Green card suspension, Facebook’s India bet, softboys

Good morning, Quartz readers! The US will suspend green cards for 60 days. President Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order banning the issuance of new permanent residency visas. The government can still approve visas for temporary worker [Quartz]( Good morning, Quartz readers! Here’s what you need to know The US will suspend green cards for 60 days. President Donald Trump said he would[sign an executive order]( banning the issuance of new permanent residency visas. The government can still approve visas for temporary workers, plus “essential” employees. The Senate unanimously backed a $484 billion relief package. The latest [massive cash injection]( will top up an earlier program that helps small businesses, but is running out of funds. The House will vote on the bill this week, most likely on Thursday. Trump jumped on the anti-Harvard bandwagon. He claimed the elite university [would pay back the $8.6 million]( it received. Trump attributed the source of the funds to the cash-strapped relief package for small businesses, rather than separate money for higher-ed institutions. Some of China’s early coronavirus patients are still testing positive. Doctors in Wuhan [say that’s happening]( to a growing number of people after they recovered from Covid-19. It might reflect [testing issues]( but if not, it could complicate global efforts to lift lockdown measures. Facebook made a huge investment in India. The social media giant [bought a 9.99% stake]( in Reliance Jio, India’s biggest telco, for $5.7 billion. Facebook is looking to ramp up collaboration between WhatsApp and JioMart, Reliance’s e-commerce platform. Millions embraced Pandemic and Chill. Netflix added 16 million new subscribers in the first quarter—[double its forecast]( to global lockdown measures. Separately, Snapchat posted a[surprising growth in active users]( which sent its stock price surging in after-hours trading. A majeure let-down Force majeure. It sounds like an artistic technique—a foil to deus ex machina, for instance, or the technical name for the final movement of a great symphony. In fact, it’s an[obscure legal term]( that does indeed denote something dramatic: “an event (as war, labor strike, or extreme weather) or effect that[cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled]( according to Merriam-Webster. Sometimes referred to as “an Act of God,” these clauses have often historically applied to natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes, though looser definitions have sometimes found merit with courts. Now, with[businesses]( facing some of their[worst losses]( years]( many are wondering whether coronavirus might also fit the bill. Learn more about disturbances in the force majeure with Quartz’s free [Coronavirus: Need to Know newsletter](. Charting the US immigration slowdown Even before Trump’s[tweet]( announcing his intent to sign an executive order to “suspend immigration,”[immigrants were already leaving the US](. The country’s foreign-born population shrank 5% in March 2020, according to US Census Bureau data. It was the largest one-month decline since June 2001, and helped push the US foreign-born population down to 2017 levels—right after Trump signed an executive order banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. For Quartz members - Hungry for new connections: The coronavirus crisis has upended the US food system and provided a moment[for local food companies to connect]( with new customers. - Greece is no stranger to crisis: Athens delivery workers represent[one of the few constants]( in an otherwise uncertain and uneasy climate. - Forget everything you know: If you want to trap all your current memories in a memory palace and then somehow forget them all at once,[try this](. We’re obsessed with softboys What makes a softboy so tender? He’s sweet-natured, in touch with his feelings, and feels no shame about crying during Little Women (or maybe he even stars in Little Women). He’s not new. But perhaps he reflects Gen Z’s ease with the concept of gender fluidity. Brush the gentle tear from your cheek—[it’s the Quartz Daily Obsession](. Surprising discoveries Cows are getting face masks too—but not for coronavirus. The coverings reduce[up to 60% of damaging methane gas](. Adding the word “Covid-19” to the dictionary only took six weeks. The addition[was made in record time]( for the Merriam-Webster team—it normally takes three years or longer. Kansas City just changed the world. With the [push of a button]( at a vending machine, hungry customers can get chicken wings, rib tips, and other BBQ fare. One US research ship was built to turn 90 degrees on its head. The “[floors are walls and the walls are floors]( in the aptly named FLIP vessel, which monitors undersea soundwaves. Anyone can profit from falling oil prices. You just need [a few million to buy a tanker and some oil]( and figure out how to put the two together. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier/File Photo Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, the BBQ vending machine, and a cheap oil tanker to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by[downloading our app]( on iOS or Android and[becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Adam Rasmi and Hasit Shah. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here]( to sign up. If you’re looking to unsubscribe, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10011 | United States Copyright © 2020 Quartz, All rights reserved.