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Japan is releasing contaminated Fukushima water into the sea. Despite objections from neighbors, including China, authorities insist the treated waste from the destroyed nuclear plant is safe.
“I’ll Tase you! I’ll Tase you! Taser! Taser! Taser!” she warned. But a Minnesota police officer then shot and killed Daunte Wright, who was Black, with her gun; protests continued for a second night.
Microsoft is buying AI voice recognition company Nuance. The $19.7 billion deal, which gives Microsoft a bigger healthcare presence, will be its second largest purchase, after LinkedIn.
Alibaba shares jumped after its fintech arm’s restructuring plans were announced. Ant Group is becoming a financial holding company, at the insistence of Chinese regulators.
India is speeding up vaccine approval. With cases surging, and procurement still a major obstacle, it will authorize shots that have already been given the nod by the WHO, the US, Europe, the UK, or Japan.
Twitter heads to Africa. The social media platform is hiring its first engineering team on the continent.
What to watch for
US defense secretary Lloyd J. Austin III begins his inaugural visit to Europe, having wrapped up meetings in Israel where he recommitted to a longstanding relationship between the two countries. Here’s a rundown of the stops scheduled.
🇩🇪 Today, Austin will meet with his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, to reinforce the value of their defense relationship.
🇧🇪 In Belgium, with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, Austin will discuss Russia, China, terrorism, climate change, and Covid-19.
🇬🇧 Austin will end his jaunt in London, where he’ll meet UK defense secretary Ben Wallace.
Charting Coinbase users
Crypto exchange Coinbase is scheduled to go public on April 14, putting a stamp of legitimacy on a company that could be valued at as much as $100 billion, according to some estimates.
The first risk Coinbase mentions in its S-1 is the whiplash inherent in prices for virtual assets. Interest in bitcoin and other digital assets blossoms when prices are climbing, and can crash when prices tank. User numbers fluctuate accordingly. John Detrixhe lists fun facts from Coinbase’s filing.
What Texas can show Joe Biden about regulation
Orphaned oil and gas wells, many leaking methane gas and spouting pollutants, are poised to pop up around the US, threatening groundwater and air quality.
Targeted in US president Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan to the tune of $16 billion, the goal of plugging wells nationwide is both urgent and admirable.
Still, Texas’s recent energy woes during periods of unusually low temperatures have shown the dangers of lackadaisical regulation of oil companies. Money alone won’t put a cap on the problem, and could leave taxpayers on the hook for years to come.
✦ Want quality news? Tim McDonnell is covering global climate change and energy issues. Don’t have a Quartz membership? Try it for free.
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✅ India approves the Russian vaccine in the midst of a virulent second Covid-19 wave
😷 India’s Covid-19 situation is becoming worse by the day
📈 A techie who once mistrusted the internet is now building one of India’s largest crypto exchanges
🌤 The countries with the highest concentrations of air pollution
Surprising discoveries
The stars aligned for Bhutan and vaccines. Doses arrived in January, but were administered only last month to coincide with key astrological dates.
“I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry.” Tourists had to write an apology 500 times apiece after ignoring social-distancing measures in India.
A NASA intern stole $21 million worth of moon rocks. He wanted to have sex on them.
Met, American style. With the focus on the US’s fashion community, there will be two separate galas in September.
A Twitch streamer put himself up for sale as living art. He’ll grace your wall for five years, for a cool $5 million.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, gala looks, and new uses for moon rocks to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our iOS app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Mary Hui, Tripti Lahiri, Jordan Lebeau, and Susan Howson.