Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Judgment day for Park Geun-hye. A court will rule on the South Korean president’s impeachment at 11am local time (10am HK); she could be reinstated or formally removed from power. She has been suspended since December, when parliament impeached her for abusing power and receiving bribes.
The US jobs report. The economy is expected to add more than 200,000 jobs in February. It’s too early to hold the impressive numbers as proof of Trump’s promises to bring jobs back—the trend is continuing from Obama’s term.
A big decision on a Bitcoin ETF. US securities regulators are due to decide by the end of the week whether the cryptocurrency can have its own exchange-traded fund. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss of Facebook fame are trying to convince the government to let more investors access the borderless cryptocurrency.
While you were sleeping
Uber’s self-driving cars are back on the streets in California. The ride-hailing company got the required permit this time around. It raised hackles last year after putting its red-light-running vehicles on the road without legal approval.
A huge oil discovery in Alaska. Spain’s Repsol announced the discovery of 1.2 billion barrels of oil on the state’s north slope—the largest US onshore find in 30 years.
Lego was less than awesome. The world’s most profitable toymaker warned of slower growth after flat sales in the United States, its biggest market. Net income edged up 2.2% to 9.4 billion kroner ($1.34 billion), with sales up 6% to 37.9 billion kroner.
Jon Huntsman was reportedly picked as US ambassador to Russia. Huntsman, the former US ambassador to China, recently ran a think tank notable for its anti-Putin stance. The White House has appointed several Russia hawks in recent weeks, as it faces extreme scrutiny over ties between Trump advisors and the Kremlin.
Donald Tusk was reelected as EU council president. The former Polish prime minister easily won a second term despite fervent opposition from Poland’s current government, which was pushing its own candidate for the presidency.
Quartz obsession interlude
Sarah Kessler on the optimist’s guide to the robot apocalypse: “Our modern fear that robots will steal all the jobs fits a classic script. Nearly 500 years ago, Queen Elizabeth I cited the same fear when she denied an English inventor named William Lee a patent for an automated knitting contraption.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
People who speak multiple languages make the best employees. Their malleable minds create the potential for more original thinking.
Google’s next big business isn’t a moonshot. The company thinks its skill with artificial intelligence will give it an edge in the lucrative cloud computing sector.
The world needs more cable cars. The quaint mode of transit is a game-changer that can boost tourism and improve troubled regions.
Surprising discoveries
Most US restaurants get their truffles from a 24-year-old. Ian Purkayastha sources luxury goods like suckling pig and sea urchin for Michelin-starred chefs.
Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest crocodile egg. The remarkably well-preserved fossil dates back 125 million years.
NASA is growing potatoes for Mars. A project with a Peruvian research center successfully grew tubers in an environment that mimicked the Red Planet.
Women are essential to the global khat trade. The plant, chewed for its amphetamine-like properties, is grown in East Africa and consumed all over the world.
China leads the world in self-made female billionaires. An estimated 56 out of 88 call China home, led by real estate magnate Chen Lihua, worth $7.2 billion.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, foraged truffles, and Martian potatoes to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android.