Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Netflix reports earnings. To hit its target, Netflix needs to have added at least 5.1 million subscribers last quarter (paywall)—and is hoping a major boost from India will help.
Big US banks open their books. Today is Goldman Sachs’ first earnings report under new CEO David Solomon, so analysts will be perking up their ears for any signs of a shift in strategy. Morgan Stanley also reports its third-quarter results.
The Man Booker Prize is awarded. This year’s shortlist features the youngest author ever to make the final list, 28-year-old Daisy Johnson. Her book Everything Under tells the story of a lexicographer who begins to remember a language invented in childhood.
While you were sleeping
Paul Allen died. The co-founder of Microsoft, who had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, was 65. Allen owned the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers. He was among the world’s wealthiest people, with an estimated net worth of more than $20 billion.
Mike Pompeo landed in Saudi Arabia for tense talks. The secretary of state met with King Salman to talk about the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago. CNN said last night that Riyadh was preparing to admit that the journalist died under an ”unauthorized interrogation.”
Australia said it might move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Prime minister Scott Morrison said that the two-state solution “hasn’t been going that well” and that moving the embassy from Tel Aviv would challenge the status quo. Morrison, a devout Christian, denied his faith had any part to play in his considerations.
Sundar Pichai defended Google’s plan to build a censored search engine for China. Speaking at a Wired conference, the Google boss said initial tests had gone well. He characterized the company’s controversial decision to return to China as in keeping with its broader mission to serve the whole world with information.
A Chinese official said internment camps were good for Uighurs. In a state-media interview, the head of the Xinjiang region called the camps “vocational education” centers and said the “trainees” were grateful for the chance to change their ways. Rights groups say that up to 1 million Muslims in the province are being held without charge for things like refusing to give a DNA sample.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Zoë Schlanger on the psychic pain of climate change. “The psychological toll of climate change is only beginning to be investigated—papers have been published on farmer suicides in India going up in tandem with crop-scorching heat, and on the mental-health issues accumulating throughout the US as average temperatures climb higher and storms intensify. Last year, the American Psychological Association validated ‘ecoanxiety’ as a clinically legitimate diagnosis.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
The US Treasury must avoid politicizing currency manipulation. Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin hinted that China has been unfairly devaluing the yuan—but the data doesn’t back him up.
Instagram has a big sexual harassment problem. The home of aspirational and positive content has an ugly underbelly of toxic behavior.
Coding is not the most in-demand professional skill. Most employers still want people with good soft skills.
Surprising discoveries
Michigan’s massive mushroom is bigger and older than previously thought. Researchers say the “humongous fungus” weighs 400 tons and is 2,500 years old.
Apple fixed its new bagel emoji. It added cream cheese to make the bagel look more appetizing.
Beach parties are no longer allowed in Boracay. After a six-month closure, the Philippines island is imposing a slew of restrictions to reduce the damage from tourism.
Archeologists found a 66-foot Viking ship buried beneath a cemetery in Norway. Whoever buried it was trying to say something about their political might.
Male gorillas enjoy spending time with infants. It’s puzzling from an evolutionary standpoint, but also adorable.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, bagels, and buried Viking ships 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.