Introduction to Today's Briefing The past 24 hours have seen a wide range of significant events, from the first named storm of the season to advancements in technology and health. In this briefing, we will cover the most important stories of the day, organized by theme.

Weather and Environment Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, is expected to bring severe gales and heavy rain to parts of the UK on Friday. Meanwhile, the Orionid meteor shower is set to peak in UK skies this week, with clear skies permitting up to 20 meteors per hour. Conservation efforts are also underway, with the island of Jersey being hailed as an "important refuge" for red squirrels, which are dwindling in the UK.

Sports In sports news, Britain's Katie Boulter has produced an emphatic win at the Japan Open, while Wales has made four changes to its team ahead of its World Cup match against Samoa on Friday. The highly anticipated match between Paris St-Germain and Barcelona is set to take place on Tuesday, with the two teams currently topping the Champions League.

Technology Revolut, the British neobank, has experienced an outage affecting multiple services, with thousands of users reporting issues with the app. Blackwall, a company that provides security and filtering tools for websites, has raised $100M at a $2.2B valuation. Additionally, Walmart's Flipkart is quietly building a food delivery challenger in India, with the service currently being tested by thousands of employees.

Health and Science US researchers have announced that AI may be able to help doctors judge how ill a patient is using a single photograph of their face. A new installation at the Notting Hill Frieze exhibition is also exploring the intersection of art and health, with a focus on activities that can encourage more girls to enjoy sport. However, the rise of young people going to rehab for ketamine use is a growing concern, with one woman sharing her story of addiction and recovery.

Politics and Business The UK Chancellor has rejected calls to raise Capital Gains Tax in the Budget, despite pressure from influential Labour figures. The Office for National Statistics has reported that job vacancies have fallen, with small firms citing labour costs as a key factor in scaling back recruitment. Meanwhile, the US economy is being closely watched ahead of the midterms, with President Trump boasting about its performance. In other news, criminals detained in hospital are set to lose their benefits, and the Mayor of Greater Manchester has vowed to end "rip-off parking charges" under new rules.

World News French cities have remained calm overnight after curfews were imposed to quell violence, with the Prime Minister announcing that new curfews would be decided on a case-by-case basis. In Albania, violent anti-government demonstrations have shown no sign of easing, with almost 300 people injured. A Canadian tourist has also been found guilty of animal cruelty after stealing a flamingo from its enclosure in Las Vegas.