Your Wednesday Briefing

Sandra Day O’Connor, World Series, Mega Millions View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Wednesday, October 24, 2018 [NYTimes.com »]( [Your Wednesday Briefing]( By JILLIAN RAYFIELD [An early voter in Norwalk, Calif., on Tuesday. More than seven million people have already cast ballots in the midterm elections.]( An early voter in Norwalk, Calif., on Tuesday. More than seven million people have already cast ballots in the midterm elections. Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press Good morning. Here’s what you need to know: Prince and president spar over Khashoggi killing The high-stakes standoff between Turkey and Saudi Arabia over the killing of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues to escalate, with the leaders of the two countries [making bold public appearances]( and showing no signs of retreating. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey accused the Saudi government on Tuesday of orchestrating the “savage murder,” his most direct attack yet against the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and a clear sign that he plans to exploit the international uproar over the killing. Hours later, Prince Mohammed made a surprise appearance at a global investment conference in Riyadh, where [he received a standing ovation](. • “The worst cover-up ever”: President Trump, under increasing pressure over the case, [condemned the Saudi account of the killing]( and his administration warned that it would impose sanctions on those responsible. [The unannounced appearance of Mohammed bin Salman at an investment conference in Saudi Arabia highlighted the risks for business executives who chose to attend the event.]The unannounced appearance of Mohammed bin Salman at an investment conference in Saudi Arabia highlighted the risks for business executives who chose to attend the event. Tasneem Alsultan for The New York Times High enthusiasm as early voting begins More than seven million people have already voted in the midterm elections, and it looks like turnout is up for Republicans, Democrats and independents alike. So far, more people likely to vote Republican are thought to have cast ballots, but it’s too early to draw any conclusions. [Here’s our guide to the numbers](. • The Tip Sheet: In today’s edition of our [analysis of the midterm elections]( the Chicago mayor predicts “a blue wave with a red undertow.” • Rancorous debates: Things got heated last night. [In New York, the candidates resorted to name-calling](. In Georgia, the Democrat Stacey Abrams and her Republican opponent Brian Kemp [renewed attacks on each other’s records.]( • Billionaire versus multimillionaire: The governor’s race in Illinois [has turned into one of the most expensive]( in the country. Trump, an asset and a liability For many Republicans candidates, a visit from President Trump is a boon, attracting crowd sizes not usually seen in campaigning for midterm elections. But for some vulnerable candidates, [his presence amounts to poison](. In Texas, the president appeared at a rally to support Senator Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott. Noticeably absent was John Culberson, a congressman representing a wealthy district with many moderates. • “Use that word!”: As a general rule, presidents don’t refer to themselves as “nationalist,” given that the term is associated with extremist movements. But [Mr.]( has embraced](. “The Daily”: Migrants and the midterms The journey of several thousand people toward the U.S. border adds to a political firestorm over immigration. Listen on [a computer]( an [iOS device]( or an [Android device](. WhatsApp and the problem of human nature In recent months, the messaging app, which is owned by Facebook and has more than 1.5 billion users worldwide, has raised frightening new political and social dynamics. In Brazil, it’s been used for conspiracy theories and other political misinformation. In India, messages led to mob violence that killed dozens of people. The world should both worry and rejoice about the app’s reach, [our columnist writes](. • Safety online: Google wants to teach schoolchildren about digital conduct. But [is it the best role model]( Dead and unnoticed for days The body of a software designer was behind the wheel of a car for a week before it was found on a street in Manhattan. • A snapshot of a life: Why did he kill himself, and how did he go unnoticed for so long? [Here are the events leading up to the day](. Business • Amazon recently drew a lot of attention for raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour. But it’s also curbing stock-sharing with workers. It’s part of [a trend in corporate America to put “shareholders above all else.”]( • The E.U. took the rare step of [rejecting Italy’s proposed budget,]( saying that it presented unacceptable risks. But the country’s populist government is refusing to budge. [Here’s why Italy’s troubles matter]( to the rest of the world. • Megyn Kelly apologized to her colleagues at NBC after asking on her show [why it’s inappropriate for white people to wear blackface on Halloween](. • An Australian business tycoon [plans to build a replica of the Titanic](. • U.S. stocks [were down]( Tuesday. Here’s a snapshot of [global markets]( today. Smarter Living Tips for a more fulfilling life. • Airlines are trying to attract patrons with [fancier snacks](. • Many products promise to help women manage their periods. [Choose wisely](. • Recipe of the day: Try a satisfying, [cheesy pasta recipe with bacon](. [A dish that starts simple but can be expanded.]A dish that starts simple but can be expanded. Melina Hammer for The New York Times Noteworthy • Sandra Day O’Connor reveals she has dementia Former Justice O’Connor, 88, the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, [announced that she would withdraw]( from public life as a result of her illness. [The former justice learned she had the condition “some time ago.”]The former justice learned she had the condition “some time ago.” Kevin Wolf/Seneca Women, via Associated Press • The Red Sox take Game 1 Boston [managed to defy]( the Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw to beat Los Angeles, 8-4, in the first game of the World Series. • Did you win the megajackpot? Lottery officials said a winning ticket for [the record $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot]( was sold somewhere in South Carolina. It’s not clear yet if there were other winners. If you won, congratulations! [Here’s how to avoid having]( ruin your life](. • When to open that bottle of wine How do you know if you’ve waited too long to open it, or not long enough? [We have tips](. [Here’s more from this week’s Food section](. • Best of late-night TV [Jimmy Kimmel noted the size of the Mega Millions jackpot](. “Usually to get that kind of money for doing nothing, Fred Trump would have to be your father,” he said. • Quotation of the day “More people, more money.” — [Mohammed bin Salman]( the Saudi crown prince, speaking about an investment conference in Riyadh that many executives shunned after the brutal killing of a Saudi journalist. The royal court said it would announce $50 billion in deals from the conference. • The Times, in other words Here’s an image of [today’s front page]( and links to our [Opinion content]( and [crossword puzzles](. • What we’re listening to Matt Apuzzo, an investigative reporter, recommends this episode of “Reply All” ([Part I]( [Part II]( “I’m a sucker for origin stories, and this, from one of my favorite podcasts, is as good as they get. It is the story of how the N.Y.P.D. brought New York back from the brink of hell in the 1990s — and how the cops inadvertently started a machine that could never be turned off. With severe consequences.” Back Story On this day in 1975, the women of Iceland chose a special way to commemorate what the U.N. had declared “International Women’s Year”: They took a “women’s day off” to [demonstrate the value of their work]( both paid and unpaid. An estimated [90 percent of women participated]( affecting schools, stores and factories. Planes couldn’t take off without flight attendants, and newspapers couldn’t print without their female typesetters. [Women around Iceland protested on this day in 1975, including 25,000 in Reykjavik alone.]Women around Iceland protested on this day in 1975, including 25,000 in Reykjavik alone. Women's History Archives Women who didn’t have paid jobs at the time simply left the house for the day. With day care services shut, many fathers brought their children to work or stayed home themselves, leading some to call it [“the long Friday.”]( Rallies around the country of 220,000 people drew huge crowds, including 25,000 in Reykjavik, the capital. Iceland passed the Gender Equality Act the next year. [Vigdis Finnbogadottir]( president from 1980 to 1996 and the country’s first female head of state, said the “women’s day off” had paved the way for her. Though Iceland is [ranked No. 1 for gender parity]( by the World Economic Forum, women there have staged [four more national walkouts]( to highlight the persistent gender pay gap. They’ll [do so again today]( stopping at 2:55 p.m. to mark the point after which women work for free, compared with men. Jennifer Jett wrote today’s Back Story. _____ Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays and [updated all morning](. Browse [past briefings here](. 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