Plus: A rapid recovery from the Covid-19 recession? [Quartz]( Good morning, Quartz readers! Hereâs what you need to know In a leaked recording, Donald Trump demanded extra votes in Georgia. [The Washington Post obtained audio]( of a call in which the US president told a senior state official to overturn his defeat. [Georgia elects]( two US senators tomorrow. The Fiat Chrysler and PSA merger could be approved today. Shareholders are voting on a [$52 billion deal]( to create the worldâs fourth largest auto company, to be called Stellantis. Iran said it has begun enriching uranium. [This violates the nuclear deal]( abandoned by the US, and complicates matters for the incoming Biden administration. Bitcoin continues to soar. The cryptocurrency [topped a record $34,000]( at one point yesterday, and (at time of writing) is hovering just below $32,000. Tesla met Wall Streetâs hopes, but not its CEOâs. The electric car maker [delivered 180,570 vehicles]( in the fourth quarter of 2020, but failed to reach Elon Muskâs full-year goal of 500,000. The Chinese government threatened the US again. [It promised]( ânecessary measuresâ in response to the removal of several companies from the New York Stock Exchange. Julian Assange learns his fate. A British court is ruling on [whether to extradite]( the WikiLeaks founder to the US. What to watch for Health officials around the world will begin to deal with the effects of Christmas and New Yearâs gatherings on the trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic, while vaccine delivery issues remain key. - Prior to the holidays, Europe and the Americas accounted for [more than 80% new Covid-related deaths]( worldwide, raising the prospect of new restrictions.
- A new, [more infectious strain]( of the virus is spreading. The new mutation was [first observed in the UK]( and has now been found in [China]( and the [US](.
- Scientists around the world are debating vaccine delivery strategies. With infections surging in many places, [one shot or two](
- The UK rolled out the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. An 82-year-old man was the first to receive the shot, with over half a million doses [ready for use today](.
- India will begin administering [the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine]( but [will not yet allow]( the drugâs local manufacturer to export it. Its simultaneous approval of locally developed Covaxin is [sparking some concerns](. Charting boycotts of Walmart Walmart has been a repeat target of calls for boycotts over the years. The demands often focused [on Walmartâs treatment of workers]( but recently, theyâve reflected partisan anger that can easily surface online. US senator Josh Hawley is now furious after the companyâs Twitter account [mistakenly called the Republican lawmaker a sore loser](. But these boycotts rarely materialize into mass movements, and if they do, theyâre [not having any evident effect]( on the retailer, whose US sales have continued to grow steadily. New Year, New Economy? [An illustration of a vaccine vial] Sergiy Maidukov for Quartz The unique nature of the coronavirus recession makes a fast recovery possible. The financial systems crippled by toxic assets and permanently broken industries left behind by other recent recessions required an economy-wide restructuring to fix. In contrast, while the suffering and dislocation of the pandemic have been staggering, societies have the tools to provide relief and a speedy recovery. However, the global economy still faces the myriad of problems it did before 2020, from trade wars to inequality to weak investment. Our [latest field guide]( provides a preview of [what to expect for the global economy in 2021]( including the [indicators to watch]( and [potential wildcard events](. Surprising discoveries You have a follow request from the Mafia. A popular Facebook page was shut down after its proprietor was sentenced to 30 years in jail, but heâs [hardly the only capo]( with an online influence strategy. Buying indulgences? Australian authorities said [$1.8 billion was sent]( from the Vatican to the Australian Catholic Church over seven years, but both have denied knowledge of the transfers. The longest diplomatic asylum ends. Two convicted Ethiopian war criminals [spent 29 years in the Italian embassy]( in Addis Ababa, but are now set to leave after being granted probation. Golf had a great pandemic. The sport [grew leaps and bounds]( in 2020 because itâs outdoors and makes for easy distancing. Prince still owes taxes. The IRS says the late musicianâs estate [owes another $32 million]( after executors undervalued his assets by $80 million. SHARE AND EARN REWARDS Start 2021 off right. Share the Quartz Daily Brief with friends, family, and co-workers and theyâll thank you for a better inbox. Plus, youâll earn yourself premium bounty like a tote bag, coffee cup, and even a year of Quartz membership. [Start referring the Daily Brief!]( Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, holes-in-one, and mysterious wire transfers to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by [downloading our iOS app]( and [becoming a member](. Todayâs Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Mary Hui, Tripti Lahiri, David Yanofsky, and Tim Fernholz. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? Forward it to a friend! They can [click here]( to sign up. If youâre looking to unsubscribe, [click here](. Quartz | 675 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Fl | New York, NY 10010 | United States Copyright © 2021 Quartz, All rights reserved.