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).
Carlos Ghosn could be released today. The former Nissan chairman, accused of financial misconduct, was granted ¥1 billion ($8.9 million) bail after being held for more than three months, broadcaster NHK reported. Prosecutors are expected to appeal the decision.
Top Brexit officials meet in Brussels. The EU’s top Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, will meet with Britain’s negotiating team to hammer out details for a final divorce deal after prime minister Theresa May’s plan was overwhelmingly defeated by parliament in January.
Democrats aim to halt changes to the Title X family planning program. Twenty-one states will file a lawsuit (paywall) seeking to block a Trump administration plan to strip millions of dollars of funding from on-site abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.
While you were sleeping
China cut its GDP target. Premier Li Keqiang lowered the country’s growth target during the annual National People’s Congress meetings, setting it at 6% to 6.5%. He also announced a major tax cut (paywall) aimed at boosting the manufacturing sector.
Another Canadian minister resigned. Jane Philpott, the treasury board president and one of prime minister Justin Trudeau’s most trusted cabinet ministers, quit in protest over the handling of a corruption trial. It is the third high-profile resignation in a growing political crisis that threatens to upend Trudeau’s re-election chances.
A second person was reported to have been cured of HIV. Researchers said that an HIV-positive man in the UK has been cleared of the virus that causes AIDS after he received a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant donor. It marks a major milestone in the global AIDS epidemic, confirming that a cure for HIV infection is possible, scientists said.
Trump plans to end preferential trade treatment for India and Turkey. The president announced that he will no longer allow products from the two countries to enter the US duty-free as part of a beneficiary program. He said that India has not assured the US of complete access to its markets, and that Turkey is no longer a developing country.
Luke Perry died at 52. The American actor, of Beverly Hills, 90219 and Riverdale, died less than a week after suffering a massive stroke.
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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Google is 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.
Leaving Neverland is a devastating indictment of Michael Jackson. The new documentary leaves no room for doubt about the King of Pop’s alleged abuse of children.
Balenciaga’s parkas make it a true fashion innovator. The brand’s ability to reimagine technical outerwear is proof of its special knack for turning the familiar into something new.
Surprising discoveries
A name change for the Cook Islands. The government is backing a committee tasked with finding a new indigenous name for the country.
Denmark’s has a pervasive rape culture. A report from Amnesty challenges the country’s reputation for being one of the most progressive countries in the world for gender equality.
Virgin Atlantic stopped requiring makeup for female flight attendants. But the airline isn’t exactly known as paragons of women’s empowerment.
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 km/h (110 mph), in a bid to cut down reckless speeding (paywall) along Germany’s autobahns.
Brits eat a lot of chicken, but almost none from the US. Brexit could change that.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, rescued reptiles, and country name suggestions 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 Mary Hui edited by Isabella Steger.