Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Myanmar’s parliament elects a new president. Win Myint, a longtime loyalist to de facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi, is expected to take over from Htin Kyaw, who resigned due to health problems. Suu Kyi, widely beloved despite international criticism of the country’s Rohingya crisis, is barred from becoming president under the military-imposed constitution.
Greece receives a huge influx of EU bailout funds. A tranche of €5.7 billion ($7.1 billion) will be paid out by the EU’s European Stability Mechanism agency, as the Greek government tries to build a cash buffer ahead of its “full return to market financing” in August.
The European Commission debates a central bank cash grab. Brussels will discuss diverting €50 billion in proceeds from printing banknotes into its own coffers. The idea is seen as “low-hanging fruit” to plug a budget shortfall.
While you were sleeping
Mark Zuckerberg agreed to testify before US lawmakers. CNN Money reports the Facebook CEO will speak to Congress in the next few weeks, even as he declined a similar offer to testify before Britain’s Parliament. Zuckerberg, along with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, have been invited to speak at a Senate judiciary committee hearing on April 10.
Jaguar and Waymo announced an electric autonomous car… The companies are building a fleet of 20,000 new Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, launching in Phoenix, Arizona. The move comes about a week after Arizona reported the first death caused by an autonomously-driven vehicle, operated by Uber.
…As US safety regulators opened an investigation into a fatal Tesla crash. The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to the scene of a crash in Silicon Valley, where a Tesla hit a highway barrier and caught fire, killing the driver. Tesla shares fell 8% on news of the probe.
Russia and OPEC are negotiating an oil pact. Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman told Reuters that he and the Kremlin are considering a deal to curb oil output over the next 10 to 20 years. Russia joined with the oil-producing cartel for a short-term agreement in 2017 after crude prices crashed.
Wall Street bonuses bounced back. The average bonus for New York City financial firms rose 17% to $184,220, for a total bonus pool of $31.4 billion, as banks rushed to pay executives before changes to tax legislation. That’s the highest level since 2010, when new regulations forced banks to maintain higher capital reserves.
Quartz obsession interlude
Anne Quito on the spy museum that captures the boredom of modern espionage: “[The] surveillance room—which acts as the emotional climax of the entire museum—contains an altar to Spyscape’s martyr: Edward Snowden….There may be pro forma props behind glass cases that hearken to the analog days of espionage—but Spyscape’s true hero is an IT guy.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The EU’s AI fearmongering is blind to reality. The bloc’s new strategy considers threats while ignoring opportunities.
The US right to bear arms should be repealed. A former Supreme Court justice says the second amendment to the US constitution is a dangerously archaic relic.
You agreed to let Facebook take your data. Mark Zuckerberg wants you to accept some hard truths.
Surprising discoveries
Rich people can order their own meteor showers. A Japanese company hurls metallic pebbles into the atmosphere from a satellite 220 miles (355 km) up.
An eggplant thief was acquitted after a nine-year legal battle. Italy’s highest court ruled the man was simply trying to feed his family.
A newly discovered human organ may spread cancer. A network of fluid-filled channels may connect the entire human body.
Termites are actually cockroaches. Biologists used DNA to resituate the wood nibblers into the cockroach family.
Older Japanese women are getting themselves arrested. Prison provides better benefits and community than the country’s broken elder care system.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, shooting stars, and purloined eggplants 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 Susan Howson and Adam Pasick.