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What to watch for today and this weekend
The US releases job numbers. With the US unemployment rate at a 50-year-low, economists predict that 164,000 jobs were added in January, slower than the average pace of the last two years.
Ireland holds an election. It’s the first since its only direct neighbour, the United Kingdom, left the EU. Issues like housing, pensions, health care, and the future of the country after Brexit are likely to be on voters’ minds when they choose a new government tomorrow.
Switzerland holds a referendum on discrimination law. If approved on Sunday, the legislation would ban publicly discriminating or inciting hatred against someone on the basis of sexual orientation. Parties who are against the law forced the vote.
The US and the EU launch a Solar Orbiter. The spacecraft, a $1.5 billion joint project between NASA and ESA, launches on Sunday. It aims to get close to the sun, and take detailed images.
While you were sleeping
Warner Music filed for an IPO. Coldplay, Madonna, Metallica, and Prince’s record company is going public, but hasn’t yet specified a date. It’s the latest sign of the music industry’s recovery, fueled by streaming services like Spotify.
The board of Credit Suisse pushed out its chief executive. Tidjane Thiam had overseen the bank’s turnaround and was popular with shareholders, who were against his departure. But a spying scandal proved too toxic.
People in China vented their fury over the death of a doctor. Li Wenliang had been reprimanded by authorities for alerting colleagues about coronavirus, before dying of the illness himself. Separately, there are 61 confirmed cases aboard the Diamond Princess, a quarantined cruise ship off Japan with 3,700 passengers.
Pete Buttigieg won the Iowa caucuses by a narrow margin. The South Bend mayor has 26.2% of delegate equivalents, while Bernie Sanders has 26.1%, the state’s Democratic party said, finally, following a long delay caused by technical and organizational failures.
Quartz membership
Venture capital has transformed since its early days in the 1960s, and the 2020s are sure to bring more change. From huge industry growth to shifting relationships with founders, Quartz walks you through the eight trends that will reshape VC in the 2020s.
Quartz daily obsession
Stop calling species “living fossils.” A passing reference in Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species gave rise to an overly simplistic term that is not scientifically meaningful. Some also argue that the concept deepens common misunderstandings about evolution. The Quartz Daily Obsession digs up the dirt.
Matters of debate
Coronavirus rumors are hurting Chinatowns around the world. Fears have driven customers away from Chinese districts and their businesses.
A lot of people are lonely at work. But are there healthy ways to cultivate friendships?
Taxpayer-funded research should be made public. If it is in the public interest, it should be in the public domain.
Surprising discoveries
At least 29 people have died in electric scooter crashes since 2018. Atlanta has the highest death rate among cities worldwide.
US Customs officers damaged a revered Malian artist’s custom-built kora. Ballaké Sissoko discovered his instrument broken into pieces after flying from the US.
Bumblebees are facing mass extinction. Dramatic declines of their populations in areas with rising temperatures suggest they could vanish in a few decades.
Astronomers photographed two stars at war. They captured an image of a dwarf star being swallowed by its swelling companion.
Alcohol gushed out of taps at an apartment building in India. About 6,000 liters (1,600 gallons) of confiscated booze had been buried nearby, seeping into the drinking water well.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Prince GIFs, star pics, and bumblebees to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android, and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Luiz Romero and Hasit Shah.