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Here’s what you need to know
Democrats eye control of the Senate. After flipping Pennsylvania and holding Nevada, only Georgia stands in the way of the party’s majority in the Senate, while 20 races are yet to be called in the House of Representatives.
Crypto.com sought to distance itself from FTX. The crypto exchange promised it’d publish an audited proof of reserves as FTX’s bankruptcy filing leaves the sector feeling jittery.
Three people were killed and two injured in a shooting at the University of Virginia. Police are looking for the suspect and advised those in the area to shelter in place.
Indigenous leaders from the Amazon in Peru asked Wall Street to stop funding Petroperú. The state-owned oil company is seeking $1.6 million for new drilling and extraction in the rainforest.
Sergei Lavrov was taken to a hospital in Indonesia. The Russian foreign minister, who is in Bali for the G20 Summit, was being treated for a heart condition, according to the AP.
Turkey blamed Kurdish militants for a suspected terrorist attack. No group has claimed responsibility yet for a blast that killed six people and injured at least 81 in Istanbul.
What to watch for
Joe Biden is meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in person for the first time since becoming president of the US, and the list of issues to discuss is a lengthy one.
The duo, who have met in the past when Biden was vice president, will be attending the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14. Biden has been championing dialogue with China to avoid unintended conflict while also pursuing policies that diminish US dependency on Chinese manufacturing, such as the America Competes Act.
The two countries both seem to want to cooperate on tackling the climate crisis. Americans’ perception of China has also improved—from “enemy” to “competitor”—since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Yet tensions between the world’s top superpowers are simmering, and not just in the trade arena—foreign policy, particularly on the issue of Taiwan’s independence and other territories in the Pacific, remains a delicate issue.
Fish farms are heading offshore
As wild fish stocks dwindle and fish farms on land grow crowded, the fishing industry has cast its net for other solutions. Enter offshore aquaculture—giant, floating fish farms built miles out into the ocean.
Advocates say it’s better than land-based farms, which are fraught with issues of overcrowding, pesticides, and heavy use of antibiotics. They argue that out in the ocean, space is no issue, and there’s a lower chance of chemical contamination. But critics say these problems still persist at sea, and offshore farms can create environmental problems such as wastewater and escaped fish, a.k.a. “fugitive fish.”
Regardless, fish farming is here to stay. Over half of the fish we eat comes from farms, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that number will hit 60% by 2030. Some even predict, down the line, aquaculture will replace fishing altogether.
What is Twitter’s future in Africa?
Much attention has been given to Twitter’s blue check chaos, high-profile executive exits, and potential bankruptcy. But floating under the surface of these headlines is another problem: the app’s future in Africa.
Twitter announced the opening of its first Africa office in April 2021. Then-CEO Jack Dorsey believed Twitter could help shape African democracy. Quartz’s west Africa correspondent Alexander Onukwue explained in the latest Africa Weekly newsletter how, now that the end of Twitter’s Africa team is imminent, a lingering suspicion remains that the platform’s expansion on the continent was always just a vanity project.
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Surprising discoveries
A newly found neuron is curing paralysis patients. Nine people with severe spinal cord injuries were able to walk again after a nerve cell stimulation treatment.
Banksy resurfaced in Ukraine. His latest mural features a gymnast balancing on rubble in the liberated town of Borodianka.
A seat at the ASEAN summit comes with a pricey souvenir. World leaders will walk away with some luxury Cambodian watches on their wrists.
Antiques worth $94,700 (£80,000) were returned to their countries of origin. An American man was inspired by Guardian articles about looted items being repatriated.
The winners of Minnesota’s “Name a Snowplow contest” were announced. Plowy McPlowFace, Betty Whiteout, and Ctrl Salt Delete are just part of the US state’s fleet.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Send any news, comments, diplomatic jewelry, and your best snowplow name to hi@qz.com. Reader support makes Quartz available to all—become a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Ananya Bhattacharya, Sofia Lotto Persio, Julia Malleck, and Morgan Haefner.