Good morning. It's Friday, March 5, and we're covering a groundbreaking trip by Pope Francis, the ground shaking in Iceland, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

A Historic Visit

Pope Francis becomes the first pontiff to visit Iraq today, an effort meant to show support for Iraq's shrinking Christian population and promote religious dialogue. The four-day trip spans six cities, crisscrossing the country despite a recent rise in violence that includes suicide bombings, militia violence, and rising regional tensions. 

The trip begins with a stop at Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation Church, the site of a 2010 attack by al Qaeda-linked militants that left 50 people dead. The pope will then head south to Najaf for a carefully scripted meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the 93-year-old leader of Iraq's Shia Muslims. A marquee feature of the trip occurs Sunday, with Francis traveling north to Mosul and Erbil, a region gripped by ISIS rule from 2014 to 2017. The visit will be capped by a mass in an Erbil soccer stadium.

The trip has presented a number of security challenges—the popular Popemobile will be abandoned in favor of armored cars, planes, and a helicopter. 

Iceland Shakes

More than 18,000 small-scale earthquakes have shaken southwestern Iceland over the past week, raising fears of impending seismic activity from the region's numerous volcanos. While the area hasn't seen volcanic activity in more than 800 years, a 300-year-long period of eruptions lasted from the 10th to the 13th century. During that stretch, eruptions were continuous but relatively small, though at least one major eruption may have occurred.

The country's volcanic activity arises from its position straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an undersea mountain chain separating the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates (see video explainer). The two plates are pulling apart from each other at roughly 1 inch per year—a fairly rapid clip by geologic standards.

The ridge has created in Iceland one of the few places you can literally bridge two tectonic plates.

Senate Stimulus Showdown

The Senate kicked off yesterday what is expected to be a contentious debate over the Biden administration's $1.9T stimulus package. The proposal would be the third major stimulus passed to boost the pandemic-induced economic downturn and would mark more than $4T in cumulative aid. See a breakdown of previous bills here. Debate was immediately delayed by a call to read the entire 628-page bill on the floor.

A previous House-passed bill included $1,400 direct payments to many Americans, an extension through August for a $400-per-week unemployment boost, $350B for state and local governments, and more (full breakdown). The Senate plan would provide full $1,400 checks to individuals making up to $75K per year ($150K per couple), phasing to zero at income levels of $80K ($160K for couples). 

Some have argued the $1.9T price tag is high, given an improving economy. The bill has also been criticized for carrying a number of unrelated pet projects, though their cost relative to the overall package is around 0.1%. 

The package appears likely to pass via budget reconciliation, a special designation that allows certain fiscal bills to circumvent the filibuster (see 101), but opens the process up to nearly unlimited amendment proposals—the so-called "vote-a-rama"—from both sides.

If passed, the House must approve the updated bill before it heads to the president's desk for signature.  

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Oprah’s wide-ranging interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to air Sunday night (8 pm ET, CBS) (More) | Prince Philip undergoes successful procedure for a preexisting heart condition (More)

> Netflix spends $5M of its $20M Creative Equity Fund to invest in the global development of women’s participation in the film industry (More)

> Team LeBron takes on Team Durant at the 2021 NBA All-Star game Sunday (8 pm ET, TNT) (More) | Stephen Curry highlights participants for three-point contest; see full schedule and participants for All-Star Weekend (More)

Science & Technology

> Butterfly populations in the western US are declining at a rate of 1.6% per year, new study finds; decline attributed to warmer fall weather (More)

> Field study shows icing can disturb the aerodynamics of wind turbines, reducing power output by up to 80% (More)

> Breakthrough in photonic chipmaking brings optical quantum computers closer to demonstration scale (More) | How does quantum computing work? (More)

Business & Markets

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> US stock markets slide (S&P 500 -1.3%, Dow -1.1%, Nasdaq -2.1%) after remarks from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell drive fears of increasing bond yields (More) | Thirty-year mortgage rates top 3% for the first time since July (More)

> Initial unemployment claims increase to 745,000 filed during the previous week; weekly total still above the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 set in 1982 (More)

> Payments giant Square acquires majority stake in Jay-Z’s streaming music service Tidal in deal worth $297M; Jay-Z to join Square’s board (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> Average vaccination rate in the US tops 2 million per day; more than 54 million have received first shot (More) | Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) bucks trend, extends mask order until April 9 (More) | The US has reported 520,356 total COVID-19 deaths, up 1,775 from yesterday; current hospitalizations near 47,000, down more than 60% since mid-January (More)

> Massive 8.1 magnitude quake strikes near the Kermadec Islands, forces evacuation of New Zealand coast over tsunami fears; no damage ultimately reported (More)

> New report says top aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) altered state health reports to obscure the number of deaths inside long-term care facilities (More)

WEEKEND READS

Bats and the Origin of Outbreaks

Reuters | Julia Janicki, Simon Scarr. A fascinating visualization illustrating why bats make such efficient reservoirs for zoonotic diseases. (Read)

A Fateful Day in Selma

Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Ryon Home. (From 2020) Sunday marks the 55th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," when then 25-year-old John Lewis helped lead a civil rights march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Listen to the late congressman reflect on the day. (Watch)

How to Build an Artificial Heart

New Yorker | Joshua Rothman. Heart failure strikes millions every year. Can multiple scientific disciplines unite to develop the ultimate cure? (Read, $$)

Cat and Mouse

The Atavist | Phil Hoad. A pair of London pet detectives set out to prove a spate of cat killings is the work of a serial killer. (Read)

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ETCETERA

San Diego Zoo denizens become the first non-humans vaccinated. 

Ornamental plants are having a (long) moment.

A rich visualization of changes in Atlantic Ocean currents. ($$, NYT)