Here’s what you need to know
Japan was rocked by an earthquake. A 7.2 magnitude quake on Saturday night was an aftershock of a 9.0 magnitude quake from 2011.
Donald Trump was acquitted. The 57-43 vote wasn’t enough to convict the former president. Republicans who voted against him are now facing heat from their own party.
Guinea declared another Ebola outbreak. Three deaths in the nation’s southeast region mark the disease’s first resurgence since the deadly wave that ended in 2016.
Auckland was locked down over new Covid cases. New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern instituted the nation’s first lockdown since August to monitor for more contagious variants.
AstraZeneca began vaccine trials for children. Two hundred forty of the 300 enrolled volunteers will receive the vaccine, while a control group will receive a meningitis vaccine.
China was accused of withholding Covid data. A World Health Organization monitor says Chinese officials gave his team case summaries in lieu of raw patient data.
Myanmar’s protests continued. The nation’s military junta suspended laws limiting force and surveillance while ramping up its search for high-profile critics.
India arrested a climate activist. Twenty-two-year-old Disha Ravi was accused of conspiracy and sedition for a document she developed to help protesting farmers.
What to watch for
Will Google and Facebook ever have to pay for news? This week, Australia’s parliament will decide on a case that will have global ripples. Google has said that if the bill becomes law, it will be so cost-prohibitive for the company that it will have to yank its search capability from Australian internet.
Just before US president Joe Biden was inaugurated, trade representatives urged Australian lawmakers to take the bill—which has wide bipartisan support—back to the drafting table. But Australia has done its homework, spending years on a study on how the country’s journalism industry, and its output, has suffered thanks to the shift to digital media. It’s a trend that’s certainly not limited to Down Under, and the world will be keeping an eye on the news—digitally, one imagines—as it unfolds.
Charting global brokerage app downloads
Retail trading was already booming in the US and gaining traction in other parts of the world, and then GameStop came along. Trend: turbocharged.
Freetrade, the UK-based brokerage app Jeram uses, says daily signups surged from 3,000 before GameStop to as many as 30,000 when news was at a fever pitch. BUX, a Dutch brokerage, said it was onboarding three times as many new customers during the GameStop controversy. Downloads also jumped in Brazil, Japan, and Germany, a country that has been culturally wary of the stock market, according to Apptopia.
Over the last quarter-century, online dating went from a stigmatized activity to the most common way couples meet in the US. It has completely, unequivocally revolutionized how we fall in love—and turned into a multi-billion-dollar global industry in the process. It’s only gotten bigger during the pandemic as singles swipe and chat in a socially distant effort to find someone special.
Read our latest field guide on the dating biz.
✦ Need even more to love? Give Quartz membership a rose. Right now, it’s 50% off with code QUARTZLOVE.
Surprising discoveries
Lemurs are helping scientists understand the brain chemistry of love. Monogamy, rare in mammals, relies on different parts of the brain to make the love last.
AI is learning to predict human error by studying mistakes in chess games. The program could be used to catch misreadings of medical images, among other applications.
Stonehenge was likely first erected 120 miles away from its current location. New research suggests the ancient monument stood for 400 years in Wales before migrants moved the stones, possibly to stay connected to their past.
Companies are racing to age whiskey overnight. If the new technology is successful—that is, if the stuff is drinkable—distillers could shave years and millions of dollars off the production process.
More diverse police departments are less dangerous to citizens. An analysis of 1.6 million enforcement actions in Chicago found that Black and Hispanic officers made fewer stops and used force less often than white officers.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, digital roses, and quick-aged whiskey to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our iOS app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Tim McDonnell, Jordan Lebeau, Susan Howson, and Alex Ossola.