Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,184 words, a 3-minute read.

It’s election day! I encourage every Neutral reader to vote if you haven’t already. Read up on the federal and state ballot measures and make yourself heard. Oh, and Krispy Kreme is giving away free donuts, so you can treat yourself afterward.

-Adam

What’s on tap: 

• French beheading trial begins

• The average US homebuyer's age is rising

• Oat vs. cow milk

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Big Story

Music Titan Quincy Jones Dies

Musical giant Quincy Jones passed away at 91.

• Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’s childhood was challenging, with a troubled family life. But, Quincy found an escape through music. He rose to prominence as a composer, conductor, and producer, breaking racial barriers as one of the first Black vice presidents at a major record label.

• He was best known for producing Michael Jackson’s all-time best-selling album Thriller and collaborating with legends like Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles.

• Jones won 28 Grammys and was honored by the Kennedy Center and France’s Legion d’Honneur. His work set new standards in music production and helped put African American artists on the global stage.

• Beyond music, Jones was dedicated to philanthropy, focusing on causes like HIV/AIDS awareness, children’s education, and poverty relief.

Big Story

French Beheading Trial

A trial of eight people in Paris started yesterday over the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty.

• In October 2020, Samuel Paty was killed after a 13-year-old girl lied about a demonstration in his classroom. She claimed Paty had singled out Muslim students, asking them to leave while he showed controversial images during a lesson on free speech.

• However, she wasn't even in class that day and invented the story to cover up her suspension from school for poor behavior.

• The girl’s father, Brahim Chnina, posted social media videos condemning Paty and revealed his name and workplace. This sparked a viral campaign accusing Paty of discrimination.

• After seeing the campaign, an 18-year-old extremist named Abdoullakh Anzorov found Paty on the street outside his school and beheaded him. Police killed Anzorov at the scene.

• Chnina and seven others are now on trial for their involvement. Chnina is accused of associating with a terrorist organization, and others face charges related to criminal conspiracy.

Big Story

Indonesia Volcano Eruption

Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupted on Monday.

• The eruption killed 10 people and blew volcanic material up to 6 kilometers away. Rescuers continue to search for more victims, and 10,000 people have been affected.

• Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency raised the alert for Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki to the highest level and expanded the exclusion zone around the volcano. Social media posts show villages buried in ash, with some houses burned by the hot volcanic material. See post here (Graphic content warning)

• Indonesia sits on the Ring of Fire, an area in the Pacific Ocean with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to tectonic activity. The country has over 180 active volcanoes. Just last week, Mount Merapi erupted in West Sumatra.

Quick Stories

U.S. News

• Authorities have built new security fencing around the White House and the VP residence in anticipation of unrest after the presidential election. Fencing is also being installed in Florida and Pennsylvania, where Trump and Harris will host their watch parties. (More)

• An Ohio jury found former police officer Adam Coy guilty of murder for the 2020 shooting of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man. Hill was holding a cellphone and keys when Coy told him to exit a dark garage before shooting him four times. (More)

• Polls in the seven key swing states show an extremely close presidential race. Nate Silver's model gives Trump a 50.4% chance to win the Electoral College, Harris a 49.2% chance, and a small 0.4% chance of a tie. FiveThirtyEight's model has Trump winning 53% of the time, with Harris at 47%. The Economist's model is an even 50/50. (More)

World

• European leaders congratulated Moldova’s pro-EU president, Maia Sandu, on her re-election after a tense race involving claims of Russian interference and voter fraud. Sandu won with 55.35% of the votes against her pro-Russian opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo. (More)

• Israel informed the United Nations that it is canceling its long-standing agreement with UNRWA, the main UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, which had been in place since 1967. This follows recent Israeli legislation that banned the UNRWA from operating in Israel. (More)

• Air pollution levels forced authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, to issue work-from-home mandates and close primary schools. Pollution is the norm in Lahore — it retained its top spot on a recent list of the world’s most polluted cities. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed lower on Monday (S&P -0.28%, Nasdaq -0.3%, Dow -0.61%). Stocks fell as investors wait for election results and a potential Fed rate cut later this week. (More)

• The average age of a US homebuyer has jumped by 6 years since 2023 to 56. That’s the highest ever and much more than the average buying age of low to mid-40s in the early 2010s. (More)

• Intel is off the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S&P Dow Jones committee, which manages the 30-company index, decided that Intel no longer has enough impact to represent chipmakers in the US economy. Nvidia will take its place on Nov. 8. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will be out indefinitely after announcing an undisclosed health issue. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson will take over as interim head coach. (More)

• Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott will miss several games after injuring his hamstring in a 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Prescott hurt his hamstring late in the third quarter on Sunday. (More)

• The New Orleans Saints fired coach Dennis Allen after losing seven straight games. Derrick Carr will continue to start at quarterback and defensive coordinator Joe Wood will call offensive plays. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• The Green Mediterranean diet may help slow brain aging by keeping blood sugar levels in check, which benefits memory and cognitive health in older adults. A study using MRI scans showed that people on the diet had a slower rate of brain shrinkage over 18 months. (More)

• The CEO of artificial intelligence company Perplexity offered to replace the striking New York Times tech staff with AI. The workers are demanding a 2.5% wage increase and a permanent two days per week in office. (More)

• Apple has started a new rewards program to encourage hackers and security researchers to find weaknesses in its private AI cloud. The program offers up to $1M for locating major security flaws. (More)

Extra Credit

🥛 Oat Vs. Cow: which milk is better?

🏀 A Michael Jordon game-worn jersey sells for $4.68M at auction.

🧛 Archaeologists reconstruct the face of a 400-year-old “vampire.”

💪 The most common US nutrient deficiencies and how to spot them.