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Here’s what you need to know
A billionaire activist investor is taking on McDonald’s over its pig policy. Carl Icahn, who holds 200 shares in the company and is supporting two board nominations, is unhappy with the “obscene” transportation of the animals in crates.
Joe Biden agreed to a summit with Vladimir Putin. But the US president will only meet his Russian counterpart, in talks proposed by France, if there is no attack on Ukraine.
Downtown Ottawa is finally clear of protesters. Police in the center of the Canadian capital removed the last remaining truckers after several weeks of demonstrations against covid mandates.
Amazon’s feud with Reliance is playing out around the sports field. Each is now vying for broadcast rights to the Indian Premier League, India’s lucrative and hugely popular cricket competition.
A Credit Suisse leak uncovered questionable clients. But the Swiss bank said most of the 30,000 accounts revealed by a whistleblower were already closed.
What to watch for
The health of the world’s longest-serving and most famous monarch is increasingly cause for concern in the UK, and now Queen Elizabeth has tested positive for covid-19.
Officials at Buckingham Palace are playing it down, and say she has “mild, cold-like symptoms.” But she is 95, and has had a number of health issues recently. Her diagnosis comes just as the UK government launches its “living with covid” plan.
Queen Elizabeth is also the figurehead for Brand UK, with the royal family—scandals and all—worth billions to the UK economy. How she responds to this latest setback will determine, to a surprisingly large extent, the perception of Britain’s diplomatic and economic power.
Streaming takes gold
As the 2022 Winter Olympics drew to a close, athletes counted their medals while TV networks and advertisers counted their viewers. Fears over smaller TV audiences are proving to be unfounded, with streaming a clear winner.
While NBC viewership for the Beijing Games was down around 40% from the last Winter Olympics in South Korea, nearly 60% more minutes were spent watching the Olympics through streaming services.
In terms of actual medals, here’s how five of the countries with the most gold medals stacked up:
Off the charts
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Surprising discoveries
A 1924 photograph may be the most expensive ever sold. Man Ray’s “Le Violon d’Ingres” could fetch up to $7 million.
Fish make a lot of boops, honks, and hoots when they talk to each other. Their favorite topics? Sex and food.
A missing dog in California was found after 12 years. We’re not crying, you are.
Researchers think horseshoe crabs aren’t so special. Instead of having their own branch on the tree of life, they may just be arachnids.
What happens to your Google Docs when you die? It depends on whether you have a digital will. Listen to the latest episode of the Quartz Obsession podcast to learn why.
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Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, million-dollar photos, and lost dogs 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 Nate DiCamillo, Hasit Shah, and Morgan Haefner.