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Here’s what you need to know
Novak Djokovic could be deported from Australia. The world’s number one tennis player is waiting in a hotel for immigration detainees as the legal row over his canceled visa and vaccine exemption continues.
Uranium prices surged over political turmoil in Kazakhstan. Russia and its allies have sent in troops to help put down anti-government protests; the central Asian country is the world’s largest producer of the radioactive element.
General Motors revealed its new electric pickup. The latest Chevrolet Silverado takes on the mighty Ford F-150, the best-selling car in the US for 40 years, as GM tries to unseat Toyota as the number one carmaker.
Hong Kong banned flights from the US. Travelers from seven other countries are also no longer allowed entry, as the city’s new covid restrictions kick in.
The CDC approved Pfizer booster shots for children aged 12-15. “Let’s whack this one down,” said a member of the panel, although the majority of adolescent covid patients in hospital are unvaccinated.
What to watch for
One year ago, the US Capitol was under attack. Since then, more than 700 people have been charged with federal crimes, Donald Trump was impeached for an unprecedented second time, and all of America has had to reckon with the fragility of its institutions.
Today, Washington will be under high security, and the day’s agenda will include a discussion with historians, and testimony from some of the Congress members who were in the building during the attack.
Mostly, the event will serve as a political opportunity, especially for Democrats. They will use the anniversary and its symbolism to highlight the alleged role of the Republican party in fomenting the insurgency. The immediate goal is getting support for a law enshrining national voting rights protections (pdf), and getting hesitant Democratic senators (Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia) behind a vote to change the Senate’s filibuster rule.
Sony is planning to make electric cars
Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, Sony announced plans to set up a new unit called Sony Mobility by spring 2022. The company also unveiled the Vision-S 02 SUV—a new version of its first prototype EV, which was first shown at CES two years ago. The car has been testing on European roads since the end of 2020.
Sony is hardly the first non-carmaker to experiment with vehicles:
⌚️ Back in 1994, Swatch’s founder Nicolas Hayek birthed the idea for the quirky Smart Car, which Mercedes built.
🍎 Apple has been working on autonomous cars for seven years, poaching and losing key talent along the way.
📱 Huawei, whose phone business has been hit hard by US sanctions, is lending a technological hand to Chinese state-owned car company Changan.
Four shocks that could hurt the economy in 2022
Our latest field guide breaks down the “wildcards” that could mar the economic recovery this year. Start a 7-day free trial of membership to read it along with the entire field guide on the economy in 2022.
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Surprising discoveries
Marriott hopes its NFTs will be the key to having a metaverse presence. Is it sadder to sit in a real hotel bar or a virtual one? Actually asking.
Celebrity worship is correlated with poorer cognitive performance. One doesn’t necessarily cause the other, but maybe it’s time to cull your parasocial relationships.
Google Street View helped nab one of Italy’s most wanted. The murderer was spotted in Spain, where he’d lived for 20 years.
BMW is working on a color-changing car. It uses electronic ink—the stuff that’s in your e-reader.
KFC is working on a game-changing nugget. The plant-based Beyond Meat product, which hits menus next week, will be the first of its kind sold by a major chicken purveyor.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, secret recipes from the Colonel, and hotel chain beer mats 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, Annalisa Merelli, Ananya Bhattacharya, Alex Citrin-Safadi, Liz Webber, and Susan Howson.