Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly. The US president is expected to call on nations “to exert their sovereignty to solve challenges,“ touting his engagement with North Korea while bashing Iran. France’s Emmanuel Macron and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani will also give major speeches.
Nike posts its first earnings after a high-risk ad campaign. The athletic goods giant is expected to post significant gains in profit and revenue, offering its first financial update since it launched ads featuring former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Nike’s comparable sales jumped 31% after the campaign launched.
While you were sleeping
Oil prices hit a four-year high. Brent crude crossed the $80 mark after OPEC’s weekend decision to limit production. The oil market surged on fears of new US sanctions of Iran and continued production problems in Venezuela.
Michael Kors closed in on Versace… The expanding accessory maker is reportedly close to a deal to acquire the legendary Italian fashion house for about $1.2 billion—the equivalent of 448,598 of Versace’s leopard-print hoodies. Kors, which also owns Jimmy Choo shoes, is bidding to become a fashion conglomerate on par with Coach-owner Tapestry.
…SiriusXM acquired Pandora… The satellite radio company said it would buy the streaming music firm for $3.5 billion in stock, forming what it said would be the world’s biggest audio entertainment company. Pandora, founded in 2000, has more than 70 million active users but has struggled to grow in the face of competition from Spotify, Apple, and other big players.
…And Barrick Gold bought Randgold. The all-stock $6.5 billion deal will create the world’s largest gold producer. The combined New York- and Toronto-listed firm will own five of the world’s low-cost gold mines.
Trump’s Supreme Court nominee vowed to carry on despite new sexual misconduct allegations. Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual assault by two women, decried the accusations as “smears, pure and simple.” Republicans, led by Trump, are resisting Democratic pressure to delay a crucial confirmation hearing on Thursday.
Quartz Obsession interlude
Lila MacLellan on the problem with Harvard Business School case studies: “In recent years, the case method has been knocked for several serious moral failures, accused by various critics of constructing mythical, heroic portrayals of leadership’ and ‘privileging senior management views and managerialism.’ It’s been said to exclude the voices of women, the poor, and labor, and to contain ‘a flawed logic of translatability from one context to others.’” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Asian-American CEOs struggle with a “glass cliff.” They’re often hired to save a company when it’s already too far gone.
The internet will split in two by 2028. Former Google chief Eric Schmidt says half will belong to China (paywall)—where Google plans to reestablish its business—and half to the US.
Wasps deserve just as much love as bees. The flying, stinging insect humans love to hate just as crucial to pollination as the honeybee.
Surprising discoveries
Weight Watchers shed the “weight.” Rebranding as “WW” refocuses the company from 55 years of calorie counting and weigh-ins.
Virginia prison visitors can’t wear tampons. Any “foreign object” will be picked up by a body scanner, and the visit will be terminated.
Mosquitoes are worse than jail. A getaway driver in Wisconsin turned himself in after an hour of being harassed by swarming bloodsuckers.
Nepal is ahead of schedule on tigers. The country’s efforts to double its wild tiger population have paid off, four years before a deadline.
Scrabble said “OK” to “yowza.” Losers will “facepalm” after a “beatdown” while victors reach a state of “zen” using newly approved words.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, deputized mosquitoes, and triple word scores to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our apps for iPhone and Android. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Susan Howson and Adam Pasick.