Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Trade talks between China and the US resume. Negotiators will meet in Beijing to start a new round after concluding the last one in Washington, DC last month. The countries are trying to reach a deal before a March 1 deadline, after which the US will hike tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
Thailand’s Election Commission discusses an unusual candidacy. On Friday Princess Ubolratana shocked the nation by announcing her bid to become prime minister, a move her younger brother, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, quickly denounced as “inappropriate.” The commission must decide by Friday if her campaign can continue.
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator meets his UK counterpart. Michel Barnier said ahead of meeting Steven Barclay that he’s willing to reconsider the language in the political declaration that accompanies the UK’s exit from the EU, but that the withdrawal agreement isn’t open to revision.
Over the weekend
South Korea agreed to pay more for US troops. The 8.2% increase will bring the total bill this year to $890 million, up from $870 million last year. The money covers the pay of South Korean workers at US military bases, as well as construction and logistical support. Approximately 28,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea.
Amy Klobuchar is running for US president. The Minnesota senator announced on Sunday that she is a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination in the 2020 presidential election. Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren officially announced her candidacy on Saturday.
Turkey urged China to close its detention camps in the Xinjiang region. On Saturday the country’s foreign ministry called China’s treatment of its Muslim ethnic Uyghur people “a great shame for humanity.” The statement followed reports that a famed musician had died at one of the camps.
Poisonous liquor is responsible for more than 77 deaths in India. The cheap illegal booze was improperly distilled and contained methanol. Dozens were hospitalized, and authorities have warned the death toll may increase.
Quartz obsession interlude
“The cloud” powers the modern world but the concept of sharing computer power predates the internet. Cloud services like Amazon Web Services basically just rent out computer power—like server space—by the hour. The first time-shared computer was theorized in 1955, and demonstrated six years later, long before the internet was even a concept. Check the forecast on data storage in the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
Teacher merit pay is a bad idea. Success in education is harder to define than in business.
Free money doesn’t help unemployed people find jobs. It does, however, help their well-being, suggests a basic income trial in Finland.
Medical chatbots won’t replace doctors. At most they’ll help them do their jobs better.
Surprising discoveries
An Air New Zealand flight turned back home about five hours into its journey. Turns out it didn’t have permission to land in Shanghai due to a technicality.
Oregon has more legal cannabis than the state can consume in six years. The finding suggests the weed is not leaking out into the black market—yet.
Hungarian women having four kids or more will never have to pay income tax again. Prime minister Viktor Orbán announced the incentive Sunday.
California police found a gang’s underground shooting range. A manhole cover served as the entrance to the cave.
The British Council just apologized for rejecting a George Orwell essay. It turned down the piece, entitled “British Cookery,” over 70 years ago.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, belated apologies, and helpful chatbots to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Steve Mollman and Sam Grobart.