🌏 Elevating the Costco egg recall
Plus: What we know about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash.
Good morning, Quartz readers!
Suggested Reading
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The FDA elevated its Costco egg recall. Fears of salmonella mean that the situation is now at a “Class I” risk level.
Related Content
Nippon extended the closing date to acquire U.S. Steel. The Japanese company now expects to wrap things up next quarter instead of this quarter.
GameStop stock got a big holiday boost. Posts by Roaring Kitty sent shares up the day after Christmas.
Americans searched for holiday deals online and in stores this year. Still, a new Mastercard report shows consumer spending remains robust despite inflation.
A pet food recall over bird flu is linked to a cat’s death. Oregon-based Northwest Naturals said a batch tested positive for the virus.
The Azerbaijan Airlines crash
A flight operated by Azerbaijan Airlines went down in Kazakhstan on Christmas, killing dozens of passengers. The world is still trying to figure out what caused the crash.
Initially, Russian aviation authorities popped up to say that the incident was caused by a bird strike. But other investigations suggest that a Russian anti-aircraft missile may have played a role.
What do we know about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash so far? Quartz’s William Gavin runs down the publicly available information.
Cities lousy with nice meals
There are some cities, like Chicago, that are known for their fine-dining restaurant scenes. But in reality, Chicago only ranks 10th among U.S. metros when it comes to five-star establishments per square mile.
Among the cities more densely packed with upscale eateries? San Jose, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Which cities have the greatest fancy restaurant density? Quartz’s Madeline Fitzgerald looks through a ranking of them.
SURPRISING DISCOVERIES
Chocolatiers are getting increasingly interested in synthetic flavorings. Sky-high cocoa prices are triggering a search for alternatives. (paywall)
There’s a black market for South African succulents. The Succulent Karoo desert, which spans South Africa and Namibia, is an illegal harvesting hotspot.
Climate change is making existence difficult for Alaskan common murres. The bird’s population has yet to recover from heat wave-induced die-off from last decade.
There’s a dinosaur in New York. A mega Stegosaurus named Apex is on display at the American Museum of Natural History. (paywall)
Some U.S. nuclear submarines can carry as many as 160 thermonuclear warheads. Sailors nickname the vessels “boomers.” (paywall)
Did you know we have two premium weekend emails, too? One gives you analysis on the week’s news, and one provides the best reads from Quartz and elsewhere to get your week started right. Become a member or give membership as a gift!
Our best wishes on a safe start to the day. Send any news or comments to [email protected]. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Melvin Backman and Audrey McNamara.