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The US ordered family members of embassy staff to leave Ukraine. Biden is also considering a troop deployment to Eastern Europe amid fears of a Russian invasion. The EU promised immediate sanctions if an invasion does occur.
The Federal Reserve hints at raising interest rates. All eyes are on the US central bank as it meets this week to confirm the move, which could act as a step towards tackling high inflation.
A WHO official called Boris Johnson’s covid rule rollbacks “premature.” Ending isolation and mask requirements in England is a bad idea, they said. Meanwhile, in the US, so many workers are still out sick that Starbucks and McDonald’s have had to reduce the hours they’re open.
Italy’s parliament will vote for a new president. Someone other than Silvio Berlusconi, who removed himself as a candidate, will be chosen by a complex secret ballot process that starts today.
The US is poised to seize a Hong Kong cruise ship. The Crystal Symphony is currently avoiding US shores, while its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, still owes $1.2 million in fuel bills.
Beijing ramps up mass covid-19 testing. Less than two weeks before the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics, nine new cases in the city mean officials are testing entire neighborhoods and asking people to limit holiday travel.
Keep tabs on what’s shaping up to be a truly unusual Winter Games, with our Need to Know: Beijing Olympics newsletter. Hit the button below to sign up instantly, and join us as we spectate from afar.
What to watch for
Hong Kong’s secondary schools close today in the city’s latest wave of measures meant to counteract the spread of covid. Primary schools, gyms, movie theaters, salons, and restaurants (after 6pm, anyway) have already been shuttered, but one event last week pushed the city’s relentless zero-covid philosophy into absurdist territory.
On Jan. 18, the Hong Kong government demanded that pet shops and hamster owners turn over 2,000 of the rodents after 11 in a single shop tested positive. The government also banned further hamster imports and made it clear that it planned to cull all hamsters that came into the country after Dec. 22, even though evidence for animal-to-human transmission of the coronavirus is scant.
The rigor of Hong Kong’s covid restrictions—which may be doing more harm than good—is, in some ways, also a proxy for China to extend its control over Hong Kong and its democratic movements.
In tech companies we trust more than ever
A new survey, part of the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer (pdf) report, shows that people trust the tech industry more than any other—even more than healthcare, the sector the world has relied on most heavily during the pandemic.
The findings go against the grain of reports of an ongoing “techlash”—a wave of hostility to technology, its numerous breaches of privacy and security, and its disconcerting pace of disruptive change. Edelman’s newest numbers suggest that tech has perhaps benefited from an overall cross-sector rise in trust. But it also follows a period in which technology has proven even more indispensable to our lives during the pandemic.
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Surprising discoveries
Sperm donation is largely unregulated in the US. If a donor lies about a genetic disorder, there’s not much the recipient can do—though that could be changing soon.
The dark web’s most popular stolen credit card site is closing down. Users are worried less credible sites will pop up to fill the vacuum.
A stowaway survived in the wheel section of a plane. It’s not an unheard of method of travel, but it’s an extremely dangerous one, especially on an 11-hour flight.
There’s no heart-healthy amount of alcohol use… So says the World Heart Federation, to widespread chagrin.
…But if you insist, try making your own makgeolli. The ancient Korean rice wine is having a resurgence as a DIY project.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, ancient fermented beverages, and promises to imbibe them only sparingly 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 Alex Ossola, Samanth Subramanian, Amanda Shendruk, and Susan Howson.