Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Boris Johnson’s reshuffled cabinet holds its first meeting. The UK prime minister’s new team is off to a rocky start following the surprise resignation yesterday of finance minister Sajid Javid, who resented demands to fire his political advisers.
Germany flirts with recession. All eyes are on today’s fourth-quarter GDP numbers following last week’s release of the worst industrial production figures since 2009. Recent data is painting a bleak picture of the euro-zone economy.
The Munich Security Conference kicks off. The three-day summit, revolving around the theme of the West’s identity and purpose, will draw heads of states and other high-ranking officials, including the NATO secretary general and the presidents of France and Ukraine.
Mike Pompeo makes his first trip to Africa. The US secretary of state starts his tour tomorrow to Senegal, Angola, and Ethiopia. A key theme of the visits will be the growing role of China on the continent, while Senegal and others are concerned about a potential reduction in US troops.
While you were sleeping
Jair Bolsonaro continued to militarize his government. The far-right Brazilian president tapped army general Walter Braga as his chief of staff, raising to nine the number of active military men in the 22-member Cabinet.
The entire board of France’s César Academy resigned. The film academy that awards the country’s equivalent of the Oscars stepped down en masse over its controversial nomination of Roman Polanski’s new film. The French-Polish director has been wanted in the US for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl since 1978.
Pipeline protests forced Canada to shut a key rail corridor. Blockades against a natural gas pipeline that would cross indigenous land in British Columbia forced the country’s largest railway to shut down its eastern network, effectively stopping cross-country freight trains.
The US hit Huawei with new criminal charges… The Justice Department accused the Chinese tech giant and its subsidiaries of racketeering and conspiring to steal trade secrets from American rivals. It also detailed the firm’s alleged illegal behavior in Iran and North Korea.
…while its Senate voted to limit Donald Trump’s war powers against Iran. The bipartisan resolution would curb the president’s authority to attack Iran without congressional approval. It fell short, however, of the two-thirds majority necessary to overcome a likely veto from the White House.
China ordered Tesla to recall more than 3,000 Model Xs. The country’s market regulator mandated the recall, to begin in June, because of a potential steering difficulty that could increase the chances of a crash.
Quartz membership
Direct-to-consumer brands could be the next chapter of ecommerce. From Dollar Shave Club to Warby Parker, new brands rely on strong brand identity and customer loyalty to drive sales, Quartz contributor Lawrence Ingrassia reports. But is that enough to beat Amazon?
Quartz daily obsession
Espresso proves good things come in small packages. Though it comes in a receptacle barely larger than a thimble, espresso is chemically quite complicated. Brewing the perfect cup requires a delicate science of temperature, pressure, and time. The Quartz Daily Obsession spills the beans.
Matters of debate
There should be a legal right to disconnect. Having to answer emails and messages out of hours amounts to unpaid electronic labor.
We need to revive the love letter. The handwritten missive adds weight to what can feel fleeting.
The internet isn’t killing malls. Instead, it’s a mix of big box stores, income inequality, and other emerging socioeconomic behaviors.
Surprising discoveries
For $5, a Texas zoo will name a cockroach after your ex. And then they’ll feed it to an animal.
An Australian court ordered Google to reveal a dentist’s bad reviewer. The teeth-whitening specialist will get the details of an anonymous account so he can sue for defamation.
High school runners sued to block transgender athletes from girls’ sports. The federal lawsuit filed in Connecticut argues that allowing trans youth to compete is unfair to cisgender athletes.
Modern cars are catnip for rats. They love to gnaw on the wires and hoses—which can be costly and dangerous for vehicle owners.
Wikipedia editors could get help from AI. One day algorithms may be able to edit outdated text without input from humans.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, negative reviewers, and edible tributes 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 written by Mary Hui and edited by Tripti Lahiri.