Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
An update on UK inflation. New data will show whether prices are still approaching the Bank of England’s 2% target; they were up 1.8% in January. The BoE said last week that higher prices might lead to a “reduction in policy support” (paywall).
Shinzo Abe visits Brussels. Japan’s prime minister will meet with EU leaders to discuss a trade deal in the wake of the aborted Trans-Pacific Partnership pact. Japan and the EU appear eager to promote free trade as the Trump administration embraces protectionism.
China’s Mobike goes global. The fast-growing startup is launching in Singapore, opening a new front in China’s heated bike-sharing war.
While you were sleeping
France’s presidential frontrunners dominated the first TV debate. Centrist independent Emmanuel Macron and far-right veteran Marine Le Pen went at each other, in the process overshadowing their socialist and conservative opponents. Macron accused Le Pen of “twisting the truth” about the rise of radical Islam and seemed to win over the most viewers.
Ivanka Trump got an office in the West Wing. The daughter of the US president will be a regular presence in the White House. Some immediately questioned the ethics of the move considering she has no official role in the administration. She’s also due to receive a security clearance and government-approved communication devices.
The US banned in-flight electronics on some Middle East routes. Authorities said the move was being taken for security reasons. Saudia Airlines and Royal Jordanian each tweeted that devices like laptops and iPads would not be allowed in the passenger cabin on flights to and from the US, though it appears cell phones and medical devices are still OK.
Fox News pulled Andrew Napolitano off the air. The move followed the legal analyst’s claim that Barack Obama had asked for British assistance in spying on Donald Trump during the latter’s presidential campaign. FBI director James Comey told lawmakers yesterday (paywall) there was no evidence for the claim, which Trump and his press secretary had each repeated.
Quartz obsession interlude
Tim Fernholz on space tourism companies who write their own safety rules. “Beyond ensuring that rockets won’t go totally awry, the FAA doesn’t tell space companies how to protect their passengers until they’ve already put them in danger… In the meantime, space tourists must opt in after receiving a written warning of the risks they face.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
The first day of spring
But for Deutsche Bank execs:
Winter is coming.
Matters of debate
Startups should aspire to be zebras, not unicorns. Profits are just a starting point—the goal should be solving real, meaningful problems.
China cannot be the flag-bearer of economic globalization. The country’s domestic perils and lack of geopolitical dominance keep it from drawing up a coherent global strategy.
Donald Trump is immune to ridicule. His advisors, on the other hand, provide plenty of material for satire.
Surprising discoveries
The US civil war produced a Bombay boom. Embargoes and blockades on the Confederate cotton crop turned India into a major exporter.
Nearly half of Canadians want to deport asylum seekers. Prime minister Justin Trudeau’s welcoming immigration policies are not universally beloved.
Pop music makes for a great CPR playlist. The life-saving procedure can be timed to songs by Hanson, Missy Elliot, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Japan is letting the elderly trade in their driver’s license for perks… Funeral home discounts and cut-price noodles are on offer.
…and Beijing is catching seniors who steal toilet paper. The city’s busiest public bathroom is using face scanners to identify miscreants.
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