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What to watch for today
China delivers new GDP figures. Economists predict that China’s gross domestic product grew at an annualized rate of 6% from July to September, which would represent the lowest reading in nearly three decades. China’s economy grew by 6.6% in 2018.
Thus spoke Zuckerberg. Mark Zuckerberg says he will livestream a speech offering “the most comprehensive take” of his views on free speech and personal voice today. His company is once again facing strong criticism, this time for its decision to allow lies and falsehoods in political ads.
Asia tops the list of greenest cities for commuters. Tokyo, Beijing, and Singapore lead the world in environmentally-friendly commuting behaviors according to a new study of 20,000 commuters across 31 global cities. Cities in Europe, Africa, and South America rounded out the top 10.
European Council, IMF, and World Bank meetings. UK prime minister Boris Johnson has been racing to reach a new Brexit deal, but CNN reports that negotiators are unlikely to agree before the summit begins. Meanwhile, the world of economic policy assembles for the first IMF and World Bank Group meetings under Kristalina Georgieva and David Malpass, respectively.
While you were sleeping
Hammer-wielding men beat a Hong Kong protest leader. Jimmy Sham was hospitalized with head injuries after an attack that the Civil Human Rights Front labeled an act of “political terror” by government supporters. Meanwhile, Norweigan MP Guri Melby nominated Hongkongers for the Nobel Peace Prize for risking their lives for democracy.
Netflix reported strong international growth. The streaming service’s stock rose as much as 9% in extended trading after it beat estimates with 6.26 million new subscribers from outside the US last quarter. Netflix says it will begin to break out international growth by region next quarter.
Digital design firm Canva reached a $3.2 billion valuation. CEO Melanie Perkins said a new $85 million funding round—led by Mary Meeker’s new venture capital fund—will allow the company to expand its corporate services, which are already used by 85% of Fortune 500 companies.
Prosecutors busted the world’s largest child porn market. The dark web site’s South Korean creator and hundreds of users around the world have been arrested in an unprecedented international law enforcement operation.
Violence broke out in Kashmir. Pakistani officials say that Indian troops killed three civilians, including two children, and wounded eight in what it calls “unprovoked firing.” Pakistani soldiers shot back, but it’s unclear if there were Indian casualties.
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Culture editor Oliver Staley and entertainment reporter Adam Epstein discuss this fall’s television slate, touching on new shows, the upcoming Disney+ and Apple TV+ launches, and how the traditional broadcast networks can survive in the era of streaming. You won’t want to miss this must-see conference call.
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Getting the uncanny feeling you’ve read this before? Nearly two-thirds of us experience the sensation of déjà vu, the impression that we’ve already done the thing we are currently doing. Whether it’s a function of memory or a glitch in the matrix, déjà vu can be disorienting, unsettling, and just plain weird. The Quartz Obsession does it all over again.
Matters of debate
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You don’t really mean “millennial.” Most of the time, people are referring to “yuppies.”
Computers will never be conscious. Machines and brains store and process information in fundamentally different ways.
The internet is a disaster. But the person who created it sees hope in places like GitHub that offer good examples of collaborative systems.
Surprising discoveries
Massive storms can spawn earthquakes. The “stormquakes,” born when terrible tempests cross certain geological formations, create small, low-frequency wobbles on land.
A Parisian zoo unveiled a mystery creature dubbed the “blob.” The amorphous being looks like a fungus, learns like an animal, and has nearly 720 sexes.
You can book a room at Versailles. The first hotel on the famous palace grounds will open in 2020.
Alibaba foils 300 million cyber heists each day. Chairman Jack Ma said Alipay, which processes $50 billion worth of daily transactions, has not lost one cent to hackers.
Bach was a scoundrel. Often depicted as a model of respectability, the composer was known to enjoy his share of fighting, drinking, and liaisons in the organ loft.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, Versailles reservations, and conscious computers to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Max Lockie and Nicolás Rivero.