Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Nigeria’s presidential election.There are more than 70 candidates, but Saturday will really be a two-horse race between incumbent Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party. Fears of violence are rising after five members of the ruling party were shot and killed in the country’s southeast.
US trade envoys meet with Xi Jinping. Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and chief trade representative Robert Lighthizer will meet with the Chinese president with only a couple weeks left on a truce that is set to expire March 1.
Renault’s chairman sits down with Nissan’s CEO. Jean-Dominique Senard and Hiroto Saikawa are reassessing their corporate partnership after the ouster of Carlos Ghosn from the Japanese carmaker.
Donald Trump declares a state of emergency at the US-Mexican border. The long-threatened maneuver, which undercuts congressional control of federal spending, is expected to take place after Trump signs bipartisan legislation to avert another government shutdown today.
While you were sleeping
Theresa May suffered another Brexit defeat in the House of Commons. Lawmakers voted down the British prime minister’s negotiating strategy for leaving the European Union, while hard-line Brexiteers in her Conservative Party abstained from the vote. Downing Street had earlier warned that the defeat, though symbolic, could damage May’s negotiating position.
The US Congress passed a border security bill to avert another government shutdown. The bill, which denies Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to build a border wall, won the backing of the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-led House. Trump agreed to sign it, but he vowed to declare a national emergency to fund the wall without congressional approval.
The US government and Facebook are negotiating a multi-billion fine over privacy lapses. The fine is related to a scandal (paywall) in which political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica inappropriately accessed data belonging to 87 million Facebook users, the Washington Post reported. It is expected to be the largest penalty the Federal Trade Commission has ever imposed on a tech company.
President Nicolás Maduro invited US envoy Elliott Abrams to Venezuela. The invitation came after Maduro revealed in an interview that his foreign minister held secret meetings with Abrams in New York—the most recent happened days after Abrams said the time for dialogue with Maduro’s government “had long passed.” Washington has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president.
Trump’s doctor said he’s in “good health overall,” despite being technically obese. According to a memo released by the White House, the president’s doctor Sean Conley said that he weighs 243 lbs (110 kg), up from 239 lbs last year, and stands at 6 ft 3 in (190 cm) tall. Trump’s physician last year recommended he lose 10-15 lbs.
Quartz obsession interlude
The Purdie Shuffle. When Steely Dan wanted something a bit different, legendary session drummer Bernard Purdie gave the band a beat that was entirely new: “half-time, funky, laid back.” Now it’s everywhere, from Led Zeppelin to Toto to Death Cab for Cutie. Drumroll please, for today’s Quartz Obsession.
Membership
For the crypto-curious, this may seem like a good time to take the plunge. But be warned: The crypto market comes with some big promises, big losses, and extreme volatility. Our interactive flowchart maps out a strategy for both a novice player and an experienced trader. Your best move depends on what you think the future holds and whether you’re prepared for what comes next. Quartz members can try it out here.
Matters of debate
India is planning its own Great Firewall. The Modi government’s new internet censorship plan is on par with China and Russia.
We should treat algorithms like prescription drugs. Using math to make high-stakes decisions is dangerous without detailed warning labels.
Urban jobs don’t equal urban growth. Only the super-rich win when a city grows via Amazon-style incentive deals.
Surprising discoveries
Happy? Sad? There’s a Lego face for that. Quartz collected 37,000 data points on 1,600 “minifigure” faces and found that they represent a range of complex emotions.
The future of robots is ants. The AntBot can self-navigate without the use of GPS by scanning UV rays, tracking its pace, and counting steps.
The Dutch have a mascot for Brexit. The government introduced a fluffy, blue monster (paywall) to educate citizens on the UK’s departure from the EU.
German scientists are simulating future climate change to save wine. So far, they’ve noticed that additional CO2 is making grapes bigger and juicier.
The TWA Hotel is open for business. Fans of mid-century modern globetrotting can book a stay at the Eero Saarinen-designed hotel at JFK Airport.
Correction: Yesterday we reported that an African black panther had been caught on camera for the first time in a century in Kenya. In fact, at least two other panthers have been photographed in the 21st century.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, emotive Legos, and Brexit mascots 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 Isabella Steger.