“Bomb cyclone” hits, Bannon’s cease and desist, virtual dressing rooms

[Quartz - qz.com]() Good morning, Quartz readers! What to watch for today The European Union boosts its ties with Cuba. Foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini [will meet]( Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla and others. While relations between the US and Cuba have [regressed under Donald Trump]( the EU—already Cuba’s biggest investor—is still pushing to deepen economic cooperation. Monsanto reports. The agribusiness giant posts its [first-quarter earnings]( for before the bell today. Robust sales results are expected on the back of demand for its crop-yield enhancing products and glyphosate-based herbicides. A “bomb cyclone” hits the US east coast. The snowstorm will [resemble a hurricane]( and bring some of the region’s coldest temperatures in over a century, with warnings extending from Florida to Maine. The storm follows an “arctic outbreak” that has caused [record-shattering cold]( in North America. While you were sleeping Trump’s lawyers slapped Steve Bannon with a cease and desist. The letter, accusing Bannon of violating his 2016 confidentiality agreement, was issued after excerpts from a new book by journalist Michael Wolff revealed the former campaign manager’s [criticisms of Trump’s family.]( Trump also said Bannon had “lost his mind.” Australia set a high bar for cannabis exports. The health minister said the country’s aiming to become the [world’s number one exporter]( of medical marijuana and grab a share of the $55 billion global market. Shares in Australia’s listed cannabis producers were flying after the announcement. General Motors was on a roll in China. Its sales in the country revved up by 13% last month from a year ago to 491,702 vehicles—after a [13% jump]( in November. GM sells far more cars in China than in the US, where its sales slid by more than 3% last month compared to a year ago. Trump scrapped his voter-fraud investigation. He disbanded the White House commission that he had tasked with unearthing evidence to support his [claims of voting irregularities]( (paywall) during the 2016 campaign. The president didn’t say that the probe had found nothing (in fact, it found nothing), but rather that he was dissolving it to save taxpayer money. Merrill Lynch banned trading in a bitcoin fund. Citing concerns about its suitability as an investment, the bank [blocked its advisors]( (paywall) from buying bitcoin from Grayscale’s Bitcoin Investment Trust’s fund, according to the Wall Street Journal. Merrill Lynch already bars clients from trading in bitcoin futures. Quartz obsession interlude Ida C. Benedetto on how astrology isn’t fake, it’s just been ruined by modern psychology. “In the past 20 years, traditional astrological texts have been translated into modern languages for the first time. These texts come from the same scientists who produced the first analog computer and principles of geometry that we still use today. Modern astrology may be overrun with mushy hocus-pocus thanks to conflations with psychology, but newly accessible ancient astrological methods could produce a revival in the power and credibility of the craft.” [Read more here](. Matters of debate Facebook indirectly contributes to the Rohingya genocide. For many Myanmarese, the only portion of the internet they know is [packed with hateful propaganda](. Solar energy won’t go mainstream without a boost. It [needs policy changes]( and research into new materials for solar cells. Silicon Valley’s sex parties are at the expense of women. They [embody the toxic power dynamics]( at play throughout the tech industry. Surprising discoveries A “blended reality” mirror will help you stay fashionable. Amazon has patented a device, which creates [a virtual dressing room]( for users. Turkmenistan’s president banned black cars. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov prefers white or silver ones, so black cars [must be repainted]( at their owners’ expense. It’s “fat cat Thursday” in the UK. By lunchtime, the [country’s top CEOs]( will have earned what the average person makes in a year: £28,758 ($38,917). A dentist must reimburse his mother for raising him. Taiwan’s supreme court ordered the 41-year-old to [uphold an agreement]( he made with his mother at age 20. Russian trolls are coming for Mitt Romney. It took only 48 hours to get [#neverromney]( trending once the longtime Trump critic seemed poised for a US senate seat. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, black cars, and medical marijuana to hi@qz.com. You can follow us[on Twitter]( for updates throughout the day or download[our apps for iPhone]( and[Android](. Enjoying the Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here to sign up.]( Want to receive the Daily Brief at a different time? [Click here]( to change your edition. To unsubscribe entirely, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10011 | United States