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What to watch for today
The Olympic flame is lit in Greece. Due to coronavirus precautions, only about 100 members of the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee will be allowed to watch. On Wednesday, the chairman of the Tokyo organizing committee walked back another official’s suggestion that the games could be postponed.
The European Central Bank responds to the coronavirus outbreak. On day two of the ECB’s meetings, the bank is under pressure to follow the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve’s lead and cut interest rates by as much as 10 basis points.
Russia takes the BBC to court. The country’s communications regulator accused the British broadcaster of failing to put the correct age labels on violent or upsetting content, and not sending copies of its content to authorities on time.
While you were sleeping
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Covid-19 was declared a pandemic. The World Health Organization finally had to use the “P” word as the disease’s global spread became undeniable. India canceled all tourist visas and closed its border with Myanmar, while the US considered a ban on European visitors. Businesses continued to feel the pain with canceled events, lost sales, and hiring freezes.
Saudi Arabia raised the stakes in the oil price war. The kingdom plans to increase its oil-production capacity in response to Russia’s refusal to cut crude output. Meanwhile, Russia’s deputy energy minister said there’s no point following Saudi Arabia’s plan until the full impact of coronavirus is known.
The UK announced a tax on tech giants. The government has confirmed it will collect 2% of online revenues made in the United Kingdom by companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon. Separately, the European Union plans to introduce “right to repair” legislation that could have a significant impact on the design and shelf life of phones and other electronics.
The US Supreme Court allowed, for now, a policy that makes asylum-seekers stay in Mexico during processing. The controversial “Remain in Mexico” immigration program has been challenged in lower courts as violating immigration law and infringing upon human rights. Until those challenges are resolved, the policy can be enforced throughout US border states.
Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison. The disgraced Hollywood mogul was convicted in February of raping a woman in 2013 and forcibly performing a sex act on another victim in 2006. The maximum possible sentence was 29 years.
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AI ethicists are in high demand. But are they making any difference? Quartz contributor Helen Edwards talks to the people trying to de-bias AI—and their critics.
Quartz daily obsession
Hand sanitizer is all the rage today. There was a 1,400% increase in demand for hand sanitizer from December 2019 to January 2020, due to the current global coronavirus pandemic. But it’s been around since the early 1800s, despite the argument that soap and water is better. Grab a dollop and get the nitty gritty details in the Quartz Daily Obsession.
Matters of debate
Working from home with your partner doesn’t have to strain your relationship. Establish your zones, preserve your breaks, practice generosity, and you’ll be fine.
Stock market turmoil is now the “biggest,” “largest,” and “worst.” These are the most favored superlatives in financial news stories, a Quartz analysis reveals.
Coronavirus is bad news for climate change. Electric vehicle sales would be higher if it weren’t for the outbreak.
Surprising discoveries
You can see coronavirus’s impact from space. Satellites are picking up on the change in industrial activity.
The Spanish flu taught us everything we need to know about social distancing. That is, if we’re prepared to learn from past mistakes.
A conference on coronavirus is canceled due to coronavirus. Virologists wanted to set a good example at the Nidovirus Symposium.
Lasers can help keep planes ice-free. Instead of using chemicals, multiple beams can be blasted onto the aircraft.
An invasive snail could be coffee’s saving grace. Researchers found that the Asian tramp snail can eat large amounts of coffee rust.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, lessons learned, and helpful snails 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 brought to you by Liz Webber and Susan Howson.