Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Huawei sues the US government. The company is reportedly preparing to file a lawsuit in Texas, where it has its US headquarters, focusing on a constitutional provision that forbids legislation targeting specific companies (paywall).
China begins its annual legislative session. The National People’s Congress is expected to reveal new economic growth targets and laws on foreign investment in meetings that will run through March 15.
Will Australia’s central bank finally make a move? Reserve Bank chief Philip Lowe is facing falling property prices and a slowdown in China. The bank has not taken action on interest rates in more than two years (paywall).
While you were sleeping
Democrats issued more than 80 requests for information from Donald Trump and his associates. In the opening salvo of an investigation by the House of Representatives, three different committees sent letters to the White House, Trump family members, current and former Trump employees, and many more, demanding information and documents. If the requests are not met, Congress could issue subpoenas.
China accused two Canadians of spying. A Chinese legal agency said former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, who have both been detained by Chinese law enforcement since December, engaged in “stealing and spying to obtain state secrets” (paywall). Critics say the detentions are a reprisal for Canada’s arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
Juan Guaidó returned to Venezuela in a challenge to the Maduro government. The Venezuelan opposition leader had been touring neighboring countries to rally support for his attempt to oust president Nicolas Maduro. Guaidó flouted a court-imposed travel ban by flying into the country’s main airport, where he was met by cheering supporters.
Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma may file for bankruptcy. The controversial drugmaker is facing thousands of lawsuits from state and local governments alleging it contributed to America’s opioid crisis with misleading claims about its products. Chapter 11 protection would allow the company, which is largely debt-free, to negotiate a global settlement under the direction of a bankruptcy judge.
Membership
Brexit: For many businesses, the 2016 referendum to leave the EU has already had irreversible consequences. The scale of the challenge companies face vary greatly, but for all of them Brexit is now something to maneuver, to find ways over, around, or under. Take a look at how British firms are already making difficult decisions.
Quartz Obsession
Pallets are the secret ingredient of the global economy. It’s hard to imagine where we’d be without the pallet, a mundane-yet-groundbreaking invention that reduces fruit, materials, and other goods into basic units for easy shipment. Its roots date back to ancient Egypt, while the modern version is the source of complicated business wars. Read more in our Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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WWF is funding brutal militias. In its escalating war against poachers, the beloved wildlife charity has allied itself with armed groups across Asia and Africa.
Google says it’s underpaying men, not women. An internal company survey found that some male Googlers are actually paid less than women for doing the same type of work.
Facebook is selling phone numbers that were supposed to provide security. Once you provide a number for two-factor authentication, there’s no way to revoke access.
Surprising discoveries
TikTok hit 1 billion downloads. The music-video app by China’s ByteDance is a legitimate rival to Facebook and Instagram.
Virgin Atlantic stopped requiring makeup for female flight attendants. The airline has a long history of using sexual innuendo in its marketing.
Someone ditched 1,529 turtles and tortoises at Manila’s main airport. Police discovered the unfortunate reptiles being smuggled inside luggage, bound with heavy amounts of duct tape.
Volvo is setting a speed limit on its cars. Future models will top out at 180 kmph (110 mph), in a bid to cut down reckless speeding (paywall) along Germany’s autobahn.
Korean star IU has ruled K-pop for a decade. The 25-year-old artist has single-handedly produced more chart-topping hits since 2010 than any of her rivals.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, autobahn exploits, and IU mixtapes 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 McKinley Noble and Adam Pasick.