Good morning, Quartz readers!
Here’s what you need to know
WHO investigators are attacking Chinese explanations for the origin of Sars-Cov-2. They told the Financial Times they don’t believe the virus entered Wuhan on contaminated frozen food shipments.
The US won’t share doses with Mexico. But presidents Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador are meeting anyway.
The UK reported exciting new vaccine data. Preliminary results show a single shot of AstraZeneca or Pfizer is more than 80% effective at preventing hospitalization among the over-80s.
Jack Ma is no longer China’s richest man. The Alibaba and Ant Group founder is now fourth, following months of conflict with Chinese authorities.
Volvo is the latest carmaker to go all-electric. The Swedish company, a subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate Geely, announced it will produce only EVs by 2030.
Japan extradited two American men for their alleged role in Carlos Ghosn’s escape. Prosecutors say the fugitive former CEO hired father and son Michael and Peter Taylor for $1.3 million.
What to watch for
As the crisis in Myanmar grows more violent, foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meet today with the military, and call for the release of political detainees.
A brief timeline of the last month:
Feb. 1: The military takes control of the government, detaining state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior political figures.
Feb. 3: The military files charges against the detained leaders over offenses such as not following Covid-19 protocols and owning hand-held radios.
Feb. 4: Public demonstrations begin, growing quickly to large-scale protests.
Feb. 13: The military lifts restrictions against search and seizure by security forces, which then arrest several prominent activists.
Feb. 26: Myanmar’s UN ambassador appeals to the international body to stop the coup, and is fired the next day.
Feb. 28: At least 18 protesters are killed in a conflict with police.
Charting India’s bitcoin concerns
While everyone from Citi to Elon Musk is impressed with bitcoin, India’s bank doesn’t seem moved. Sure, there is a grain of truth to the claim that cryptocurrencies are rivals of central banks as they are unable to control them like sovereign money—but crypto is also a lot more volatile.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das expressed “certain major concerns about cryptocurrency” and its anonymity, along with its impact on financial stability to the Indian government, which is considering a bill that would ban private digital currency.
🍿 Private movies, post-pandemic?
Like the experience of watching movies on large theater screens without other people around? Beleaguered US theaters have been recouping some of their pandemic-caused losses by renting out auditoriums.
The practice has already made its mark, as Tom & Jerry raked in $14.1 million at the US box office over the weekend. While those numbers would have been paltry pre-Covid, it’s the second largest opening since the pandemic began last year.
As theaters have been forced to get creative, options like space rentals could prove attractive to families looking to get out of the house while entertaining children, or friends looking to meet while maintaining social distance. The practice could be here to stay.
✦ Grab a Quartz membership and some popcorn while you sit back and peruse Adam Epstein’s in-depth coverage on how Covid-19 has been a plot twist for the entertainment industry. Try unlimited access for a week, on us.
Surprising discoveries
Please, no more. Japan has requested China stop anal swab tests on its citizens, citing the procedure’s psychological discomfort.
A London-sized iceberg broke off of Antarctica. Experts are waiting to see what it does next.
The “Lamborghini of chariots” was unearthed from Pompeii’s ashes. The vehicle’s intact state and fancy detailing revved archaeologists’ engines.
Did airplane food need repurposing? In-flight meals meant for the Japanese skies are showing up as bento boxes.
The sunken beer caper. A brewery tried a unique idea. And then thieves made off with it.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, big ice cubes, and extremely vintage rides 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 Hasit Shah, Jane Li, Mary Hui, Adam Epstein, Susan Howson, and Jordan Lebeau.