Good morning, Quartz readers!
Want to get the most up-to-date news on the world of crypto? Subscribe to Quartz Private Key, the smart, busy person’s guide to cryptocurrencies. We provide unbiased information and analysis of the noisy and volatile crypto world from reporters around the globe. Subscribe here to our twice-weekly newsletter, including a free 14-day trial.
What to watch for today
The 2018 Nobel Prize awards kick off. This year’s prize in physiology or medicine, announced at 11:30am in Sweden, went to scientists Tasuku Honjo and James P. Allison for their research on anti-cancer therapy treatments. The Swedish Academy, which has decided to postpone the literature prize this year, will also give awards for physics, chemistry, and peace this week.
The International Court of Justice rules whether land-locked Bolivia can return to the sea. The court will decide if Chile must negotiate to grant Bolivia a sovereign outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The UN body has no power to award Chilean territory, however, so analysts expect little change regardless of the ruling.
The US Supreme Court begins a new term. There are just eight justices instead of the usual nine, with the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh still in doubt over sexual-misconduct allegations he denies. For now the court will remain ideologically deadlocked as it begins hearing cases.
A new Goldman Sachs era begins. David Solomon takes over as chief executive of the bank Monday, replacing longtime head Lloyd Blankfein, who saw the bank through the financial crisis. In a departure from the dominant culture at Goldman, Solomon’s background is in investment banking, not trading. He also moonlights as an electronic music DJ once a month.
Québec goes to the polls. Immigration will be a central issue as four parties fight it out in the Canadian province. The incumbent Liberals want to encourage immigration as a way of boosting the economy, while their center-right rivals propose more restrictive rules with language and “values” tests. It’s likely to be a close race.
Over the weekend
The US and Canada reached a deal on NAFTA. The agreement came Sunday night, hours before the midnight deadline. Under the trilateral deal, the US will gain access to Canada’s dairy market, while Canada will receive some protections from a potential round of auto tariffs. No changes were made to the current US tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The death toll in Indonesia surged. More than 830 people were killed after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit the island of Sulawesi on Friday and triggered tsunami waves as high as 6 m (20 ft). The final count could be in the thousands, warned vice president Jusuf Kalla.
Questions swirled over the FBI investigation into Brett Kavanaugh. Hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the White House gave the FBI one week to investigate the sexual-assault allegations against the judge. Kavanaugh’s opponents say the probe is too narrow in scope (paywall), but former FBI director James Comey says that despite the limitations, the FBI can get the job done.
Elon Musk dodged a bullet. He will remain Tesla’s CEO, but must step down as chairman and pay $20 million as part of a settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which said he misled investors with tweets about taking Tesla private.
Macedonia held a referendum on changing its name. Ninety-one percent of voters favored changing the country’s name to North Macedonia, but low turnout meant that the results were non-binding. Prime minister Zoran Zaev plans to push for a vote in parliament to resolve the 27-year dispute with Greece, which has blocked the country from joining NATO and the EU because it also has a province called Macedonia.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Robert Safian on Priscilla Chan’s empathetic leadership. “Today at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, where Chan is co-CEO, her tendency to cry is openly acknowledged. She has cried at all-hands staff meetings, at big public gatherings. There are tissues in all the conference rooms, colleagues say, just in case she needs one … She is a doctor who has become a crusader. And don’t mistake her emotion for weakness.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The web is broken if people can’t control their data. Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, believes the solution lies in decentralized apps that run on data users fully own.
Facebook needs employees who aren’t team players. Given the chance, Instagram’s cofounders could’ve helped Facebook finally address its problems (paywall).
The philosophical canon needs to be decolonized. Philosophy departments around South Africa are confronting the need to incorporate African ideas and question Western concepts.
Surprising discoveries
An “extinct” tree kangaroo was caught on camera. The elusive marsupial hadn’t been seen for 90 years.
North Korea sent South Korea two dogs as a gesture of peace. Like his father in 2000, Kim Jong Un sent a pair of Pungsan dogs as relations between the countries thaw.
Ants are more productive when they’re given dopamine. The chemical associated with motivation spurred red harvester ants to forage in conditions they don’t like working in.
Young people are lonelier than the elderly. A BBC survey found that 40% of people aged 16-24 “often” or “very often” feel lonely, more than any other group.
Moths love feasting on birds’ tears. They feed as birds sleep, gaining vital nutrients like sodium and albumin.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, tree kangaroos, and bird tears to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Cassie Werber and edited by Sarah Todd.