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Here’s what you need to know
Donald Trump plans to hold weekend election rallies. The US president coughed repeatedly as he told Fox News last night about his schedule, but didn’t answer several questions about when he was last tested for Covid-19. Pending another test today, he could be cleared by his doctor to attend public events by tomorrow.
The World Food Programme won the Nobel peace prize. According to the Nobel committee, the WFP’s award is “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas, and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”
The FBI said it intercepted a militia plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor. Thirteen men face federal and state charges that include kidnap and terrorism; they allegedly planned to hold a “treason trial” against Gretchen Whitmer, who blamed Trump’s calls to “liberate Michigan.”
IBM is splitting in two. In order to shift towards higher-margin businesses like cloud computing and AI, the computing pioneer’s legacy IT infrastructure business will be moved under a new company, to be officially created next year. IBM shares closed nearly 6% higher after the announcement yesterday.
The UK economy is recovering more slowly than expected. GDP rose by only 2.1% in August, despite billions poured in by the government on schemes like “eat out to help out,” which was aimed at the restaurant sector. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is announcing new job support measures today.
Matters of debate
Unlike last week’s disaster of a US presidential debate, vice president Mike Pence and senator Kamala Harris did discuss some policy, mostly with civility, at their own debate on Wednesday.
Here are some of our most thought-provoking reads from the aftermath.
- The truth about Pence’s V-shaped economic recovery boast
- Wall Street is less and less concerned about a close election
- Why is the Biden-Harris campaign OK with fracking?
- Mortality is the third rail neither Harris nor Pence can touch
Yesterday, Trump said he wouldn’t participate in a virtual debate, and now both candidates are instead holding individual town halls. What would a virtual presidential debate look like? Unfortunately, even supposing both candidates finally agree to hold such an event, there wouldn’t be a mute button.
Charting the world’s richest Indians
The net worth of India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, increased 73% over the past year to nearly $89 billion (6.52 lakh crore rupees). The second wealthiest person on the list, Gautam Adani, isn’t anywhere close.
The collective net worth of India’s 100 richest people rose 14% this past year despite the Covid-19 pandemic and an underwhelming stock market. Niharika Sharma tracks how the Reliance Industries chief has outpaced his peers.
Turn and face the strange
In many countries across the world, Covid-19 caused a sudden decline in economic activity, followed by recoveries ranging from sluggish to rapid. As a result, staggering statistics became the norm. For instance, France’s industrial production fell by more than 20.6% in April from the previous month, but then rose by 19.9% in May.
This yo-yo economy has made it more important than ever to understand how to calculate and interpret percent change. As part of our guide to the data deluge, we walk members through a series of basic tools to understanding data, including a comprehensive guide to understanding statistical ups and downs.
✦ Speaking of percents and changes, anyone who makes the jump to a Quartz membership will get a cool 20% off their first year.
Obsession Interlude: Because China
Foreign languages are hard. But if you’re in contention for the highest office in the US, it might be a good idea to practice pronouncing the name of the second most powerful person in the world.
In Wednesday night’s US vice presidential debate, senator Harris badly mangled the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name, rendering “Xi” more like “zhee.” The “x” sound in Mandarin is tough for non-native speakers, and the closest equivalent in English is “she,” but with the tongue placed low and pressed flat behind the teeth.
Still, Harris can take comfort from the fact that there’s a far more egregious mispronunciation out there. In 2014, an anchor on India’s official broadcaster was fired for referring to the visiting Chinese leader as “Eleven Jinping,” confusing “Xi” with the Roman numerals XI.
If you’re a non-Chinese speaker and you’ve just practiced saying “Xi Jinping” for the last several minutes, we salute you for your efforts. Here are some more tools to help:
- ChinesePod’s pronunciation tool includes a useful breakdown of different combinations of vowels and consonants, alongside nifty diagrams showing tongue positions for various sounds.
- The University of California San Diego’s guide to pinyin provides context on the Chinese phonetic alphabet, known as pinyin, and some sound files for reference.
Come find more linguistic insights at Quartz’s Because China obsession.
You asked how to ask
Can I still ask for a raise during a pandemic?
You haven’t asked us this outright, but as the pandemic drags on, it’s likely you’ve either already had or will have the thought. But just because we’re still in a social lull doesn’t mean your employer hasn’t had a decent month. We spoke to an expert, who said you should go ahead and make the request—but keep some guidelines in mind.
- Don’t mention the economy
- Don’t explain your personal finances
- Do highlight changes in your job duties
With the help of career adviser Karen Coffey, Sarah Todd shepherds you through the process.
Surprising discoveries
The US Army is testing AR goggles for dogs. The technology is supposed to help them receive orders remotely, but… they’re dogs.
Oh no, there goes Tokyo. The world’s first “life-size” Godzilla statue has been unleashed on the public at an island amusement park near Osaka, Japan.
Scientists named a nasty wasp after Covid-19. The newly discovered Stethantyx covida is a type of Darwin wasp that can plant its eggs inside living creatures.
There’s new hope for brave sea lions. A groundbreaking brain surgery could cure epilepsy that is caused by water contamination.
Come aboard, no one’s expecting you. Singapore launched half-full cruises with no destinations, and made waves among environmental groups.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, massive Mothras, and gigantic Ghidras to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our iOS app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Susan Howson, and Max Lockie.