Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
A China data-dump sheds light on economic investment. Combined figures from January and February (paywall) will provide an update on industrial output, retail sales, and the jobless rate. Analysts expect the US-China trade war to undermine consumer spending and factory activity.
The UK parliament votes to delay Brexit. With less than two weeks before a deadline to leave the European Union, Britain has yet to approve a deal (paywall) that would maintain some semblance of order. On Wednesday, parliament passed a non-binding motion not to leave the EU without an agreement.
A new crew for the International Space Station. US astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch and Russia’s Alexey Ovchinin will embark on a Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:14 a.m. local time on March 15.
While you were sleeping
The US reversed course and grounded the Boeing 737 Max. President Donald Trump announced the decision, taken after more than 43 other countries halted flights by the controversial jet involved in two fatal crashes in the last six months. The US Federal Aviation Administration said the decision was informed by new data from this weekend’s crash in Ethiopia.
Paul Manafort’s prison sentence grew to more than seven years. A federal judge added about three and a half years to the sentence of Trump’s former campaign manager, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy, tax fraud, and other charges. Immediately after the sentencing, prosecutors in New York announced new charges that fall outside of Trump’s pardon powers.
A Nigerian school collapse killed at least 10 people… The Lagos school, on the top floor of a four-story building that was marked for demolition, had more than 100 pupils, but only 40 have been pulled out alive so far, an official told the BBC.
…And two gunmen opened fire at an elementary school in Brazil. The two young men, believed to be former students, killed eight people, including six students and two employees at a public school in Suzano—a city close to São Paulo—before shooting themselves. The attack left 17 injured, some in critical condition.
Membership
Sovereign wealth funds: One more way that rich countries get richer. Those giant pools of money from the developing world aren’t being deployed at home. They’re increasingly being parked in western democracies like the UK and the US—even though both countries are roiled by instability relating to trade agreements, border issues, and protectionism. It’s a cascade of paradoxes.
Quartz Obsession
TikTok: The insanely popular app for sharing meme-centric video clips isn’t just for kids—it transformed its Chinese parent company ByteDance into the most valuable startup in the world. Could an AI-powered platform that prizes goofiness and gummy bears be the future of social media? Find out in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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It doesn’t matter where you go to university. Despite the college admissions scandal, the prestige of a school has little relationship to future success.
Michael Jackson is too big to erase. Unlike some artists accused of wrongdoing, MJ’s influence is too deep and wide to eradicate from history entirely.
Apple’s App Store fees are anti-competitive. Spotify is seeking a ruling in Europe that would let apps compete on their own merits, regardless of who owns the platform.
Surprising discoveries
Walking on escalators is slower. The lack of adequate space for pedestrians coupled with decision-making about speed make standing more efficient.
Mercury is actually Earth’s closest planetary neighbor. A new calculation of the average distances between planets yielded confounding results.
Objective reality doesn’t exist. Two simulated observers in a quantum physics experiment experienced separate, irreconcilable results.
If you get pregnant while taking the pill, it might be your genes. Some women carry a genetic variant that renders hormonal birth control ineffective.
Hungary used a popular internet meme to promote its pro-family policy. The “distracted boyfriend” couple appears on billboards (paywall) looking happy and in love.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, objective facts, and meme billboards 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 Adam Pasick and Holly Ojalvo.