Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Another deadly Pacific storm. Typhoon Kong-rey is expected to move from Okinawa to mainland Japan and South Korea, mere days after Typhoon Trami swept through the region. Projections indicate the storm should weaken as it heads north, but the Ryukyu Islands will endure the worst wind and rainfall.
The US Senate votes on Kavanaugh. A Friday cloture vote will determine whether Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh—accused of sexual assault by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford—gets his confirmation vote on Saturday. The decision and hasty FBI investigation have sparked several nationwide protests, while the White House remains “fully confident” in a positive vote for Donald Trump’s SCOTUS pick.
India and Russia make a deal. Despite US sanctions, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi plans to approve a $5 billion agreement to buy missile defense systems from its longtime ally. Modi will also host discussions with Vladimir Putin on Friday, which could seal a $3 billion deal for warships and helicopters.
While you were sleeping
China infiltrated the US through the tech supply chain. The state-sponsored hack (paywall) leveraged connections with US-based company Supermicro, one of the world’s biggest motherboard suppliers, to insert a tiny chip onto computer motherboards. The breach affected at least 30 companies, including Apple and Amazon.
Mike Pence railed against China. The US vice president gave a Hudson Institute speech accusing China of waging an all-out cold war on American interests, from election meddling to institutional propaganda to increasing militarization.
Nintendo is making a new Switch. An upgraded version (paywall) of the company’s best-selling, easily hackable video game console should, unsurprisingly, appear on shelves in late 2019—and may feature an improved display.
Russia’s doping hacks. The US indicted seven suspects who allegedly hindered World Anti-Doping Agency investigations against Russian athletes by attacking databases, targeting personal systems, and releasing misinformation.
England faced a sudden human waste crisis. A major National Health Service supplier is having trouble safely discarding a growing stockpile of limbs, infectious matter, and other human remains from UK hospitals, prompting an emergency action by the government.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Cassie Werber on why we shouldn’t be ashamed of feeling lonely: “Loneliness is easier to deal with if you’re not alone. That’s a truism, but it’s also an irony that those experiencing the problem may block themselves from seeking help—perhaps they wrongly fear they will be judged harshly for wanting social connections.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The robot revolution might be late. The still-nascent industry is struggling to move past academic enthusiasm to a robust business model.
The speed of #MeToo could mean there’s hope for the planet. Behavioral changes are happening faster, and could conceivably catch up with climate change.
Algorithms are running your life. From Google searches to Amazon recommendations, algorithms are slowly changing society by making decisions for us.
Surprising discoveries
A child pulled an ancient sword from a Swedish lake. A low water level during a drought revealed the 1,000-year-old artifact.
Witches have become mainstream. Millennials, who are identifying as Wiccan in record numbers, are under the spell of all things mystic.
Minnesota birds are getting too tipsy. Fermented berries and a migration delay mean more collisions with avian drunks.
Selfies can be fatal. Getting the perfect Instagram shot has killed at least 259 people since 2011—mostly men who fell, drowned, or were hit by a vehicle.
Cats are no match for rats. The supposedly deadly rodent-hunters prefer smaller, less ferocious prey.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, drunk warblers, and fiercer cats 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 and edited by Susan Howson and McKinley Noble.