Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Interpol picks a president. The global police agency has been meeting to decide on a new leader (paywall) to replace Meng Hongwei, who was arrested by Chinese authorities and charged with corruption. Russian law enforcement chief Alexander Prokopchuk is reportedly a favorite, raising concerns that Moscow could exert due influence in other countries.
A US aircraft carrier arrives in Hong Kong. The USS Ronald Reagan and three other American ships will make a port call, two months after China denied a similar request. The move could calm the diplomatic waters before Donald Trump meets with Xi Jinping at a G20 summit next month.
The Bank of Japan releases inflation numbers. The central bank is anxious to see the effects of its controversial negative interest-rate policy on the economy, but analysts predict October inflation data will show only a small uptick towards the BOJ’s 2% target.
While you were sleeping
Trump signaled US support for Saudi Arabia. Despite a CIA assessment that crown prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump said in an exclamatory statement, “Maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!” Oil prices tumbled on the news.
New details emerged about Carlos Ghosn’s downfall. The plot thickens: The Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn was reportedly fighting with the automaker’s board about a possible merger with Renault when he was arrested, the Financial Times reported (paywall). Nissan directors and CEO Hiroto Saikawa were reportedly concerned that consolidating the Franco-Japanese auto alliance would cement Nissan’s “second-tier status.”
NASA announced it would probe SpaceX after Elon Musk’s public cannabis use. The safety review (paywall) of SpaceX and its rival Boeing will “ensure the companies are meeting NASA’s requirements for workplace safety, including the adherence to a drug-free environment.” Musk’s marijuana use on a live-streamed podcast may ultimately allow Boeing to become the first private company to carry astronauts to the International Space Station.
Amazon eyed Disney’s sports network. The ecommerce giant is reportedly bidding against private equity firms and other broadcasters for 22 sports channels across the US. Potential bidders also include Fox, which recently sold the channels along with other entertainment assets to Disney for $71 billion.
Tech and Target drove the markets into the red for the year. Lackluster retail sales and concerns about the slowing economy sent major US indices down by more than 1%, plunging them into negative territory for 2018. Donald Trump blamed the Federal Reserve for the market’s malaise.
Obsession interlude
Morning routines set the tone for the day. We have an insatiable fascination with the routines of the rich and famous, from Barack Obama’s early workouts to Gwyneth Paltrow’s almond milk smoothies. But just as there is no single path to success, there’s also no one-size-fits all morning routine—except getting out of bed, eventually. Wake and up shine with today’s Quartz Obsession.
Quartz membership
Netflix balance-sheet breakdown: The streaming-video giant expects to close out 2018 with more than 146 million subscribers, but all that growth comes at a cost. The scariest number is Netflix’s negative free cash flow—the company expects to bleed about $3 billion this year. Check out other parts of our deep dive into the future of television here, including the streaming wars state of play, and a QZ&A with Hulu CEO Randy Freer.
Conversation starter
“Three guesses what MBS is thankful for this Thanksgiving—but you’ll only need one. If that.”
—Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, on the Trump administration’s decision not to punish Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi killing.
Surprising discoveries
Everyone is naming their dog “Bella.” Canine naming trends suggest pet owners are treating their animals like human children.
An AI-generated portrait sold for $432,500. A Parisian art collective name Obvious used code from a 19-year-old without sharing the profit.
Saudi women are wearing their clothes inside-out. It’s a protest against the garments they’re required to wear outside of the home.
A dead sperm whale was full of plastic. The six kilograms of human-generated garbage in the carcass included flip-flops, bags, and bottles.
Nutella may have a new enemy. Italy’s Barilla is whipping up a chocolate spread without controversial ingredients like palm oil.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, chocolate spreads, and puppies with names of your choosing to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app or becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Susan Howson and Holly Ojalvo, and edited by Adam Pasick.