Xi Says Jump. China Says How High?

Start your day smarter with the most important world news, plus intriguing and offbeat stories. www.ozy.com [OZY]( [OZY]() Your World. Bold & Bright [Presidential Daily Brief]( Sponsored by [Masterworks]( 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. Oct 24, 2022 Today Rishi Sunak is poised to become Britain’s new PM — perhaps as early as today. Xi Jinping has taken near-complete control of China as he secures a third term. Russia’s getting increasingly desperate in Ukraine, paving the way for future atrocities. And ethnic clashes in Sudan claimed at least 220 lives. All this and more in today’s PDB. [Who Wants to Be a…. ̶M̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶ LOSER?]( Thought we were gonna make money in this economy? In your dream. Especially if you haven’t done anything about the highest inflation rate in 40+ years bleeding the value of your cash and investments. A solution? 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Rishi Sunak Poised to Become British PM as Johnson Pulls Out Sunak’s bid to become Britain’s third prime minister this year received a boost when Boris Johnson pulled out of the race late last night. Candidates have until 2 p.m. local time Monday to submit at least 100 nominations from Conservative Party parliamentarians. If more than one candidate meets this threshold, paid-up party members will choose the new leader. As of 11 a.m., Sunak had 178 publicly declared nominations and his only rival, Penny Mordaunt, had just 26 — but her spokesperson was still touting her chances: “She’s getting the numbers and she’s in it to win it.” (Sources: [The Guardian](, [BBC]() Absolute Power As Congress Ends, Xi Jinping Tightens Hold Over China Everyone expected Xi to be confirmed as leader for an unprecedented third term, but the absolute stranglehold he’s established over the Communist Party’s top tiers took many observers by surprise. Every member of the seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, the most powerful body in the country, is now a Xi loyalist. Selections for the larger Politburo also favored loyalty above all, although there was also a focus on filling the body with scientists and engineers to drive China toward self-sufficiency. “Xi is surrounded by yes-men,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan of Hong Kong Baptist University, “and there are not even any yes-women.” (Source: [NYT]() Another One Down? Russia’s Grip on Kherson Seems to Be Slipping The Russian administration of the southern Ukrainian city urged residents to take “documents, money, valuables and clothes” and flee. The Institute for the Study of War believes the Kremlin doesn’t “expect a rapid Russian or civilian return” to the city; instead it sees the evacuation as an attempt to damage “long-term social and economic viability.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy debunked Moscow’s claims that Ukraine is planning to use a “dirty bomb” on its own people as an attempt to shift blame for future Russian atrocities. The world “would see through” such a “pretext for escalation,” said the White House. (Source: [The Guardian]() No End in Sight At Least 220 Killed in Ethnic Clashes in Sudan Fath Arrahman Bakheit, director general of the health ministry in the Blue Nile province, warned that the death toll may rise significantly as authorities have been unable to reach the epicenter of the violence. The conflict is part of a land dispute between the [marginalized Hausa community]( and rival groups. The latest wave of violence has displaced around 7,000 people, bringing the total number of displacements this year to 211,000. “In such clashes, everyone loses,” said Bakheit. “We hope it ends soon and never happens again, but we need strong political, security and civil interventions to achieve that goal.” (Source: [Al Jazeera]() Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: Maimed. The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie has lost sight in one eye and the use of one hand following an attack at a literary event in upstate New York in August. (Source: [Reuters]() Bad math. The release of the “nation’s report card” Monday laid bare the impact of the pandemic: eighth graders’ math scores fell in nearly every state, and fourth graders also performed abysmally in math and reading. (Source: [NYT]() All the king’s horses. King Charles will sell 14 of his late mother’s racehorses. “Every year owners sell stock. His Majesty is just doing what owners do,” said racing expert Jimmy George. (Source: [BBC]() INTRIGUING Net Gain Tuna Catches Soar on Fringes of Massive Hawaii Marine Reserve Fisheries data collected between 2010 and 2019 showed that tuna catches on the fringes of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument increased after the expansion of the reserve in 2016. Within 100 nautical miles of the reserve [catches of yellowfin and bigeye tuna increased by 54% and 12% respectively](. Scientists reckon both the size of Papahānaumokuākea — it’s three times bigger than California — and its long rectangular shape, which allows fish to travel, feed and reproduce freely along an east-west axis, contributed to the positive results. “It’s a win–win for fish and fishermen,” said coauthor Jennifer Raynor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. (Source: [Nature]() Forget Me Not As Meloni Takes Power, Italians Flock to Mussolini’s Birthplace On Saturday, Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy’s first female prime minister — but it’s her party’s neofascist origins that are making headlines. While Meloni has distanced herself from the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, her party logo is very similar to Il Duce’s and she used [a fascist motto]( on the campaign trail. Not that pilgrims to Mussolini’s birthplace and grave in the tiny town of Predappio are complaining. “Today the flame of the tricolor burns in the Italian government,” read one tribute. Another said: “Duce, 100 years ago you started a glorious period. Today, we can finally remember it freely.” (Source: [The Guardian]() Surprise! UK Welcomes Its First Baby Bison in Millennia Good news at last. In July, three female bison were reintroduced to a forest in Kent as part of a [rewilding project that’ll tackle climate change]( and assess bisons’ impact as “ecosystem engineers.” Last month, rangers worried when they hadn’t seen female 2 for a few days. Then ranger Tom Gibbs took out his binoculars to investigate a noise and “lo and behold, this little face popped out from behind the female, and that was the eureka moment.” To avoid looking vulnerable to predators, bison are expert at concealing their pregnancies. The birth announcement was delayed by Queen Elizabeth’s death. (Source: [The Guardian]() Thinking Caps Philippines: Students Embrace Professor’s Call for Anti-Cheating Hats Looking for a “fun way” to encourage “integrity and honesty” during exams, engineering professor Mary Joy Mandane-Ortiz asked her students in Legazpi City to make “simple” paper hats that would prevent them from looking at others’ work. Instead, they combined engineering nous with boundless creativity to whip up fantastic creations from egg cartons, toilet rolls, motorbike helmets and laundry baskets. The craze quickly went viral, with other schools around the country following suit. Mandane-Ortiz said no one was caught cheating this year and many students handed in their papers early. The best part? Their results improved too. (Source: [BBC](; Image source: [Mary Joy Mandane-Ortiz]() RIP Japanese Soccer Star Masato Kudo Dies at 32 Kudo was hospitalized Oct. 3 after being diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain. The former Japan international striker died Friday following unsuccessful brain surgery. “Kudo was an incredibly accomplished player. But in spite of that he was never arrogant and cherished his teammates, the club and our supporters,” said Keita Nimura of Kudo’s current club Tegevajaro Miyazaki. “He personified our club slogan, ‘shinshi’ (sincere).” He was also mourned by his former club the Vancouver Whitecaps: “Kudo was loved by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. He was kind, gracious, and his smile would light up the room.” (Source: [CNN]() The OZY Genius Awards Are Back! OZY believes college students hold the keys to unlocking a brighter future. Do you have a genius idea? Share it with us for a chance to win up to $10,000 in grants! Applications close October 31st. Apply Today! [APPLY HERE]( COMMUNITY What else are you curious about? 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