May’s Russia accusation, Goldman CEO heir, Bezos eats iguana

Good morning, Quartz readers!

What to watch for today

China shakes up its media ministries. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television—responsible for the country’s strict censorship regime—will be combined with the Culture Ministry to “expand the scope of China’s ideological influence,” the South China Morning Post reported. The overhaul will be announced during the National People’s Congress in Beijing.

South Korean envoys extend their diplomatic world tour. The national security officials who took Kim Jong-un’s invitation for talks to the United States will visit Russia after meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping. North Korea has yet to officially acknowledge the proposed summit between Kim and Donald Trump.

An update on the UK economy. Chancellor Philip Hammond will release economic and public finance forecasts for the year. Growth last year was higher than government expectations, suggesting an upgrade to this year’s numbers could be coming.

While you were sleeping

Theresa May said it’s “highly likely” Russia poisoned an ex-spy on British soil. The UK prime minister said Moscow’s production of the “weapons-grade” nerve agent and willingness to assassinate defectors left little doubt about its culpability. She demanded Russia’s diplomatic response by Tuesday regarding the “brazen attempt to murder innocent civilians on our soil.”

David Solomon was named Goldman Sachs’ heir apparent. The bank’s co-president became the presumptive successor to CEO Lloyd Blankfein when his counterpart Harvey Schwartz abruptly announced his retirement (paywall). Blankfein, 63, is reportedly preparing to step down as early as next year.

A plane crash in Kathmandu killed at least 50 people. The US-Bangla Airlines plane from Dhaka overshot the runway and caught fire with 72 people aboard, in one of the worst south Asian air crashes in a decade. Hospitals are treating an additional 16 people injured in the crash.

Designer Hubert de Givenchy died at age 91. The man who created the iconic little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s had a decades-long creative relationship with Audrey Hepburn as his muse. LVMH boss Bernard Arnault, who owns Givenchy, said he was “one of the creators who put Paris at the summit of world fashion.”

Broadcom announced plans to relocate to the US as it pursues Qualcomm. The Singapore-based chipmaker said it plans to change its domicile by April 3, two days before Qualcomm shareholders convene to consider Broadcom’s $117 billion buyout offer.

Quartz obsession interlude

Kira Bindrim on the bankrupt company that taught teens the art of self-expression. “Perhaps it is time for Claire’s to hang up its hat (likely a pink, sequined beanie). But let us also mourn the potential passing of an American staple, a store that speaks to the best and worst of girlhood-on-the-cusp-of-the-cusp-of-womanhood. Claire’s stores are explosions of emotion and expression in pastel and neon, featuring an array of aesthetic choices that serve as miniature stand-ins for the more sophisticated visual preferences one will form later in life.” Read more here.

Matters of debate

Creative freedom breeds jerks. A former Google employee recalls displays of entitlement at a company known for letting workers do what they want.

China needs more exposure to diversity. The nation’s reaction to Black Panther, and recent use of an actress in blackface, are examples of its retrograde attitudes.

Women created the software industry. The first wave of programmers was female, and two women pioneered the first widely used computer languages.

Surprising discoveries

Fake news on YouTube is plaguing India. Cheap data plans have caused users to flock trending videos that are often false.

Empathy is shaped by DNA. A study of nearly 50,000 people shows some are genetically predisposed to understand the emotions of others.

A US charity can 3D-print a house in less than a day. New Story wants to build affordable dwellings for people in the developing world.

Jeff Bezos was photographed eating an iguana. The shot was taken while the Amazon CEO was receiving a space exploration award.

A burger-flipping robot only lasted one day on the job. “Flippy” can grill as many as 2,000 burgers a day, but he outstripped the humans who do the prep work.

Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, reptilian entrées, and sequined beanies 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 and edited by Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz and Adam Pasick.