A Speck of Light in a Dimming World

www.ozy.com [OZY]() Start your day smarter with a dossier on the most important world news, rounded off with a shot of intriguing and offbeat stories. Like the president, you deserve no less. Jan 31, 2022 TODAY A humanitarian crisis intensifies in civil war-torn Ethiopia as the country faces its third consecutive year of drought. North Korea upped the ante yesterday by launching its longest-range missile since 2017, the seventh this year. In the midst of one of the travel industry’s worst periods, The Wall Street Journal has published its anticipated Best and Worst Airlines list. And in a spot of good news, big cats make a comeback on a South African wildlife preserve, proving that passion and persistence can pay off in saving the world's dwindling species. All this and more in today’s PDB. IMPORTANT 1 - World Take Note Ethiopia Faces Widespread Famine Due to Drought and Warfare The humanitarian crisis in civil war-torn Ethiopia is intensifying as yet another catastrophe unfolds. Facing its third consecutive year of drought, the carcasses of starved cattle litter the landscape while malnourished children languish from a lack of milk and food. UNICEF estimates that by mid-March more than 6.8 million people will be in urgent need of assistance, including at least 850,000 children, and 4.4 million people face critical water shortages. But Ethiopia is not alone: Somalia is also in severe crisis, crippled by the same drought and with humanitarian aid being blocked by the government's war against Tigray rebels. (Source: [Guardian]() 2 - Playing With Fire North Korea Launches Powerful Ballistic Missile Amid Spate of Tests Pyongyang launched its longest-range missile since 2017 Sunday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. It marked the country's seventh test since the beginning of the year, a move that risks destabilizing the region, according to a U.S. State Department spokesperson who urged the reinstatement of diplomatic talks. The U.S. imposed punishing sanctions on North Korea in 2017 after a series of weapons tests contravened U.N. regulations. It’s unclear what Kim Jong Un hopes to achieve, but experts say he’s demanding that the world loosen sanctions and take North Korea seriously as a legitimate nuclear power. (Sources: [WaPo](, [Al Jazeera]() 3 - Not-So-Friendly Skies US Airlines Still Reeling From COVID as ‘Best and Worst’ List Released Annus horribilis: That’s one way to describe 2020 for airlines worldwide as COVID-19 decimated the travel industry and sent carriers into a tailspin. Though the pandemic rages on, travel bounced back in 2021, but airlines still grapple with ordinary delays and cancellations amplified by restraints posed by COVID-19. In the midst of it all, The Wall Street Journal has published its anticipated rankings of U.S. airlines: Delta tops the list, with budget airline Alaska coming in second and United in fourth after a mediocre seventh in 2020. JetBlue ranked last, down two spots from 2020. (Source: [WSJ]() 4 - A Point of Light South African Lions and Cheetahs Make Surprising Comeback on Reserve It's been 170 years since lions roamed the Great Karoo, a semi-arid expanse of South African landscape. Now thanks to the initiative of Mark and Sarah Tompkins at their Samara Private Game Reserve, the big cats — and their natural predators — are not only returning but thriving. The couple’s vision included buying up 11 farms totaling 67,000 acres of overgrazed ranchland and repopulating the region's native species. The experiment has been a huge success. The reserve, which spans valleys, mountains, rivers and streams, is now the established home of lions, cheetahs and recently leopards, which entered the reserve of their own accord. (Source: [CNN]() 5 - Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: Ashleigh Barty becomes first Australian to win home Grand Slam since 1978. She beat American favorite Danielle Collins on Saturday to become the world champion in her home country, while Rafael Nadal took the men’s title and Grand Slam record. (Source:[CNN](,[CBS](). US Northeast begins cleanup after major winter snowstorm. Record snow blanketed parts of the East Coast while fierce winds caused flight cancellations and warnings to stay indoors. (Source:[Reuters]() Iran executes two men on anti-gay charges Sunday. Iran often uses the charge of sodomy to execute gays and lesbians, said the Human Rights Network. (Source: [Jerusalem Post]() Watch Maxine Waters On How American Racism Is 'Hard to Digest' INTRIGUING 1 - Tough on Fish Great Lakes Call in Army Corp of Engineers to Halt Invasive Carp The Great Lakes have suffered all manner of unwanted species, from the[zebra mussel]( to the dreaded [sea lamprey](. But researchers have found a new way of fighting back. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans a “house of horrors” to deter invasive carp from entering the lakes through Chicago-area waterways. First, speakers emit fish-repelling noises, then there’s a “curtain of bubbles,” and if those don't work, an electric barrier shocks intruders. A bounty on the offending fish is already in place: Fishermen earn 10 cents per pound of Asian carp and $100 for each black carp. (Source:[Cleveland Plain Dealer]() 2 - No Go Vote Number of Disenfranchised Georgians Skyrockets After GOP Restrictions New data analysis shows that restrictions imposed by Georgia's Republican-controlled legislature have succeeded in limiting votes, despite Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's claim that “states are not engaging in trying to suppress voters whatsoever.” Georgia’s March 2021 mail voting restrictions shortened the times for people to request and return ballots, imposed tougher ID requirements and cut back on drop boxes. As a result, voters were 45 times more likely to not have their votes counted because of rejected ballots. If the laws had been enacted before the 2020 elections, more than 38,000 voters would have been disenfranchised. (Source:[Mother Jones]() 3 - Spotify Speaks Up Streaming Platform Will Not ‘Censor’ Content Despite Growing Protests Spotify CEO and co-founder Daniel Ek posted a public letter Sunday defending the company’s decision not to censor its wildly popular podcaster Joe Rogan. Last week, rock legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell withdrew their music to protest Rogan spreading coronavirus “misinformation,” and earlier this month 200 professors and public health officials asked Spotify to remove some segments over “falsehoods.” Ek acknowledged the company's role in balancing “creator expression” and users’ safety, and he announced that content warnings would be added to COVID-related episodes. Rogan, meanwhile, promised to include guests with differing opinions, noting, “I don’t always get it right.” (Sources: [NYT](, [Deadline]() 4 - Soaring in Central Park New York City Riveted by Rare Bald Eagle Nicknamed ‘Rover’ Central Park, known to harbor unusual species of migrating birds, is now the swooping ground of a rare bald eagle. Rover, who had previously been spotted in Brooklyn, has delighted bird watchers and jaded New Yorkers alike. The bald eagle population had greatly diminished in the region, but between 2009 and 2021 populations in the lower 48 states rebounded after the phasing out of toxic pesticides like DDT. According to Manhattan Bird Alert, the best time to catch a glimpse of Rover is at the park’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reservoir between 4 p.m. and sunset. (Sources: [NBC](, video by [Brad Balliet]() 5 - Will He or Won’t He? Tom Brady to Retire After 22-Year Career … Maybe A thrilling NFL playoff week was capped by the surprise announcement that the Tampa Bay quarterback plans to retire. At age 44, and after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl wins, the announcement was not unexpected. But shortly after ESPN broke the news, conflicting reports — from Brady's dad and the Buccaneers — asserted the future Hall of Famer hadn’t made up his mind. Some are speculating that the confusion stems not from Brady's indecision, but from his wish to control the timing of the announcement. Meanwhile, Fox News reported that fans are blaming Brady's impending retirement on his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen. (Source:[ESPN](,[WaPo](,[Fox News]() CAPTION CONTEST [Send us](mailto:yourvoice@ozy.com) your wittiest caption for the above image. We’ll pick three winners! 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