What to watch for today
European leaders confer on Ukraine. Germany’s Angela Merkel, France’s Francois Hollande, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko meet in Paris to discuss the possibility of peace. A ceasefire has been mostly obeyed since September 1, but the road ahead looks bumpy.
G20 energy ministers meet in Istanbul. A day after discussing energy access in sub-saharan Africa, officials will discuss ways to balance energy investment and infrastructure with severe weather risks.
Hurricane Joaquin approaches the US. The storm has strengthened to category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (210 kph), as it crosses the eastern Bahamas. The eastern United States are preparing for a weekend of heavy rains, high wind, and flooding, though it is still unclear whether Joaquin will make landfall.
Argentina faces a $6 billion bond payment on Saturday. The South American country is obligated to make the dollar-denominated payment on Oct. 3, which is equivalent to one-fifth of its central bank’s total foreign reserves. But Reuters reports that the country is keeping its options open, including the possibility of a last-minute debt swap.
While you were sleeping
Russia escalated attacks on anti-regime groups in Syria. Moscow insisted it was targeting ISIL extremists, but the US-led coalition was furious that other rebel groups, including some trained by the CIA, were also hit. Meanwhile, Russia indicated it might also conduct airstrikes in Iraq, and Reuters reported that Iran is preparing to send additional ground troops to fight the regime’s enemies.
The US clamped down on smog. The Environmental Protection Agency lowered the national limit for ozone, caused by emissions from factories, power plants, and cars. The move will cost an estimated $1.4 billion, but falls short of recommendations from health and environmental advocates.
Amazon declared war on Apple and Google. The ecommerce giant banned the sale of rival video-streaming devices like Apple TV and Google Chromecast, which don’t work with its own streaming video service. Amazon said the move was made “in order to avoid customer confusion.”
The Afghan government reclaimed Kunduz. Afghan troops pushed the Taliban out of the center of the northern city with help from US airstrikes. However, some reports claim the Taliban is still in control of substantial sections of Kunduz.
A shooter at an Oregon college killed 10 people. The mass shooting at the Umpqua Community College campus in Roseburg also left more than 20 people injured. A male suspect was reportedly killed in a shootout with police. The incident was the 294th US mass shooting of 2015.
Quartz obsession interlude
Madhura Karnik and Manu Balachandran on how India got hammered by Brazil’s collapsing economy. “Back in 2009, when Shree Renuka Sugars made the first of its two major Brazilian acquisitions, it marked the coming of age of a company formed just a decade before. It was also the first global purchase by an Indian sugar company. Now, it is all falling apart.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Massive drug price hikes happen all the time. That’s why the prospect of US price controls has the industry running scared.
Your phone’s homescreen is dead. Notifications, widgets, and search are now the best way to navigate.
Xi Jinping’s visit to the US did not go well. Not only was he overshadowed by the pope, the trip was almost completely inconsequential.
Good riddance to humans driving cars. Non-autonomous vehicles are planet-and-people-killing death machines.
Wearing pantyhose to work is a political act. Even though they’re no longer compulsory, women can still don a pair for themselves.
Surprising discoveries
Your devices are all lying to you. After Volkswagen’s scandal, energy-efficient TVs are now under suspicion.
Residents of ancient Pompeii were in excellent health. At least until Mt. Vesuvius erupted.
Twitter has a 136-page handbook for politicians. It is lacking in advice about the wisdom of nude selfies.
Extreme commuting is becoming more common. For some executives, transatlantic flights are just another trip to the office.
Beard transplants are the next big thing in cosmetic surgery. They can help baby-faced men who want to look a little more grizzled.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, duplicitous gadgets, and extreme commutes to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day.