Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
SABMiller’s $100 billion merger with Anheuser-Busch InBev faces its last obstacle. The deal, which would create an unprecedented giant in the global brewing industry, has taken nearly a year to go through. On Wednesday, shareholders from both companies will weigh in on the proposed arrangement. But it’s no sure thing; some key InBev investors are expected to vote against.
Indonesian President Rodrigo Duterte travels to Vietnam. During a two-day visit where he will meet with the Vietnamese President Trần Đại Quang, Duterte is expected to discuss Vietnam’s role in the South China Sea dispute. The trip takes place on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Janet Yellen faces the House Financial Services Committee. The plan is for the US Federal Reserve chairwoman to testify on the regulation of big banks. But the hearing is not expected to stay on topic, and Yellen, who was attacked by Donald Trump during the debate (paywall) for keeping interest rates low, might address the central bank’s outlook on the issue.
While you were sleeping
A powerful typhoon swept across Taiwan. Four people died and 268 others were injured, as flights and public transportation came to a halt. Torrential downpour and strong winds with record speeds of nearly 100 km per hour, and knocked out the power across 2.9 million homes.
The World Trade Organization slashed its growth forecast for the year. The global backlash against free trade policies is at least one reason why the WTO cut its prediction drastically from 2.8% to 1.7%. If that came to pass, it would be the slowest growth since the 2008 financial crisis.
Elon Musk revealed SpaceX’s plans to bring humans to Mars. Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress, Musk compared the idea to building the first railroad to California: it seemed absurd at first, but eventually became a key piece in the growth of the US. To shuttle people between Earth and the red planet, SpaceX will need fully recyclable rockets, ships that refuel while in orbit and a way to produce fuel on Mars.
Syrian government forces launched the biggest ground attack yet in Aleppo. The assault against opposition-held areas of the Syrian city has destroyed any hope for the US-backed ceasefire. Over 250,000 civilians are believed to be trapped inside regions controlled by rebels—and that are now being bombed.
The world welcomed the first three-parent baby born using a controversial IVF technique. An American scientist helped a Jordanian couple and an anonymous donor conceive and give birth in Mexico using a new a mitochondrial replacement method that has been banned in the US.
Quartz obsession interlude
Abdi Latif Dahir on the tourists visiting Somalia to see the ruins of a two-decade civil war: “Yusuf visited Berbera, a port city where old Ottoman architectural influences are still visible. She also went to Sheikh town, where her mother grew up, traveling through the winding road with panoramic views of the Sheikh Mountain, built by the Chinese in the 1980s. Startling gazelles and camels along the way, Yusuf said, ‘My sister and I joked that it felt like we were on a safari that we didn’t remember paying for.’” Read more here.
Matters of debate
Donald Trump isn’t a master businessman, he’s just a greedy man. The Republican candidate’s pride in not paying taxes and exploiting bankruptcy laws is not only repellant to average taxpayers but other tycoons: not one Fortune 100 CEO has donated to his campaign.
Fashion bloggers are “heralding the death of style.” Or so says Vogue’s editorial team. But aren’t they just feeling threatened by bloggers encroaching on their turf?
The tool most commonly used to measure China’s economy doesn’t work. Trusting state GDP growth figures leaves investors open to considerable risks, while growth there doesn’t necessarily mean more consumer spending.
Surprising discoveries
Fish can be smarter than primates. It all depends what you value as intelligence. The tiny frillfin goby, for example, escapes predators by memorizing the exact topography of the area around it.
Street talk can help your brain in the same way as being bilingual. Children who speak more than one dialect score almost as well on executive function tests as bilingual kids—and much better than monolinguals.
There’s great news if you like omelettes… The price of eggs dropped 52 percent in the US this year, with some places selling a dozen for as low as $0.99.
…but bad news if you like anchovies. Invasive jellyfish have been swarming over to the Italian coast on the Adriatic sea and wreaking havoc on the salty, tasty little fish.
Google is out to prove it really knows languages. The tech giant says its forthcoming translation software has cut down on 80 percent of errors, and is basically as good as human translators.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, and tins of anchovies to hi@qz.com. You can follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day or download our iPhone app.