Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
A SpaceX launch that could lead to Moon missions for Elon Musk. The Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful operational rocket, is scheduled to carry a Saudi communications satellite into orbit at 6:36 am (HK), its first flight since the 2018 test that launched a Tesla roadster into space.
Voting begins in the world’s largest democratic contest. Narendra Modi seeks another five-year term (membership) as prime minister of India, where almost 900 million people are eligible to vote. The election, which will last six weeks, is a test for Modi’s Hindu nationalism and his economic policies.
Uber files its IPO. The company is expected to reveal additional details (paywall) about its financial situation ahead of a May listing. The company is aiming to raise funds at a $100 billion valuation, below previous expectations, after the disappointing Lyft IPO (paywall).
South Korea’s president visits the White House. Moon Jae-in will meet with Donald Trump in a bid to restart discussions with North Korea, which foundered at a summit in February. Meanwhile, a South Korean court is set to rule on a case that could reverse a law that criminalizes abortion.
While you were sleeping
Scientists revealed the first image of a black hole, and a possible new human species. The Event Horizon Telescope used a massive array of sensors and more than 5,000 terabytes of data to capture the eye-catching image from a galaxy 54 million light years away. Separately, researchers said they discovered the remains of a previously unknown human species (paywall), Homo luzonensis, in a cave in the Philippines.
Benjamin Netanyahu triumphed in Israel’s election. Rival candidate Benny Gantz conceded the race after his Blue & White party fell short of the majority needed to form a coalition government. Netanyahu’s record fifth term was secured by about 10 right-wing seats in the Knesset.
The US attorney general said the government spied on the Trump campaign. William Barr told Congress he believed that “spying did occur” in the FBI counterintelligence probe into the campaign, but declined to say whether any laws were broken. Barr said he has launched an “informal inquiry” into the origins of the investigation.
The son of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi defended the Saudi crown prince. Salah Khashoggi denied (paywall) that payments to him and his siblings from the government of Mohammad bin Salman were an “admission of guilt or scandal.” The CIA has concluded with a high degree of certainty that bin Salman was involved in the elder Khashoggi’s murder.
Quartz Obsession
Modern Monetary Theory: It’s sometimes known as the “deficits don’t matter” school of economic thought, and it’s almost certain to be a feature of the 2020 campaigns for US president. MMT’s claims are huge: The US government can spend almost whatever it likes by simply printing more money. Read more here.
Membership
It’s guides galore in today’s membership offerings, with a list of five practical things to never remove from your suitcase, a breakdown of how to use Yelp and other user-generated review sites, and everything you need to know about India’s parliamentary elections.
Matters of debate
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Employers could easily fix America’s retirement fund crisis. It would likely cost less than $3 an hour per employee.
Compulsory parental leave could be the key to gender parity on Wall Street. Male bankers tend not to take time off when their babies are born.
Amazon should lead on combating climate change. Employees argue the retail giant needs to stop helping the oil industry extract more fossil fuels.
Surprising discoveries
Abraham Maslow didn’t create the hierarchy of needs. The famous pyramid ranking levels of human need is based on a misinterpretation of his ideas.
Climate change is making seasonal allergies worse. Blame the combination of milder winters, earlier seasonal warming, and pollution for your sniffles and sneezes.
Patagonia is suing Anheuser-Busch for copying its beer. The outdoor apparel retailer alleges the beverage company is trying to confuse consumers with its new brand.
Doctors removed four live bees from a Taiwanese woman’s eye. They had been feeding on the moisture and salts in her tears.
Warner Brothers blocked Trump from using the Dark Knight soundtrack. The studio filed a copyright complaint after Trump posted a campaign ad with music by Hans Zimmer.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, outdoorsy beverages, and original campaign theme music 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.