Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The US House votes on a bill to avoid another government shutdown. Lawmakers are expected to pass the legislation, which frees up $1.4 billion for the construction of a 55-mile (89 km) barrier along the Mexico border. Although that’s significantly less than Donald Trump’s requested $5.7 billion for a border wall, he will likely sign the bill when it reaches his desk.
The US and China resume high-level trade talks. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and trade representative Robert Lighthizer will meet China’s top economic adviser, Liu He, for a two-day summit. They are trying to hammer out a deal before a March 1 deadline when additional US tariffs will be imposed, though Bloomberg reported (paywall) that president Trump is considering extending the deadline by 60 days. Meanwhile, new data show that China’s trade surplus with the US narrowed in January.
British lawmakers debate the next steps for Brexit. Members of parliament will consider a series of amendments in a bid to alter the terms of the separation, with 45 days left until the UK is due to leave the European Union.
The first anniversary of the Parkland massacre. Memorials have been erected (paywall) commemorating the lives of all 17 victims killed at the Florida high school. The city will hold a “Day of Service and Love,” and survivors who formed the March For Our Lives group will step away from social media.
A US-led summit on Mideast security puts Iran in the crosshairs. Some world powers have slammed the event for being overly focused on Iran. The main session (paywall) in Warsaw today includes speeches by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, and US vice president Mike Pence.
Coca-Cola looks bubbly. The company behind the world’s best-selling drink will release fourth-quarter earnings, with analysts expecting fizzy results. The beverage-maker’s stock was one of the best on the Dow last year, driven by demand for vitamin waters and low- or no-calorie sodas.
While you were sleeping
Germany dodged a recession, just barely. Europe’s largest economy eked out 0.02% growth in the fourth quarter, better than the -0.2% contraction over the prior three months, narrowly avoiding the technical definition of a recession. A slowdown in China as well as Brexit uncertainty has hit Germany’s export-led economy (paywall).
Airbus had a so-so day. The European aerospace company posted a big jump in fourth-quarter earnings, beating analyst estimates. But the news was obscured by its decision to scrap the A380, the world’s largest passenger jet, after years of jumbo-sized losses on the aircraft.
Philippine journalist Maria Ressa was released on bail. The CEO of news site Rappler, a fierce critic of the government, spent a night in detention after she was arrested on cyber libel charges. President Rodrigo Duterte denied political motivations, but critics contend that his government is attempting to silence Ressa, recently named by Time as person of the year.
Same-sex couples across Japan sued for equal marital rights. Thirteen couples filed lawsuits in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo, arguing that the country’s refusal to allow them to marry is unconstitutional and discriminatory. Ten Japanese municipalities have enacted “partnership” ordinances for same-sex couples, but they are not legally binding.
Quartz obsession interlude
Pop songs are getting shorter. Blame—or thank—the economics of streaming, and the rappers and country musicians who have figured it out. Think about it: an artist gets paid per stream, so more streamed songs in the same amount of time puts more money in their pockets, so they’re going back to lengths of the 45-rpm single despite infinite storage. Is it a bad thing? Maybe not, since consumer choice seems to point in that direction too. Tune in to the Quartz Obsession.
Membership
Our field guide on cryptocurrency brings you a thought-provoking essay by Matt De Silva about privacy coins and how they may have a bigger future than bitcoin (which is less anonymous than is often admitted). And in this week’s Tipping Points feature, Allison Schrager looks at how to value the money you haven’t made yet.
Matters of debate
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Brexiteers should stop fantasizing about the UK emulating Singapore. Some of the conditions that helped lead the city-state to success—including strong government intervention and high rates of immigration—won’t sit well with Brexit supporters.
Pricing algorithms are terrible for consumers. Researchers say AI can unwittingly learn to collude, drive prices up, and leave no trace of bad activity.
Truly understanding—and fixing—the gender pay gap requires focusing on the median. Companies should disclose the statistic if they’re committed to working toward equity.
Surprising discoveries
The African black panther was caught on camera for the first time in over a century. Biologists photographed and videotaped the rare, elusive cat—also known as a black leopard—in Kenya.
There’s a Tinder for cattle. The company behind the app says 42,000 UK farms use Tudder to match cows and bulls for breeding purposes.
A new battle royale game signed up 25 million players in a week. Apex Legends also surged past both Fortnite and League of Legends on the game-streaming network Twitch.
Mastercards now come with a jingle. The credit card’s new “sonic logo” plays a peppy six-note tune when you swipe it.
Chuck E. Cheese’s is at the center of a pizza conspiracy theory. A YouTuber is using photos to accuse the American restaurant chain of serving pies comprised of random unsold slices.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, leftover pizza, and credit-card melodies to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Adam Rasmi and edited by Jason Karaian.