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What to watch for today
A former SS guard goes on trial in Germany. Bruno Dey, 93, stands accused of complicity in the murder of more than 5,000 people at a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. He will be tried in juvenile court because he was 17 when he first worked at the Stutthof camp, in present day Poland.
US officials meet with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Vice president Mike Pence and secretary of state Mike Pompeo will meet with the Turkish president in Ankara to urge an immediate ceasefire in northern Syria. Republican senator Lindsey Graham is expected to introduce sanctions against Turkey today.
Mark Zuckerberg speaks. The Facebook CEO will live stream a speech offering “the most comprehensive take” of his views on free speech and personal voice. His company is once again facing strong criticism, this time for its decision to allow falsehoods in political ads.
European Council, IMF, and World Bank meetings. UK prime minister Boris Johnson has been racing to reach a new Brexit deal, but negotiators are unlikely to agree before a crucial EU summit begins today. Meanwhile, the IMF and the World Bank kick off their annual meetings in Washington DC.
While you were sleeping
Catalonia’s president condemned violence. As protests continued into their third night, Quim Torra called for an immediate end to violence and vandalism and urged caution against infiltrators and provateurs. Protests erupted on Monday after the Spanish Supreme Court handed down lengthy jail terms to nine pro-independence leaders.
The US required Chinese diplomats to give notice of meetings. They must now notify the government of any meetings with state, local and municipal officials, as well as at educational and research institutions, in what US officials described a move to “add reciprocity” to the way their own diplomats are treated in China.
Christian Dior apologized for using a map that angered China. The French luxury brand is the latest firm to be in political hot waters after using a map that excluded Taiwan in a presentation. In a statement, the company said it “strictly safeguards China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Two Americans were detained in China. Jacob Harlan and Alyssa Petersen, who run an English-teaching company, were arrested in the eastern province of Jiangsu last month and held on “bogus” charges, according to a statement on their company’s Facebook page.
Cotton On and Target Australia stopped buying cotton from Xinjiang. The two fashion retailers made the decision due to concerns about mass human rights abuses there by Chinese authorities. Cotton On had previously sourced cotton from a factory located just 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from a mass detention center.
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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.
Quartz Obsession
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.”
Juveniles shouldn’t be given life sentences. How we punish crime reflects on society.
The internet is a disaster. But places like GitHub offer good examples of collaborative systems.
Surprising discoveries
The creators of Pokémon Go are mapping you. Popular augmented reality games developed by Niantic are collecting a surprising amount of data about where you go.
The UK was happiest in the 1920s. Psychology researchers came to the conclusion after analyzing millions of books and newspapers dating back to 1825.
Massive storms can spawn earthquakes. “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.
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, spying games, and happier times to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written by Mary Hui and edited by Isabella Steger.