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What to watch for today
The UK budget. Recently appointed chancellor Rishi Sunak will focus on emergency measures to buffer the impact from the coronavirus outbreak, in the country’s first budget after Brexit. He’ll also announce major investments in infrastructure and scientific research after years of austerity under the Conservative party.
Harvey Weinstein is sentenced. The Hollywood mogul faces between five to 29 years in prison in New York after he was found guilty by a jury last month on two counts of sexual assault.
Joe Biden moves closer to victory. The former vice president won Michigan, Missouri, and Mississippi in yesterday’s Democratic primaries, with results from three more states still being counted. Losing Michigan was a major setback for Bernie Sanders.
Wall Street executives meet at the White House. US president Donald Trump is expected to attend the gathering to discuss the response to the coronavirus epidemic, as cases in the US topped 1,000. At least seven of the country’s largest banks have been invited.
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The UK’s health minister tested positive for Covid-19. Nadine Dorries, 62, is the first British lawmaker to become infected. Separately, a Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal slated for today has been postponed due to coronavirus.
Markets perked up after Monday’s crash. As investors evaluated the White House’s promise of fiscal stimulus, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq each rose 5%.
Cardinal George Pell made his final appeal. The High Court of Australia began hearing the former Vatican treasurer’s bid to have his child sexual abuse convictions overturned. He is serving a six-year sentence after being found guilty of molesting two boys in the 1990s.
An American professor pleaded guilty to fraud linked to China. A former West Virginia University physics professor made a fake paternity leave request so that he could use that time to work in China in 2018 as part of the country’s Thousand Talents Plan, which offers generous incentives for overseas experts to work in China.
Quartz membership
Fighting bias in AI means examining power structures in the real world. Quartz contributor Helen Edwards explains why “the most dangerous AI bias is the bias of the more powerful over the less powerful.” She also tells us what developers can do about it.
Quartz daily obsession
Student debt continues to rise, topping $1.65 trillion in the US. A high school diploma used to be a ticket into the middle class. Now you need a college degree to get access to the global economy, let alone homeownership, a good marriage, and a steady career. Study—and pay up—with today’s Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of debate
Kids are the biggest problem for parents when schools are closed. But there are ways to give them stability.
Inequality is an ideological, not economic, problem. As center-left parties became more elitist, they abandoned policies that help the disadvantaged.
Pop culture fandom is a lot like being in a cult. It’s dismayingly difficult to resist joining leader-centered tribes that milk you for every penny.
Surprising discoveries
Lasers can help keep planes ice-free. Instead of using chemicals, multiple beams can be blasted onto the aircraft to make it much harder for ice to cling on.
An invasive snail could be coffee’s saving grace. Researchers found that the Asian tramp snail can eat large amounts of coffee rust before the disease ravages the plant.
US Soccer argued that male players have more responsibility than females. It made the argument in a court filing as one reason why there shouldn’t be equal pay.
The UN selected chimpanzee nut-cracking for conservation. It’s the first time an animal activity has been considered for this status.
DingTalk, China’s answer to Slack, “is like hell.” So say reviewers of the messaging app, which combines work and digital surveillance.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, caffeinated snails, and ice-zapping lasers 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 Isabella Steger and Mary Hui and edited by Amanat Khullar.