Plus: Assessing Bidenâs first 100 days in office. [Quartz]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! Hereâs what you need to know Official Covid deaths exceeded 200,000 in India. The [real toll]( is likely to be far higher, as [foreign aid begins to arrive](. Big Tech earnings kicked off with a bang. Alphabetâs quarterly [revenue jumped 34%]( to $55.3 billion, while [Microsoft]( saw its biggest revenue growth since 2018. Apple and Facebook report today. US president Joe Biden seeks money for tax enforcement. The $80 billion boost to the IRS will help the agency [crack down on tax evasion](. Biden will also propose free pre-school. The $200 billion investment is part of [the American Families Plan](, which also includes free community college, paid family leaves, and an extended child tax credit. Samsung heirs must pay more than $10 billion in inheritance tax. [The family of chairman Lee Kun-hee](, who died last year, may sell sharesâ[as well as priceless art](âto fund the payment. China wants an apology from Japan. [This time]( itâs over the Japanese plan to dump contaminated Fukushima water into the ocean. Sponsor content by Sailthru Tap into the retail revolution. As industries evolve, so do the metrics for success. Sailthruâs proprietary scoring model shows the latest trends in consumer behavior, highlighting the top 100 brands personalizing customer experiences. Read the [full report](. What to watch for US president Joe Biden will [offer his first address to a joint session of Congress]( this evening, marking the end of his first 100 days in office. Expect Biden to address police reform, and to trumpet his pandemic relief bill, the fact that [a majority of American adults]( have now received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot, and the [countryâs new climate target](. Itâs too soon to fully assess Bidenâs legacy, says Tim McDonnell, but his doctrine for governing is unfolding along a few key principles: ðºð¸ America first: Under Donald Trump, that expression was a cudgel for nativism and racism. Biden is more egalitarian. But he remains focused on domestic priorities, like racial inequality and the post-pandemic economy. In the meantime, global issues like [refugees]( and [trade]( have taken a backseat. ð Seeing the economy through a climate lens: Bidenâs most high-profile diplomacy has been on climate change, culminating with last weekâs Earth Day summit. He also sees climate as the countryâs best shot at sustained economic growth at home, via infrastructure spending and by [both competing and collaborating with China]( on emerging clean energy industries like electric vehicles, batteries, and carbon removal. ðª Using the global spotlight strategically: The climate summit was a test of Bidenâs faith in the USâs power to convene. The [results in that case were mixed](: Australia, India, and some other big emitters made no new commitments. Still, Biden has [been vocal in his support]( for multilateral institutions like the UN and NATO. Charting Indiaâs ongoing crisis Though many receive shots for free, India is perhaps the only major country in the world where citizens have the option of paying for their vaccines. In the next phase of inoculation starting May 1, state governments can decide whether they will cover jabs for people between the ages of 18 and 45. This makes terrible financial sense, given that it is in Indiaâs interest to halt the second Covid-19 wave for the sake of its weakening economy. As cases continue to rise, Manavi Kapur explains why the countryâs [vaccination program is in such disarray](âand whatâs at stake if it stays that way. [A line chart showing the 7-day average of new Covid-19 cases in India from July 2020 to April 2021. While new cases peaked around 100,000 during the first wave in Sept. 2020, India is now logging over 300,000 new cases a day.] A manager and an employee assess the Basecamp memo Software company Basecamp has released a controversial new memo banning political discussions on company platforms, among other changes to its culture. Quartz took each rule, as stated in the memo, and offered both a managerâs view (from Quartz at Work editor Heather Landy) and a rank-and-file perspective (from Quartz at Work senior reporter Sarah Todd). Rule 1: No more societal and political discussions on our company Basecamp account. The employee take: The founders of Basecamp assume that conversations about politics and society are unrelated to work. Itâs a false assumption. We know, for example, that peopleâs racial and gendered biases get built into algorithms. Also, shutting down internal conversations on subjects like how companies perpetuate inequality is the opposite of an apolitical choice; itâs a choice to perpetuate the status quo. The manager take: If declining to participate in political discussions is seen as a statement (in the âsilence is complicity veinâ) then youâre really not giving people who are uncomfortable talking about such things a fair choice to stay out of the fray. Itâs true that politics and social constructs are woven through practically everything that happens in a workplace, but itâs also true that discussions about politics and social issues often veer well beyond the point at which theyâre directly relevant to a business. Read on for Heather and Sarahâs [complete discussion]( on all of Basecampâs new rules. ⦠You can sign up to receive [The Memo]( from the Quartz at Work team for more updates and debates from the world of modern work, but youâll need a membership for the full spectrum of what Quartz has to offer. [Try it free for a week](. Handpicked Quartz ð [Indiaâs elite institutes have a history of deep-rooted casteism]( ð³ [The worldâs largest democracy wonât stop its various electionsâeven if lives are at stake]( ð¼ [What too many workplaces get wrong about family benefits]( ð [Indiaâs central bank warns of high inflation amid new Covid wave]( ð®ð³ [Inside a Covid-19 war room in Mumbai, school teachers fight what feels like an interminable war]( Quartz announcement What does it mean to be driven by purpose? Quartz is looking to hear your thoughts and opinions on what it means to be a purpose-driven organization and individual. Take this [short, five-minute survey]( to share your insights. Your input is invaluable and we can't wait to hear what you think! [Take survey!]( Surprising discoveries A German bomb squad dealt with a sex toy. World War II munitions still pop up from time to time, but the grenade-shaped item turned out to be a [false alarm](. One Josh to rule them all. A pool noodle melee to determine the rightful bearer of the popular name ended with a [4-year-old victor]( in Nebraska. Chinese wives have been feeding their cheating husbands medicine that causes impotence. The practice has led to some [medical and ethical concerns](. Scientists found a small planet thatâs hot enough to vaporize most metals. TOI-1431b is a [rare ultra-hot planet]( located 490 light-years from Earth. Walmart and ADT have logo woes. The retailer is suing Yeezy [over its âsparkâ logo](, while the home security company says Ringâs blue octagon is [virtually indistinguishable from its own](. SHARE TO EARN SWAG Coffee cups, tote bags, free membership, and more. Refer the Quartz Daily Brief to friends, family, and coworkers to earn all of these premium prizes. [Share the Daily Brief today]( and start reaping the rewards. Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, the best Josh, and original logos to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by [downloading our iOS app]( and [becoming a member](. Todayâs Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Mary Hui, Itika Sharma, Liz Webber, and Jordan Lebeau. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here]( to sign up. If youâre looking to unsubscribe, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10010 | United States Copyright © 2021 Quartz, All rights reserved.