Good morning, readers! Today for Quartz members, we have an exclusive video interview with Bill Gates, as he talks about socialism, nuclear power, privacy, and on how he would educate himself if he were 15 years old. Click here to check it out.
What to watch for today
Mike Pompeo arrives in Poland to discuss the Middle East. The US secretary of state will give a keynote address at a security event attended by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid a widening rift (paywall) between the US and its traditional EU partners over Iran.
Belgium cancels all flights due to a major strike. All inbound and outbound air travel is canceled as air traffic controllers take part in a nationwide work stoppage.
The EU cracks down on Saudi financial transactions. The kingdom, along with Panama and North Korea, will be added to a European Union watchlist of 23 countries (paywall) that pose higher risks of terrorist financing, money laundering, and other illicit financial flows.
The US Senate votes to confirm president Donald Trump’s attorney-general nominee. William Barr is expected to win confirmation as early as today despite Democrats’ concern on how he might handle special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in US elections.
Rapper 21 Savage is released from immigration detention. His lawyers said he will be released on bond. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested the London-born, Atlanta-raised singer on Feb. 3, saying he was in the US illegally.
While you were sleeping
A top US commander said North Korea is unlikely to give up all nuclear weapons. Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the Indo-Pacific Command, also told a Senate committee that Pyongyang “remains the most immediate challenge”—though he expressed optimism about the second summit between US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in late February.
Australia decided to reopen an immigration detention camp on Christmas Island. Prime minister Scott Morrison said he expects the number of migrants arriving by boat to increase after Australia passed this week a law that could make it easier for unwell asylum seekers to be treated in the country’s hospitals.
Republican leaders pressed Trump to sign the bipartisan border security deal. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said the president’s “got a pretty good deal here.” Trump expressed displeasure with the proposal to forestall another government shutdown scheduled to begin on Friday, saying he needs more border wall funding.
California’s governor called off a San Francisco-LA high-speed train. Newly elected Gavin Newsom said the project would cost too much and take too long; the latest estimates were for four more years and $77 billion. The governor said a smaller project connecting the Central Valley towns of Merced and Bakersfield could still be on the table.
Twitter’s CEO said tech firms haven’t done enough to fight online abuse. Jack Dorsey told journalist Kara Swisher that he would give himself a “C” for what she called “tech responsibility.” “And we’ve put most of the burden on the victims of abuse (that’s a huge fail),” he tweeted.
A wire fox terrier won Westminster, again. King was the 15th of his breed to be crowned (paywall) best in show at New York’s annual Westminster Dog Show. He beat out five other finalists from a field of more than 3,000 dogs.
Quartz obsession interlude
Lost sounds: There’s no auditory record of human history before 1857, when a Parisian bookseller first figured out how to capture sound. But thanks to scientists, historians, programmers, musicians, and enthusiasts, some lost sounds are making a comeback. Read about the art and science of resurrecting history’s noise in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Amazon’s Eero acquisition is an ominous sign. The privacy and security Eero stood for are under threat now that it has new ownership.
Automating seduction is the worst tech idea. Communication, not pushing a button, is the key to a mature sexual relationship.
Water bottles have jumped the shark. Making an eco-conscious decision has become an expensive status symbol.
Surprising discoveries
Peppa Pig is giving American toddlers English accents. Parents also report a rise in pig-like snorting, “but that is expected.”
Chinese gamers are flocking to a parenthood simulation. The Chinese Parents game is reportedly boosting empathy toward demanding moms and dads.
A Houston stoner ran into an enormous, abandoned tiger. The man thought he was hallucinating when he broke into a vacant home.
Arabica coffee lovers will get a jolt. Coffee prices could spike by as much as 25% this year because of a decline in the supply of Brazilian beans.
Canada is still being plagued by severed human feet on its beaches. Conspiracy theories abound, but officials say it’s just because shoes float.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, healthy tigers, and reunited feet 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 Yenni Kwok and Tripti Lahiri.