🌎 Tesla's record sales still disappoint

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Here’s what you need to know

Tesla sold its highest-ever number of EVs in the third quarter. But record sales still missed expectations. Tesla also revealed the prototype for its Optimus humanoid robot.

Brazil’s presidential election is headed for a run off. Incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro received a larger share of the votes (43.2%) than polls predicted.

OPEC+ members are expected to cut production. To boost prices, oil-producing countries will discuss a cut of around 1 million barrels a day at a meeting scheduled for Oct. 5.

Intel’s Mobileye has filed for IPO. The chip maker targeted a $30 billion valuation for its self-driving technology unit, bought in 2017 for around $15 billion.

US Democrats’ hesitation on congressional trading fuels internal discord. Congress won’t get a chance to vote on a bill banning legislators and their family members from trading stocks ahead of the midterms.

JD.com’s founder settled a sexual assault case. A former student at the University of Minnesota had accused Chinese billionaire Richard Liu of raping her.

Svante Pääbo won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. The award recognized the Swedish geneticist for his work on human evolution and kicks off a week of accolades.

What to watch for

The UK’s ruling Conservative party started its annual convention yesterday. Usually an opportunity to boast about the government’s accomplishments and plans for the future, this time around the mood isn’t bright. Liz Truss’s month-old government has sparked a market turmoil that tanked the pound, prompted a warning from the IMF, and handed the opposition Labour party a stunning 33-point lead in the latest polls.

All eyes will be on chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s speech, expected today after 4 pm local time. This morning, Kwarteng announced on Twitter he’s reversing the decision to eliminate the highest tax bracket, which would have benefited the wealthiest.

Truss’s big speech is due on the final conference day, Oct. 5, although attendance might be scarce due to a rail strike forcing some to leave the conference early. Should the prime minister need inspiration, here are some ideas of what the UK should do to turn its economy around.

India rules on access to abortion

Last week, India’s highest court legalized access to abortion for all women, regardless of marital status. It amended a previous ruling from 2021 that limited unmarried women’s access to the 20th week of pregnancy. Now, all women have equal rights to undergo the medical procedure up to the 24th week.

The decision from the world’s second-most populous country sends a strong pro-choice message at a time when western nations have seen increasing rollbacks and threats to abortion access. Here’s a Quartz reading list to catch up on our coverage of maternal health, bodily autonomy, and the economic impact of abortion bans:

💼 Why abortion rights are a workplace issue

🌎 A list of countries where abortion is illegal

🇺🇸 How US state abortion laws compare globally

🙅‍♀️ Abortion bans don’t reduce abortion rates

😞 The overlooked mental health effects of abortion bans

Quartz’s Best Companies for Remote Workers

This year’s No. 1 is digital marketing agency 3Q/DEPT, which is fully remote—but some of the companies we recognized have a mix of WFHers and officegoers. Explore the full ranking, which also includes a list of the best small- and medium-size companies for remote workers.

And while you’re at it, if you have any other questions about the changing workplace—be it the productivity of a four-day week, office redesign, or giving feedback—check out our new podcast, Work Reconsidered, available Oct. 6, that’ll tackle all these topics and more. Listen to the trailer and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

🎧 Google | Spotify | Megaphone | Stitcher

Quartz’s most popular

😬 US unemployment insurance isn’t ready for the next recession

🐦 Jack Dorsey texted Elon Musk to say Twitter never should have been a company

💻 4 ways to improve hybrid meetings (after they’re over)

🤳 Modi sets off a new phase of India’s digitisation with 5G launch

🎨 DALL-E now allows anyone to cash in on AI art, but ownership gets complicated

⛽ US imposes sanctions on Indian petrochemical firm over Iran ties

Surprising discoveries

A low-budget film about a poor, rural couple was performing better in China than big blockbusters. But now Return to Dust can’t be found in theaters or on streaming services.

Some superheroes wear leafy capes. Scientists have found when planted in upland areas, the mighty sphagnum moss can reduce severe flooding downstream.

Eurasian beavers are now a protected species in England. People will need a license to destroy their dams.

Blue-eyed babies are much more likely to see that color change over time than those with brown eyes. It may have to do with the build up of a protective pigment.

A new law that allows Zoom weddings in Utah is helping LGBTQ couples in China tie the knot. Marriage licenses in the US state have no citizenship requirements.

Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, superhero moss, and happy beavers to [email protected]. Reader support makes Quartz available to all—become a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Sofia Lotto Persio, Julia Malleck, and Morgan Haefner.