Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Higher UK rail fares take effect. Train tickets will cost an average of 2.7% more, with a number of commuters facing a hike of over £100 ($132) for annual passes.
Greece, Cyprus, and Israel sign a deal for the EastMed pipeline. The 1,900 kilometer (1,200 mile) project will deliver offshore natural gas from Israeli and Cypriot fields to Europe, via Greece.
Turkey’s parliament votes on deploying troops to Libya. The government is seeking approval to send soldiers to help authorities in Tripoli defend the city against an offensive by rebel forces, arguing that a civil war in the north African country would threaten Ankara’s interests.
A pro-independence Catalan party considers whether to support Pedro Sanchez. Esquerra Republicana decides today if it will throw its weight behind the acting prime minister’s attempt to form a new coalition government. Sanchez needs the party’s extra support to secure a second term in power.
While you were sleeping
Australia ordered thousands of tourists to be evacuated. Authorities in the state of New South Wales declared a “tourist leave zone” stretching about 200 kilometers (125 miles) along the east coast, asking people to vacate fire-ravaged coastal towns before a weekend heatwave hits. The military has moved in to rescue thousands more.
Japanese prosecutors raided the Tokyo residence of Carlos Ghosn. The search came days after the former head of Renault-Nissan jumped bail and made a surprise escape from Japan to Lebanon.
Taiwan’s top military official went missing. A rescue mission is underway for 13 people, including air force general and chief of the general staff, Shen Yi-ming, who were aboard a military Black Hawk helicopter when it made an emergency landing for unknown reasons.
Austria’s conservatives formed a coalition with the Greens. Sebastian Kurz, leader of the People’s Party, struck an unprecedented deal with the left-wing party after months of negotiations. The move marks a swing left for Kurz, whose previous coalition was with far-right Freedom Party.
Benjamin Netanyahu asked for parliamentary immunity from prosecution. The Israeli prime minister, who has denied wrongdoing, faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. His request for immunity will likely delay any trial until after the March elections.
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Quartz obsession
An Italian cuisine as American as apple pie. Affectionately known as red sauce Italian, mainstays of this style of cooking include giant portions of spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmigiana with thick layers of cheese. The cuisine tells the story of how a culture changed and transformed as millions of Italian immigrants adapted to American life. Dig in with this Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
The Ghosn saga is better than Netflix. His dramatic escape from Japan is the stuff of television thrillers.
Cancel culture is a new form of mob intimidation. Or is it actually an important tool of social justice?
“Flight shame” is useless. Feeling guilty about flying doesn’t make us fly any less.
Surprising discoveries
Measles could have emerged when large cities appeared. Researchers think the disease jumped to humans as early as the fourth century BC, not in medieval times as previously thought.
AI is better than doctors at reading mammograms. A new study found that an algorithm outperformed six radiologists in detecting breast cancer.
A cafe in India is giving out rice in exchange for rubbish. The Garbage Cafe is a novel attempt to raise awareness about the need to collect and remove plastic waste.
A server in the US received a tip of $2,020 on a $23 meal. The anonymous couple wrote “Happy New Year. 2020 Tip Challenge” on the bill.
The US Army banned its troops from using TikTok. Soldiers can no longer use the Chinese-owned video app on government-owned phones due to security threats.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, generous tips, and tasty waste to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android, and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Mary Hui and edited by Amanat Khullar.