Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
The Senate votes on Brett Kavanaugh. Senators will decide today whether to vote on the confirmation of the Supreme Court nominee, who is accused of sexual assault, on Saturday. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (paywall), Kavanaugh said he “might have been too emotional” during his testimony.
America’s jobs report card. Expectations are high for the Labor Department’s monthly payrolls report, which is projected to show the unemployment rate falling and employers adding 185,000 jobs in September. Prices on Treasury bonds have declined as recent data signals the US economy is steaming ahead and investors sell the safe haven asset.
Mike Pompeo returns to North Korea. The secretary of state will travel to Pyongyang—his fourth trip to the country in less than a year—on Saturday in hopes of getting Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear weapons.
Elections in Brazil, Bosnia, and Latvia. Corruption is a major theme for all three elections as Latvians head to the polls on Saturday, followed by Brazilians and Bosnians on Sunday. Last month, former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva, who is in jail, was barred from running for president, and the right-wing frontrunner was stabbed during a campaign event.
While you were sleeping
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege and Yazidi campaigner Nadia Murad. They share the prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. Mukwege has helped thousands of victims of rape and other abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Norwegian committee said Murad has “shown uncommon courage in recounting her own sufferings and speaking up on behalf of other victims” after escaping from the Islamic State.
Shares in Lenovo and ZTE dropped after a hacking report. The Chinese hardware makers suffered in Asian trading after Bloomberg reported yesterday that Chinese spies implanted computer chips inside computers used by US companies and government agencies. Even though Lenovo and ZTE weren’t named in the investigation, their stock plunged 14% or more on concerns that sales could suffer.
South Korea has imprisoned its fourth former president. Lee Myung-bak was sentenced to 15 years for bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power. Prosecutors’ corruption crackdown, a key policy of president Moon Jae-in, has also been seen as political retribution. In August, ousted president Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Unilever u-turned on its plan to abandon Britain after Brexit. The consumer goods giant wanted to scrap its dual-listed structure and move its headquarters out of London to the Netherlands but reversed this decision after pressure from shareholders to stay in the UK. Now the company can stay in the FTSE 100 and investors won’t have to sell their shares.
Samsung Electronics projected record earnings. The Korean company’s estimates follow strong sales of display panels and memory chips, but there is doubt among analysts that Samsung can maintain record profits as demand for chips is expected to wane.
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
Aung San Suu Kyi still has the moral authority to right the wrongs against the Rohingya. But she has a narrow window before Myanmar slips back into being a pariah state.
Willpower is a dangerous idea that serves to stigmatize others. The concept emerged in the 19th century to preach Victorian values like self-denial and untiring perseverance.
Workplaces shouldn’t give out free snacks. Companies should use that money to pay employees better.
Surprising discoveries
Teenage dolphins are getting high on puffer-fish toxin. In small doses, the poison can have a narcotic effect.
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.
A shark expert says the viral hit “Baby Shark” is mostly shoddy shark science. Though it does touch on a surprisingly accurate set of shark experiences.
There’s a pile-up of human body parts and other medical waste in the UK. A criminal probe has been launched into the disposal company which has lacked the necessary incineration capacity.
You can stay in a cottage made entirely of chocolate. The cozy abode in Sèvres, France rents for €50 ($59) a night.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, chocolate accommodation, and dolphin vices 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 John Detrixhe and edited by Eshe Nelson.