Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Tesla reports third-quarter earnings. Between the mass-market Model 3’s troubled production schedule and CEO Elon Musk’s divided attention, analysts aren’t sure which way the numbers will go.
The Fed leaves interest rates unchanged. The US central bank is expected to hold rates steady when it releases its policy statement today, eyeing a possible rate hike in December. Speculation is swirling about who Donald Trump will nominate as the Fed’s next leader—Janet Yellen’s term expires early next year.
Facebook plows on. The social media giant’s stock is up around 56% so far this year, and analysts expect its third-quarter revenue to increase by more than 40%. Facebook told Congress yesterday that divisive, Russia-backed content on its platform may have reached 126 million US users over a two-year period, but not even that is expected to impact its business.
While you were sleeping
Trump ordered a heightened vetting program after the New York terror attack. The president confirmed the action in a tweet, after the attack on Tuesday afternoon, when suspect Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old Uzbek immigrant, plowed his truck through a bike lane killing at least eight people. Trump signed an executive order in January imposing tighter screening on foreigners entering the US.
Wal-Mart hopes in-store parties stores will boost sales. The big-box retailer said it’s doubling down on incentives to lure shoppers this holiday season, holding more than 20,000 parties at its stores. It also plans to triple the amount of online items and lower its prices in a bid to fend off its rivals.
House Republicans postponed their tax-reform proposal. It was supposed to be ready for unveiling this morning, but an all-day session Tuesday failed to iron out last-minute arguments. They now hope to present the bill Thursday; the stakes are high for Trump and the GOP after the failure to repeal Obamacare.
Honda’s profit plunge didn’t dent its optimism. The Japanese carmaker posted a 33% drop in operating profit in the quarter ending September from this time last year as it was hit by a $605 million fine from the US for the defective Takata airbags. Still, it raised its full-year forecast, saying it expected a boost in motorbike and car sales in Asia.
Climbers will be banned on Uluru. The famous rock formation in the Australian outback will be closed to climbers starting in 2019. The decision ends a decades-long campaign by Aboriginal people to protect what they consider to be a sacred monolith.
Quartz obsession interlude
Dave Gershgorn on the emerging era of easily faked, AI-generated photos. “Nvidia’s results look so realistic because the company compiled a new library of 30,000 images of celebrities, which… gave each algorithm enough to data to not only understand what a human face looks like, but also how details like beards and jewelry make a ‘believable’ face.” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Facebook can’t rein in Facebook. The company’s control over its platform has significant limitations.
Killing every terrorist is not a strategy. New US counterterrorism guidelines that loosen the rules for deadly force will have disastrous consequences.
The “mobile internet” is now just the internet. We spend 70% of our online time on our phones.
Surprising discoveries
A Japanese convenience store used drones to deliver fried chicken in Fukushima. It’s part of a six-month test that could become a long-term offering.
Black licorice can kill you. It contains a chemical compound called glycyrrhizin, which can cause potentially dangerous heartbeat irregularities.
No creature who encounters pizza remains unchanged. City mice genes show the effects of eating a lot of fatty acids, which are prevalent in fast food.
AI can be trained to detect suicidal tendencies. Researchers developed an algorithm to spot fMRI scans of people who are at risk of self-harm.
Martin Luther changed the way beer is made. His protest movement against the Catholic Church also spurred the inclusion of hops, which became a symbol of the rebellion.
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