Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
A Snap IPO test run. Traders will send sample orders to the New York Stock Exchange Saturday in an effort to test the system for bugs and glitches. The NYSE is hoping to avoid another WTF moment like Facebook’s chaotic IPO in 2012.
Indonesia’s president visits Sydney. Joko Widodo, on his first visit since being elected in 2014, will meet Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday. The two countries have been at odds since Jakarta executed Australian drug smugglers and Australia turned away Indonesian migrant boats, but Australia’s tensions with Donald Trump could push Turnbull further toward Asian countries.
Nokia shows off new phones. The Finnish company will livestream the unveiling of new Android smartphones from the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona on Sunday. Consumers are also anticipating a revamp of the iconic and “indestructible” Nokia 3310.
The 2017 Oscars. Hollywood musical La La Land is expected to triumph at the Academy Awards on Sunday. We can also expect plenty of actors delivering critical speeches about Donald Trump.
While you were sleeping
Malaysia said Kim Jong-nam was killed by VX nerve agent. The widely banned substance is classified as a chemical weapon, with a fraction of a drop being enough to fatally disrupt the nervous system. The estranged brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was killed on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Alphabet sued Uber and its autonomous-trucking subsidiary Otto. Google’s parent said over 14,000 confidential files, including key LiDAR designs, were stolen from its self-driving car unit, Waymo, and used to fast-track Uber’s self-driving technology. LiDAR uses light pulses reflected off objects to gauge their position on the road.
Donald Trump called for US nuclear supremacy. In an interview with Reuters, the president said “if countries are going to have nukes, we’re going to be at the top of the pack.” He also called China the “grand champions” of currency manipulation, and said he believed the Republican proposal to introduce a US border tax could lead to more job creation in the US.
RBS suffered its ninth straight annual loss. The Royal Bank of Scotland—70% taxpayer-owned since its was rescued in 2008—said its net loss tripled last year to almost £7 billion ($8.7 billion) thanks to owing billions in legal costs and penalties for misconduct. Around 90,000 jobs have been cut and some 540 branches closed since the bank’s bailout.
Pearson lost big to book rentals. The world’s largest education publisher reported a net loss of £2.5 billion ($3.1 billion) for 2016, less dire than investors expected—its shares got an initial 3% bump (paywall) in early London trading. Pearson, which is selling its Penguin Random House stake to help its bottom line, is suffering from collapsing demand in the US, where students are renting not buying textbooks.
Quartz obsession interlude
Akshat Rathi imagines life on seven newly discovered exoplanets. “We don’t know if any of Trappist-1’s planets have moons, but they likely don’t need them for the view. On the third rock from the dim star, the second rock would look twice the size our moon looks to Earthlings and the remaining planets could line up to create a view that even science-fiction authors haven’t imagined.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Centrism is dead. The Left must break from Washington’s party system to repair America’s political crisis.
Being shy is an asset. The characteristic allows for the kind of inventive thinking and creativity that eludes extroverts.
Uniqlo killed Japanese street style. Tokyo’s famous Harajuku fashion has been co-opted and commercialized.
Surprising discoveries
Snail venom is an opioid alternative. One compound in crown snails’ poisonous venom can block nerve pain for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
The US deports so many people it has its own airline service. ICE Air Operations has flown hundreds of thousands of immigrants since 2006.
Lucille Ball’s mom is featured on the laugh track for Frasier. Her signature chuckle can also be heard on The Beverly Hillbillies.
There’s a code of ethics for photo retouchers. The five-part Retouchers Accord encourages the promotion of healthy body image.
New Jersey replaced its bail system with an algorithm. It mathematically assesses the risks of defendants fleeing or committing violent crimes before trial.
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