Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
The UK’s last budget before Brexit. Chancellor Philip Hammond will share the government’s plans to change taxes and spending over the next 12 months. But should a no-deal Brexit come to pass, a new budget and “different strategy” would be required.
The EU-Arab World summit begins. Migration and energy use are high on the agenda at the two-day gathering in Athens. Not on the program—but on many minds—is the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul.
The suspect in Pittsburgh’s synagogue shooting appears in court. Robert Bowers faces at least 29 federal charges for Saturday’s attack.
HSBC reports its third-quarter earnings. The banking giant’s shares have tumbled in recent weeks (paywall) on fears that stuttering Chinese growth will take a toll on its key Hong Kong business.
The Philippines braces for Typhoon Yutu. The country raised tropical cyclone warnings and an alert for possible landslides today ahead of an expected landfall tomorrow. Yutu, known in the Philippines as Rosita, tied for the strongest storm of the year with Mangkhut when it passed over the Mariana Islands last week, but has weakened since.
Over the weekend
A gunman killed 11 people in a hate crime. Bowers, 46, had posted anti-Semitic comments online before his attack at Tree of Life synagogue, and reportedly told police “all these Jews need to die.” Federal prosecutors said on Sunday they would seek approval to pursue the death penalty.
A passenger plane crashed into the sea after taking off from Jakarta. Lion Air flight JT610, which was headed near the island of Sumatra, lost contact with air-traffic control 13 minutes after takeoff this morning. There were 189 people on board the new Boeing 737 Max, but authorities say it’s unclear if there were any survivors.
Brazil elected a new president. Crowds flocked to São Paulo’s most famous boulevard, Avenida Paulista, on Sunday night to celebrate the victory of far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro. He won 55% of the vote in a run-off despite a last-minute boost for leftist Fernando Haddad.
The Red Sox won the World Series. On Sunday, Boston beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in game five of the championships, bringing the number of times it’s won the title this century to four.
The owner of Leicester City died in a helicopter crash. Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, one of Thailand’s richest people, was on board the helicopter with four others when it spiraled out of control Saturday night outside the soccer team’s stadium in England.
Ireland voted to remove blasphemy from its constitution. In the year’s second big referendum, the nation decided that speaking sacrilegiously about “God or sacred things” will no longer be a punishable offense. That follows a vote in May to legalize abortion.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Natasha Frost on South Korean women trashing their makeup: “Young women are rebelling against the strict beauty standards that have become their country’s norm… Now the tide may be turning, with women frustrated by the unpaid labor represented by having to make themselves up every day. And it’s not just a time cost: These ruined collections represent tremendous financial investment.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Millennials will always love “Call Me Maybe.” Psychology explains how music from our formative years holds a special place in our minds.
Virtual reality won’t make you more empathetic. The technology can help people sympathize, but doesn’t really give them the perspective of a different life.
If you’re surprised by anti-Semitism, you’re not paying attention. Assaults, vandalism, and threats against Jews have increased sharply in the US over the past few years.
Surprising discoveries
Camel beauty pageants are highly competitive. Judges look for even coloring, shapely humps, and pouty lips.
Artificial intelligence has gotten pretty good at detecting lies. Police departments in Spain have used machine learning to find dozens of false written confessions.
A viral typo encapsulates the fun and fright of Halloween. A photo of a haunting sign with the word “spoopy” spelled out in bones has endured as a meme for almost a decade.
US health officials say it’s OK to dress up your chicken for Halloween. But owners should take precautions, including avoiding kissing their birds.
Vinegar is the world’s original energy drink. People have been enjoying its healthful, antiseptic qualities for centuries.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, acidic drinks, and bird costumes 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 Alice Truong and edited by Isabella Steger.