 3pm ET.
SpaceX’s latest launch. Elon Musk’s space company will launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying food, crew supplies, and research equipment to astronauts aboard the International Space Station—the company’s sixth trip into orbit this year.
Shareholders grill Facebook about fake news. Investors will vote on a proposal to demand that the company explain what steps it’s taking to mitigate the legal and reputational risk to its business. One impact investor group says Facebook needs to admit that it’s a media company.
While you were sleeping
China’s tough yet vague cybersecurity law went into effect. The measure requires companies to store Chinese user information “and other important business data” within the country’s borders. Critics say the law’s lack of clarity makes it impossible for foreign firms to comply—and that may be the point.
Shareholders forced ExxonMobil to confront climate change. More than 63% of investors, including BlackRock and Fidelity, voted to require the company to issue a regular report about climate change’s threat to its business. Exxon opposed the resolution.
Uber lost its head of finance and reported its quarterly results. Gautam Gupta left the ride-hailing giant as it recorded a loss of $708 million in the first three months of the year, compared to a loss of $991 million in the previous quarter. Revenue grew 18% on a sequential basis to $3.4 billion. The company hasn’t had a CFO since 2015.
James Comey plans to testify about his tense interactions with Donald Trump. CNN reports that the fired FBI director will “confirm bombshell accusations” that the president pressured him to end an investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn’s interactions with Russia.
Elon Musk said he’ll stop advising Trump if the US pulls out of the Paris treaty. The Tesla CEO indicated the move would be the last straw. For months he’s been defending his decision to serve on the advisory board of a US president whose administration is openly hostile to clean energy.
Quartz obsession interlude
Corinne Purtill on the upside to suspecting that the world is ending. “Yes, there is a lot to worry about. There’s the threat of nuclear warfare and insecurity about climate change and the fact that the US nuclear defense system is based on islands threatened by rising sea levels… But when we start to think we have less time to live—whether that’s due to age, illness, or external threats—we make adjustments (often subconsciously) to the way we live now.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
Exxon flogged fake news / But now climate change threats are / undeniable.
Matters of debate
China created its own insurgency headache. Repressing Uyghurs on its western frontier has created a self-fulfilling prophecy of terrorism.
Most Americans believe in climate change, but Trump doesn’t care. He can score points because most falsely think global warming won’t affect them personally.
The wealthy dodge taxes even more than you think. The top .01% evade about 30% of their obligations, versus 3% for the average Joe.
Surprising discoveries
A study of voles shows how love changes your brain chemistry. That gooey feeling comes from oscillating signals sent from the prefrontal cortex to the brain’s reward center.
Women CEOs actually make more than male counterparts. There’s a catch: They only make up 5% of all chief executives.
Robots are coming for priests’ jobs, too. The BlessU-2 droid in Germany offers blessings in five languages and recites bible verses.
Some spiderwebs get stronger after ensnaring an insect. They reinforce themselves with chemicals from the victim’s own shell.
Ethiopia shut down the country’s internet to beat exam cheats. Critics said the move was unnecessary and a violation of people’s digital rights.
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