Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
A huge night for the US presidential race. Primaries will take place in five large states, including Florida and Illinois. Early reports suggest that voter turnout is high, and the focus is on Ohio, where Bernie Sanders and John Kasich are trying to blunt the momentum of frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, respectively.
Brazil’s Congress may revive its impeachment process. Millions of protesters have demanded the ouster of president Dilma Rousseff, and a congressional committee could be tasked with issuing a recommendation on her removal after a closely-watched Supreme Court ruling.
China’s National People’s Congress ends. Premier Li Keqiang will address investors’ fears about stock market volatility and discuss the government’s plans for the year ahead.
The US Federal Reserve weighs in. The two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting comes to an end. In light of disappointing retail sales, the central bank is more likely than ever to hold interest rates steady.
While you were sleeping
A reviled pharmaceutical company’s shares plunged. Valeant stock fell by nearly 50% as executives slashed revenue guidance and warned of potential default as the company faces probes for exorbitant drug pricing and accounting shenanigans. Overall, US name-brand drug prices have more than doubled over the last five years.
Alibaba announced plans for a million-teenager army. The Chinese e-commerce giant plans to train youths in rural areas to start their own online businesses. Alibaba will provide funds and set up partnerships with the China Communist Youth League as part of its efforts, according to state-owned media.
The US loosened regulations for US travelers in Cuba. Ahead of a visit by president Barack Obama to Havana this month, individuals can travel alone outside of organized groups, though still not for tourism. US dollars will also be valid for more transactions on the island.
UPS doubled down on alternative fuels. The US shipping company said it will spend $100 million on 380 new trucks that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) instead of diesel. Even though diesel has gotten cheaper recently, UPS wants to continue increasing its reliance on the even cheaper CNG.
The US confirmed it killed an ISIL leader. Georgian national Omar al-Shishani was the Islamic State’s minister of war. He was killed by a US air strike last week, according to a Pentagon official.
Quartz obsession interlude
Amy Wang on music streaming’s fraud problem. “There are ‘tens of thousands of people out there with the technical ability’ to engage in click fraud on streaming services, says Rich Kahn, CEO of online advertising services company eZanga. A strong coding background and an ‘understanding of how the system works,’ are all you need.” Read more here.
Quartz markets haiku
Oh, karmic justice
Like thunder rattling above
Matters of debate
AI won’t be the death of humanity—probably. Even if they’re smarter than we are, humans can control artificial intelligences.
Bosnia and Albania should take in Syrian refugees. It would help build their case for EU membership.
Mobile payments are falling short in Africa. Kenya has been using smartphone payments for years, but it’s slow to take off in other countries.
Surprising discoveries
A $1,000 camera in China can simulate cosmetic surgery. It slims your face, widens your eyes, and whitens your skin.
Babies know when they don’t know something. It’s called metacognition, and it happens even before speech.
You can visit a monkey astronaut’s grave in Alabama. Miss Baker traveled to space and back in 1959.
Republicans don’t trust science, but they believe in magic. A new resolution recognizes the “rare and valuable art form.”
Japan is hiring ninjas. Applicants must have a love of history and acrobatic skills.
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