Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
China discusses scrapping presidential term limits. On Saturday, the National People’s Congress will decide whether to remove a clause from the country’s constitution that restricts Chinese presidents to two five-year limits. The move would indefinitely extend Xi Jinping’s presidency.
Italy and Germany vote. On Sunday, the former will hold parliamentary elections as anti-immigrant and Euroskeptic sentiments run high (paywall). On the same day, Germany’s Social Democratic Party will decide whether to enter talks to form a grand coalition with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats. Both elections have an opportunity to restabilize the EU or send the euro tumbling.
Hollywood’s finest gather for the Oscars. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel will return for the second consecutive year to host the annual prestigious award show on Sunday night (5pm local time) in Los Angeles. The Shape of Water leads with 13 nominations, including best picture.
While you were sleeping
US filings for unemployment benefits are at an all-time low. Last week’s jobless claims dropped to the lowest level in almost five decades, according to newly released Labor Department figures. Employers are increasingly holding on to existing staff amid a persistent shortage of qualified workers.
Donald Trump said the US will impose tariffs on steel and aluminum. The US president expects to sign a formal order next week to slap a global tariff of 25% for steel and 10% for aluminum. The announcement comes after the Commerce Department concluded last month that the import of both could be a threat to national security.
The Florida school shooting suspect etched swastikas on his rifle. Officials investigating the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre said that 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz also left behind another rifle and 180 more rounds of ammunition before he fled the scene. Claims that Cruz was tied to white supremacist group Republic of Florida have been dismissed for lack of evidence.
Police have detained Italians named in Ján Kuciak’s posthumous report. The Slovakian journalist was investigating high-level corruption and the involvement of the Italian mafia in his country when he and his girlfriend were shot in their home. Slovakia’s police chief said around 10 mafia-linked individuals would be detained in all.
Marine Le Pen was charged for tweeting violent ISIS images. The far-right leader of France’s National Front party faces three years in prison and a hefty fine for her 2015 tweets, which circulated “violent messages that incite terrorism or pornography or seriously harm human dignity,” according to a Nanterre judge.
Quartz obsession interlude
Gwynn Guilford on why Xi Jinping’s presidential power grab is bad news for China’s economy: “Most China experts agree that to sustain long-term growth, the Party must cede its control over the economy… Without these reforms, the country will continue to amass debt and encourage capital outflow, leading ultimately to economic catastrophe.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Collecting health data is a privacy issue. The rights to personal medical data—and whether it’s effectively used—are getting increasingly murky.
Americans won’t turn fascist. The US government is far too complex, and Trump’s White House is more a force of chaos than an actual oppressive totalitarian force.
Bacon is bad for you after all. Time and time again, we’re only getting more confirmation that our addiction to processed meats comes with a side of cancer-causing carcinogens.
Surprising discoveries
Fans can bring weed and cocaine to the World Cup. Getting drugs into Russia requires a lot of customs paperwork, but it’s doable if it comes with a doctor’s note.
Yoga pants have overtaken jeans in the US. Imports for elastic knits are way up, and Levi’s is responding by shifting to a faster, cheaper laser-exclusive weathering process.
A teacher in Ghana teaches computing software on a blackboard. Richard Appiah Akoto’s methods swept the internet, giving a look into Africa’s dire educational supply needs.
Scientists know what makes magic mushrooms “magic.” The ‘shrooms produce the chemical compound psilocybin, which makes insects less hungry and humans more trippy.
Over 200 couples blessed AR-15s while renewing their vows. The Pennsylvania church congregation celebrated their “rods of iron,” while a nearby school closed for the day.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, stretchy leggings, and non-magic mushrooms to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Karen Hao and McKinley Noble and edited by Susan Howson.