1. Uber No. 2 Jeff Jones quits
Uber's president, Jeff Jones, is leaving the ride-hailing company after just six months on the job, Recode reported Sunday. Jones left Target last fall to join Uber as its No. 2 executive, and one of his jobs was repairing the business' image, which has been tainted by charges of sexism and sexual harassment. "It is now clear, however, that the beliefs and approach to leadership that have guided my career are inconsistent with what I saw and experienced at Uber," Jones said in a statement. His departure comes shortly after Uber's embattled CEO, Travis Kalanick, began a search for a chief operating officer to help him get the company back on track.
2. Beauty and the Beast smashes Hollywood records
Beauty and the Beast took in $170 million at the North American box office over its debut weekend, breaking the record for the biggest March opening that was set last year by Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The Disney musical, which mixes live-action scenes with fully digital characters, also made $180 million in overseas ticket sales, putting it on track to make $1 billion worldwide before it leaves cinemas. "The world is a pretty cynical place right now, and Beauty and the Beast gave audiences an opportunity to go back to a time of innocence," said Greg Foster, chief executive of IMAX’s filmed entertainment.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. G20 shift on protectionism weighs down stocks
Global stocks fell early Monday after the Group of 20 finance ministers' decision to drop a pledge to avoid protectionism from the joint communique they issued at the end of their weekend meeting in Germany. European shares dropped by as much as 0.3 percent, and U.S. futures were down by 0.2 percent before the markets opened. Many observers interpreted the shift on protectionism as a victory for President Trump, who has argued that the U.S. has not been served well by multilateral trade agreements, and threatened to impose restrictions against some trading partners to keep relations fair. Many nations, including European powerhouses, China, and Australia, opposed dropping the anti-protectionist language.
4. Vodafone and Idea Cellular agree to India deal
Britain's Vodafone Group and Idea Cellular said Monday they would merge their Indian operations in a $23 billion deal. The combined entity would leap past market leader Bharti Airtel to become India's largest telecommunication business, with nearly 400 million customers. The deal came after India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, ignited a price war last year with the launch of Reliance Jio Infocomm, offering free services for months, transforming the nation's mobile industry.
5. France clears Opel but finds emissions fraud evidence related to other car makers
French investigators said Monday that they had found evidence of possible emissions fraud in Fiat, Renault, Peugeot-Citroen, and Volkswagen vehicles sold in France, but not in Opel cars. The Finance Ministry said it was closing its investigation into Opel, but sending courts evidence of fraud involving Volkswagen, Renault, Fiat Chrysler, and Peugeot Citroen. French justice officials now will decide whether to bring any of the automakers to trial. The investigations were prompted by the 2015 discovery that VW had used software to cheat on diesel emissions tests in the U.S.
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Google: A monopoly past its prime?Feature Google’s antitrust case ends with a slap on the wrist as courts struggle to keep up with the tech industry’s rapid changes
-
Patrick Hemingway: The Hemingway son who tended to his father’s legacyFeature He was comfortable in the shadow of his famous father, Ernest Hemingway
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
