Briefing

THE WEEK

WE PREPARED FOR SOCHI

275

Days a British man spent running across Canada for charity; the 5,000-mile (8,050 km) journey raised more than $160,000

‘We need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable.’

SATYA NADELLA, new CEO of Microsoft, paraphrasing an Oscar Wilde quote in his first letter to employees. “As we look forward,” he added, “we must zero in on what Microsoft can uniquely contribute to the world.”

Tea

Production in India rose 9% from April to December, according to a new report

GOOD WEEK

BAD WEEK

Coffee

Beans in Brazil are threatened by dry weather, which could cause a price hike

‘It doesn’t matter how many people tell you no.’

RUSSELL WILSON, of the Seattle Seahawks, after becoming the second African-American quarterback ever to lead a team to a Super Bowl win; the Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8

$284 billion

Amount the U.S. Treasury expects to borrow in the first quarter of the year, $19 billion more than it projected

‘We distance ourselves from … the forbidden blood shed by any faction.’

AL-QAEDA, in a statement announcing that it has broken ties with its extremist Syrian affiliate, ISIS, which was causing infighting between various rebel groups

‘You can’t expect Israel to negotiate with a gun at its head.’

YUVAL STEINITZ, Israeli Intelligence Minister, after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that Israel could face sanctions if peace talks with Palestinians fell through

4600

4,600

Approximate age, in years, of a newly discovered pyramid in Egypt

‘Am I breaking people’s hearts by saying this? I hope not.’

J.K. ROWLING, author of the Harry Potter series, after admitting in an interview that fan favorite Hermione should have ended up with Harry, not Ron

Sources: Microsoft; AP; L.A. Times; Wonderland magazine; AFP