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What to watch for today
Google employees protest sexual misconduct by senior executives. The protest in the wake of a New York Times exposé has received support from CEO Sundar Pichai.
North Korea allows tourists to explore the DMZ. As part of its demilitarization agreement with South Korea, North Korean officials will reportedly let visitors “freely cross” into the southern side of the Joint Security Area.
Apple reports quarterly earnings. Even in one of the company’s slower quarters, it’s expected to have sold heaps of iPhones. But investors will be especially focused on the company’s fast-growing revenue from services, subscriptions, and content, which have diversified its business.
While you were sleeping
A senior Saudi royal returned home. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, a younger brother of King Salman, had been living in London, where he criticized the kingdom’s bloody war in Yemen. His return may signal a power shift as the Saudi regime reels from Turkey’s investigation into journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.
General Motors revved its engines… The automaker’s shares surged nearly 10% after it said it sold fewer vehicles but at higher prices, beating analysts’ profit expectations.
…As US stocks ended a volatile week on an up note. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 900 points, the S&P rose 2%, and the Nasdaq edged out of correction territory with a 2.5% gain. But October was still a bewitched month, with markets posting their biggest declines since 2011.
The Fed announced plans to ease bank regulations. US lenders with assets of less than $700 billion—including Capital One and Charles Schwab—would face lower liquidity requirements and fewer compliance rules if they don’t engage in risky trading activity.
Juul’s questionable “education” initiative was revealed. The US vaping giant offered schools up to $20,000 to teach a class that blamed underage vaping on peer pressure, without mentioning Juul’s extensive social media marketing or the addictive nature of its product.
Obsession interlude
Matthew De Silva and Corinne Purtill on Bitcoin’s greatest mystery: “Satoshi Nakamoto is one of the wealthiest people on the planet. This person—or persons—has managed to throw global markets into a tizzy, without leaving home (wherever that may be). We know that he—or she—upended the traditional finance system and created a brand-new currency. We just don’t know who he is.” Go down this rabbit hole with the Quartz Obsession email.
Matters of debate
Cape Town prioritizes tourists over locals. Burning commuter trains symbolizes the city’s skewed priorities.
Corporations are past their “peak.” Use of the word on earnings calls hit its own peak last year, and it’s been downhill ever since.
Inequality spells doom for republics. By that yardstick, America’s current decline began in the 1970s (paywall).
Surprising discoveries
Dogs are sniffing out malaria. Asymptomatic carriers produce a slight scent that is detectable by canine noses.
New iPhones are allergic to helium. Sensitive new timekeeping chips don’t work in the presence of some gases.
There was a secret US Supreme Court love affair. Chief justice William Rehnquist proposed marriage to justice Sandra Day O’Connor before they joined the high court.
A garbage-eating robot shark is coming to Dubai’s marina. The trash-strewn waters will be cleaner once the garbage-gobbling drone has its way.
“Fun” is a battlefield in the candy wars. Mars sued a rival for marketing smaller bars as “fun-sized,” then nabbed the word for itself.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, fun-sized candy, and secret marriage proposals 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 Adam Pasick and Susan Howson.