Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
NATO’s Secretary-General addresses US lawmakers. On the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg is also expected to discuss the security threat from China (paywall), after several years of focusing on Russia.
Brunei’s controversial Sharia laws go into effect. Adultery and homosexual sex will be punishable by death from stoning under legislation introduced by Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei. A group led by actor George Clooney is calling for the boycott of hotels owned by the Brunei Investment Group.
House Democrats subpoena the full Mueller report. Lawmakers will try to force attorney general William Barr to produce the report on Russian interference “without redactions” and “without delay”—an attempt that is all but certain to end up in court. The unredacted report is highly unlikely to be publicly released, since it contains sensitive intelligence and investigations that are still ongoing.
While you were sleeping
Massachusetts regulators accused Wynn Resorts of covering up sexual misconduct. The international gaming giant’s senior executives repeatedly failed to address misdeeds (paywall) by founder Steve Wynn, according to a state-run investigation. Regulators are considering whether Wynn Resorts will be allowed to run a $2.6 billion casino that is scheduled to open in June outside of Boston.
Shell quit an oil and gas industry group in a disagreement over climate change policies. The Anglo-Dutch company, under pressure from investors to back Paris Agreement goals, cited a “material misalignment” with the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers. Shell and AFPM have also been at odds over carbon tax, biofuels, and renewable energy initiatives.
US online shopping overtook brick-and-mortar retail sales for the first time. February data from the Commerce Department showed that e-commerce retail barely won out, with 11.813% of US consumer spending, versus 11.807% for traditional general merchandise. Motor vehicles and parts still lead spending with about 20%, while food and beverage store sales, restaurants, and bar sales each make up about 12%.
The global music industry grew at its fastest pace in more than 20 years. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said 2018 revenue grew 9.7% to $19.1 billion—the highest total since 1997. Back then, CDs made up more than 80% of revenues; now streaming on services like Spotify and Apple Music constitutes the majority.
Quartz Obsession
Romance novels are the beating heart of the publishing industry. The genre of bodice-ripping escapism dates back to before bodices were even worn—and has proved to be one of the digital age’s most profitable literary products. Today’s Quartz Obsession peeks under the covers.
Membership
Today we talk to an MIT professor who has made it his personal quest to solve the world’s battery needs. Read our Q&A with Yet-Ming Chiang—and then go learn about the silver lining for bitcoin’s losers in the latest Private Key.
Matters of debate
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Workplace automation will hit women hardest. They hold a disproportionate number of jobs that are at the highest risk of being taken over by machines.
Reality is delicious all on its own. The secret to appreciating life lies in accepting that no flavor is perfect, but all are worth savoring.
Digital technology has lost its way. Instead of letting it provide us with a space to connect, we allowed it to manipulate and control us.
Surprising discoveries
Wealthy Nigerians order air pizza delivery from the UK. At least according to a high-flying claim by the country’s agriculture chief, who said impossibly pricey takeout is a status symbol.
An influx of flamingos could be caused by excess sewage in Mumbai. The population has tripled in an area where sewer runoff encourages growth of the flamingo’s favorite algae.
The Avengers Hulk-smashed digital box offices. Fandango and AMC experienced outages when legions of fans tried to buy tickets for The Avengers: Endgame.
Cotton tote bags aren’t the answer. Taking into account the toll of manufacturing, reusable bags are as bad for the planet as plastic bags—if not worse.
An automated Tesla was manipulated by tiny stickers. Researchers used fake road markings to trick the car’s software into changing lanes.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Avengers tickets, and mile-high pepperoni 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 Susan Howson and Adam Pasick.