Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The Nobel Prize in economics is announced. The winner will be revealed at 11:45am local time in Sweden.
Mike Pompeo meets China’s top diplomats. Their discussions will focus on reducing trade tensions. The secretary of state, who visited Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang on Sunday to discuss a second Trump-Kim summit, said North Korea was ready to allow international inspectors into his nuclear and missile testing sites.
Some North American businesses are closed today. Canada is celebrating Thanksgiving while the US marks Columbus Day, an increasingly controversial holiday.
Over the weekend
A key climate report warned that we must act now or face disastrous global warming. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said the world is wildly off-target in limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 C by 2030. Scientists warned that unless governments and the public make “rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society,” hundreds of millions will face drought, floods, and food shortages.
China detained Interpol president Meng Hongwei. The world’s top police official, who was reported missing to French authorities by his wife last week, is being investigated by Chinese anti-corruption authorities for “suspected serious violations of state law.” Interpol said it received Meng’s resignation on Sunday.
A Saudi journalist was allegedly murdered in the Istanbul consulate. Turkish officials claimed Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who had criticized Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed after he entered the consulate seeking documents for his upcoming marriage. The Saudi government denied the accusation, and president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he is personally “chasing” the investigation.
Brazil’s presidential election heads to a run-off. Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro of the Social Liberal Party fell short of an outright majority, triggering a second round of elections on Oct. 28. Bolsonaro, who has been compared to Trump, believes Brazil needs iron-fisted rule to tackle its faltering economy, widespread corruption, and violent crime.
Brett Kavanaugh was sworn into the US Supreme Court. After a hearing process that involved several women accusing the judge of sexual misconduct, Kavanaugh was confirmed with 50 votes in favor and 48 against—the slimmest margin in American history since 1881.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Jenni Avins on Melania Trump’s colonial fashion on her Africa tour. “On a short safari in Kenya, she wore a crisp white button-up shirt, khaki jodhpurs, knee-high riding boots, and a blazing white pith helmet… The headgear was standard-issue for 19th-century British officers in India and Africa, making it a potent symbol of colonial rule. They’ve long since been abandoned, making them nearly cartoonish in their connotations today.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Gig workers are the new proletariat. The ever-present threat of technology (paywall) means they can’t do anything but work to survive.
Snoop Dogg is the life coach the world needs. The rapper’s approach to self-care is easier to implement than aspirational competitors like Gwyneth Paltrow.
Turn off push notifications for better mental health. Your only notifications should contain relevant, time-sensitive information worthy of interruption.
Surprising discoveries
A meteorite worth $100,000 was used as a doorstop for 30 years. The Smithsonian helped uncover its interstellar origin.
Venomous funnel-web spiders can kill cancer tumors. Their melanoma-neutralizing peptide has almost no negative effects on healthy cells.
Luxury panic rooms are all the rage in the Hamptons. Billionaires are fearful of the MS-13 gang that has been spotted nearby.
Witches are making a comeback on TV. Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Bewitched are all getting reboots.
Trinity College Dublin gave a prized literary award to one of its janitors. The winner said her daily labors are more conducive to writing than sitting at a desk all day.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, astronomical doorstops, and literary awards 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 Jill Petzinger and edited by Sarah Todd.