Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today and over the weekend
Germany remembers the “night of broken glass.” Chancellor Angela Merkel will address a Berlin synagogue today to mark the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when Nazis looted and destroyed more than 1,400 synagogues and Jewish properties.
US-China security talks. Tensions are running high ahead of today’s security dialogue in Washington, with China having already voiced its displeasure (paywall) over the US’s support of Taiwan.
The US and Taliban attend a conference in Moscow. Delegates from 12 countries will meet today to work toward peace in Afghanistan. It will be the first time the US and the Taliban will participate in the forum.
More than 60 world leaders commemorate the centennial of World War I’s armistice. French president Emmanuel Macron will play host in Paris, and attendees including Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin (paywall) will gather over lunch on Sunday.
Samples from space land on Earth. Japan’s Kounotori 7 cargo craft will burn up on its re-entry Sunday, but not before ejecting a capsule containing test samples from the International Space Station.
The world’s biggest shopping holiday. Sunday will mark the 10th Singles’ Day—a shopping festival so big it eclipses both Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the US. Last year, the day brought in $25 billion in sales.
While you were sleeping
Details emerged about the California shooter and his victims. Ian David Long, who killed 12 people and himself at a bar in Thousand Oaks, was a former military machine gunner in the Marines who lived with his mother after he was divorced and honorably discharged. The victims included a police officer, security guard, Navy veteran, and college students.
The White House barred migrants entering the US illegally from claiming asylum. The administration said those wishing to claim asylum will have to do so at an official border crossing. Trump’s expected to sign an executive order today to formalize the new rules.
More Rohingya are fleeing by boat. Aid workers say the refugees are trying to reach Malaysia from Bangladesh and Myanmar. It’s unclear how many boats have left, with voyages dating back to early October, but officials recently detained 33 Rohingya.
Michelle Obama slammed Trump in her upcoming memoir. In Becoming, due to be released on Tuesday, Obama denounced Trump’s birther campaign and wrote about her upbringing in Chicago, relationship with Barack Obama, and encounters with racism.
Google agreed to end forced arbitration for sexual-harassment claims. Following last week’s employee walkout protesting the company’s handling of misconduct, CEO Sundar Pichai sent a company-wide email to staff promising more transparency and accountability (paywall).
Obsession interlude
Nigeria’s vast diaspora is fueling the world’s hottest pop sound. Signature groovy percussion, autotune-heavy vocals, and catchy hooks are helping the Afrobeats genre find global audiences. Go down the rabbit hole at the Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Pot won’t fix the food industry. Legalized weed is mostly smoked, and packaged-food brands are better off making their products healthier (paywall).
Can age be legally altered like gender? A Dutch man is asking a court to decrease his age by 20 years, but critics say his intent is to mock pro-trans legislation.
Vacation is a poor substitute for leisure. The stoics saw rest and leisure as active pursuits.
Surprising discoveries
A Missouri landlord evicted an alligator from a hot tub. The owner insisted the reptile named Catfish was “gentle as a puppy.”
Kids could’ve kept their tonsils. Research suggests 88% of tonsillectomies performed on UK children between 2005 and 2016 weren’t actually necessary.
Eyes and tongues could replace the remote. Netflix employees used Apple’s ARKit to control the streaming platform’s iOS app without touching (or licking) the screen.
An Alaska man was sentenced to 15 extra months for faking his death. He was hiding out near his mom’s house to avoid a 15-year sentence.
About 20% of China’s civil-service jobs explicitly seek male candidates. Of nearly 10,000 postings analyzed, not a single one stated a preference for women.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, missed tonsils, and homeless alligators 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 Tripti Lahiri.