Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The US ratchets up tensions with Iran. The Trump administration is expected to announce its intention to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a “foreign terrorist organization.” Such a move against a national armed force would be a first, and it might put US personnel in the region at risk.
Nissan holds an extraordinary shareholders meeting. The carmaker is expected to oust former chairman Carlos Ghosn from its board of directors. Ghosn is charged with financial misconduct but claims to be the victim of a boardroom coup. Last week he was arrested for a fourth time.
The battle for Tripoli. Aspiring strongman Khalifa Hifter and his forces are trying to take control of Libya’s capital. International powers have been evacuating personnel from the country, which has suffered eight years of chaotic fighting.
Yet more Brexit drama. The House of Lords will consider the remaining stages a bill that would let Parliament set the length of any Brexit extension prime minister Theresa May requests at this week’s EU summit.
Over the Weekend
Thailand’s junta charged a rising political star with sedition. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is the leader of the youth-oriented Future Forward Party, which did surprisingly well in the March 24 election. The military government, in power since a 2014 coup, filed the charges.
China continued its gold-buying spree. For a fourth straight month, the People’s Bank of China expanded its gold reserves (paywall). That fueled optimism among investors that central banks around the world will keep adding to their holdings.
Facebook aims to encircle Africa with an underwater data cable. The effort would drive down bandwidth costs and make signing up new users easier, reported the Wall Street Journal (paywall). The project is called “Simba,” after the lead character of The Lion King.
Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to right-wingers. The Israeli prime minister said that if reelected he will annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. That would enrage Palestinians and draw international condemnation. The nation heads to the polls Tuesday.
Quartz Obsession
Disney fans can’t “Let It Go.” The musical centerpiece of Frozen is the most-streamed song in the studio’s catalog, getting 280 million streams as of March 10, which is 94 million more than the second-place song, “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana. How did it grab us? It captures the “terrifying, exhilarating, and a little bit selfish” freedom of letting it go, while musically mirroring the movie’s traditional yet subversive story. Crystallize your thoughts at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
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Octopus farms are unethical. The animal is too intelligent to be kept in captivity, among other issues.
Pregnant people shouldn’t go to prison. It puts innocent children at risk for long-term health problems.
Don’t seek meaning from your job. Meaning is not found, but made.
Surprising discoveries
Apple was fooled by a fake-iPhone scam. Two college students allegedly tricked it by using counterfeits from China and the company’s warranty and repair policies.
An 18th-century American war hero may have been biologically female or intersex. The plot twist in Casimir Pulaski’s story comes courtesy of DNA analysis.
A California hospital secretly recorded hundreds of gynecological procedures. An effort to ensure patient safety ended up going totally awry.
A Russia-based asbestos producer says “Trump is on our side.” The US president’s regulation-slashing ways is giving hope to a major producer of the widely banned substance.
Scientists made better-tasting basil via machine learning. Among their discoveries: The plants tend to taste better when exposed to light 24 hours a day.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, enhanced herbs, and DNA revelations to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was edited by Steve Mollman and Alexandra Ossola.