Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Yet more Brexit drama. The House of Lords will consider the remaining stages of a bill that would let parliament set the length of any Brexit extension prime minister Theresa May requests at this week’s EU summit.
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.
The battle for Tripoli. Aspiring strongman Khalifa Hifter and his self-styled Libyan National Army made a surprise advance last Thursday in a bid to take control of the capital, escalating the conflict over the weekend as their assault killed 21. International powers including the US have been evacuating personnel from the country, which has suffered eight years of fighting after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi.
India’s Supreme Court considers barring a Narendra Modi biopic. The opposition Congress party earlier objected to the planned release of a movie about the Indian prime minister, claiming that it disrupts the level playing field at the height of campaigning season just days before its general election kicks off on April 11.
Over the Weekend
The US homeland security secretary resigned. Kirstjen Nielsen, who was responsible for implementing the proposed border wall and the separation of migrant families, left her post just days after Trump visited the border. She will be temporarily replaced by Customs and Border Protection commissioner Kevin McAleenan.
Britain proposed new social media laws. Regulators unveiled sweeping laws to penalize tech and social media giants like Google and Facebook if they fail to stop the spread of harmful content online. Last week, Australia introduced aggressive legislation with steep fines and jail time for social media companies that fail to quickly remove violent content.
Animal activists marched in Cuba, possibly making history. In what may have been an unprecedented public demonstration by independent civil society groups, hundreds of animal-lovers marched through Havana calling for an end to animal cruelty in the country.
Thailand’s junta charged a rising political star with sedition. The military government filed the charges against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the youth-oriented Future Forward Party, which did surprisingly well in the March 24 election.
Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to right-wingers. The Israeli prime minister said that if re-elected, he will annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that would further enrage Palestinians and draw international condemnation. The nation heads to the polls tomorrow.
The Maldives’ president declared a landslide victory. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s party appeared to have won more than three-quarters of the seats in parliament in yesterday’s elections, strengthening his mandate to restore political freedoms, tackle corruption, and investigate the former government’s ties to China.
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.
Landlocked Mongolia became the newest member of the International Surfing Association. The sport can now be enjoyed inland and even indoors, and will debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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 tests 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 and edited by Isabella Steger and Tripti Lahiri.