Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
EU and Greek officials visit the Turkish land border. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrive as “hundreds of thousands” of refugees from Syria and elsewhere have passed through Turkey on their way to the EU since last week.
Australia’s central bank faces a rate cut. Analysts expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut interest rates to match other nations’ central banks as the world’s financial institutions look for ways to contain coronavirus fallout.
Many of the largest US states vote in Super Tuesday elections. California, Texas, and North Carolina are among those hosting primaries for the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Vermont senator Bernie Sanders could pull away from the pack, but with fresh endorsements from former candidates Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden has solidified the support of the party’s moderate wing.
While you were sleeping
The OECD, IMF, and World Bank aren’t messing around on coronavirus. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warned that governments need to act “swiftly and forcefully,” while a joint statement from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank said they are ready to provide financial help as needed. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization joined TikTok to combat coronavirus misinformation. Elsewhere, a top advisor to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died, airlines began canceling flights to the US, and everyone stopped shaking hands.
Huawei skirted Iran sanctions after all. A Reuters investigation found the Chinese electronics manufacturer documented shipments of prohibited US computer equipment to an Iranian telecom back in 2010 and 2011, despite public claims to the contrary.
Japan told Lebanon it wants Carlos Ghosn back. On a visit to Beirut, a Japanese government official said the fugitive ex-Nissan chairman should be tried in Japan.
The US retaliated over American journalists expelled from China. The White House announced it will reduce the number of Chinese nationals working for state-run media companies allowed in the US from 160 to 100, after Beijing revoked press credentials for three Wall Street Journal staffers last month.
The Taliban will resume attacks on Afghan forces. Scheduled peace talks between the militant group and the Afghan government fell apart before they even began, as the Taliban demanded the release of 5,000 prisoners and Afghanistan refused. The Taliban says it will not target international military groups.
Subscribe to Quartz’s newsletter dedicated to Covid-19. Need to Know: Coronavirus examines how the epidemic is affecting the health of the global economy. Sign up here.
Quartz membership
A college education can’t guarantee success in the digital economy. So what can? Quartz’s Michael J. Coren reports on the challenge to transform education and close the widening gap between a slow-moving higher ed system and a fast-moving economy—without miring students in debt.
Quartz daily obsession
Ghost ships are modern miracles, curious rebels, and the stuff of romantic imagining. Beyond folklore like the Flying Dutchman, real, massive, unmanned vessels remind us that the oceans are wilder and larger than we can fathom. Appearing suddenly on the high seas, stuck in some kind of undead state, they often warn against the dangers of greed, rivalry, or ego—and they could be relegated to history soon. Come aboard at your own risk with the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of debate
Reporting on sexual violence as a regional issue only makes it worse. Publications tend to discuss high-profile foreign cases in their national context, instead of presenting them as part of a global problem.
Jack Welch was the best and worst thing that happened to GE. The legendary CEO of General Electric turned it into a financial services superpower, with wildly mixed results.
The New York Times’ success is bad news for journalism. That’s according to Ben Smith, who left BuzzFeed News to become media columnist at the Times in January.
Surprising discoveries
Who is Jan Thiel? On Spotify, an artist with millions of streams. On the rest of the internet, nonexistent.
A new bed for gamers makes some assumptions. The tricked-out furniture provides maximum comfort, but figures you’re probably single.
Fatal car crashes increase when the clocks change… A lost hour of sleep does not a safe driver make.
…and premature births rise with the temperature. The phenomenon during heat waves might be due to a heat-triggered hormone spike in the mothers—or maybe just dehydration.
German has a word to describe the act of panic hoarding—because of course it does. Hamsterkauf is a noun made up of “hoarding” (hamstern) and “buy” (kaufen).
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, your favorite fake Spotify artists, and king-size gaming beds 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 Susan Howson and Liz Webber.