Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
JK Rowling’s newest book leads the literary pack on Super Thursday. The publishing world’s biggest release date also coincides with the announcement of the 2017 Nobel literature prize.
Flipkart and Amazon launch duelling pre-Diwali sales events. The Indian e-commerce firm is rolling out “Dhamaka Days” in an attempt to outdo Amazon’s “Great Indian Festival,” with steep discounts on smartphones, electronics, and furniture.
Saudi Arabia’s king visits Russia. The two oil superpowers and longtime antagonists have made an unexpected rapprochement: The Saudis are no longer demanding the removal of the Russia-backed Syrian regime, and Moscow has toned down criticism of Riyadh’s operations in Yemen.
While you were sleeping
Google just put AI everywhere with an armada of new gadgets. The company announced a new smartphone, real-time language translating earbuds, and a camera that automatically takes a picture when it recognizes a familiar face. Most are centered around Alphabet’s artificial intelligence and machine-learning software.
The Nobel Prize for chemistry went to three scientists that helped us see molecular life. Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson developed cryo-electron microscopy, which freezes biomolecules to examine their structures. Scientists have used the technique to probe viruses like Zika.
The EU ordered Amazon to pay €250 million ($294 million) in back taxes. Regulators ruled that the e-commerce company obtained illegal tax benefits from Luxembourg, which will receive the proceeds.
Donald Trump terrified bond investors with an offhand comment about Puerto Rico. The president said in an interview that the island’s $74 billion in debt might be forgiven in the wake of Hurricane, sending bond prices plummeting. “It may possibly be the end of the municipal bond market as we know it,” one analyst told Bloomberg.
Rex Tillerson vowed to stay on despite reportedly calling Trump “a moron.” The US secretary of state said he had never considered leaving his post, contradicting an NBC report. He refused to answer questions about the “moron” quote, though his spokesman denied he had denigrated the president.
Quartz obsession interlude
Dr. Angus Hervey on why there’s no Nobel prize in technology: “In an age when technology is intimately interwoven in almost every aspect of our lives, those who come up with new ways of using technology to make the world a better place deserve just as much recognition as the scientists, doctors, peacemakers, economists, and writers who we’re celebrating this week.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
Hark! Trump has spoken / PR debt may disappear / Bond traders: “We out.”
Matters of debate
Robots are coming after India’s cheap labor sector. Warehouse jobs could be the first to be affected.
We need a new word for TV. More people are watching than ever, but the line between streaming video, TV shows, and movies is getting blurry.
Right-wing political groups rely on Islamic terror for support. The immediate branding of mass shooters as devout Muslims enables them to whip up public rage.
Surprising discoveries
3-D printers could wipe out a quarter of global trade by 2060. If high-speed mass production is viable, there would be no need to import goods.
Norway wants to bury other countries’ carbon in its backyard. Gassnova uses carbon capture and storage to bury greenhouse gases beneath the continental shelf.
Santa Claus’s ancient tomb was discovered in Turkey. The suspected 1,674-year-old remains of Saint Nicholas were found beneath the ruins of an ancient church.
People walked differently in medieval times. Before solid shoes hit the scene in the 16th century, people pushed up on the balls of their feet like ballet dancers.
“Love” is not a permitted ingredient in granola. US regulators chastised a Massachusetts bakery for its heartfelt labeling.
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