Britain: Can Rishi Fix It?

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 [Cariuma]( 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 25, 2022 Today Russia’s doubling down on its “transparently false” claims that Ukraine’s planning to use a dirty bomb on its own people. Rishi Sunak became Britain’s first Asian prime minister — but he’ll have no time to rest on his laurels. Two people were killed in a school shooting in St. Louis before police shot the gunman dead. And Myanmar’s military government bombed a separatist celebration from above, killing 60. All this and more in today’s PDB. [Sneaker Season, Spooky Season]( [Cariuma]( Once the calendar flips to October, the ghouls come out to play, PSLs make a comeback – and just like that the weather shifts to a crisp breeze having you say “sneakers please!” If you’re searching for cute, crazy-comfy kicks to show off this autumn season, then surfer-loved brand, [Cariuma](, has got you covered. Crafted from consciously-sourced materials, and featuring a memory foam insole, perfectly weighted rubber sole, and a classic cap-toe design, the OCA Low Canvas and Suede options will provide you with a crazy-comfy, stylish look all season long. Grab yourself a pair with our exclusive code, [OZYOCT](, which scores you 15% off on any sneaker you choose. [Shop Now]( IMPORTANT Dirty Tricks Russia Doubles Down on Dirty Bomb Claims On Monday, [western foreign ministers]( debunked Moscow’s claims that Kyiv was planning to use a dirty bomb on its own people as “transparently false” and a “pretext for escalation” on Russia’s part. Late last night Moscow doubled down, sending a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning that they “will regard the use of the dirty bomb by the Kyiv regime as an act of nuclear terrorism.” Moscow is expected to raise the issue at a closed Security Council meeting Tuesday. Ukraine has invited IAEA inspectors to tour two nuclear facilities, seemingly in an attempt to disprove the Russian claims. (Source: [Reuters]() Revolving Doors Sunak Becomes Britain’s Third PM in Two Months, First ‘of Color’ Rishi Sunak was formally invited to form a government by King Charles at Buckingham Palace. After a brief speech outside 10 Downing Street and a hasty cabinet reshuffle, he’ll attempt to fix both Britain and public faith in the Conservative Party. The state of the nation means he’ll have to make tough decisions that could anger many within his party, not to mention almost everyone outside it. In his first speech since winning the nomination he did at least commit to narrowing economic inequality, to a net-zero policy on the climate crisis and to unwavering support for Ukraine. (Sources: [The Guardian](, [BBC]() Active Shooter Three Killed, Including Gunman, in St. Louis School Shooting When the principal came on the loudspeaker using a code phrase that indicates a shooter in the building, many students thought it was a drill. The sound of gunshots changed that. Police received the call for an active shooter at 9:11 a.m. Fourteen minutes later, the shooter had been shot dead on the third floor of the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. His victims have been identified as physical education teacher [Jean Kuczka]( and 16-year-old student Alexandria Bell. The gunman, who graduated from the school last year, was overheard saying: “I’m tired of everybody in this damn school.” (Source: [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]() Myanmar Massacre At Least 60 Killed in Airstrike on Concert Held by Kachin Separatists Two military planes bombed the concert — a celebration of the Kachin Independence Organization’s 62nd anniversary held at a base also used for training separatists — at about 8:40 p.m. local time Sunday. The dead included several prominent Kachin musicians and other civilians. Such attacks have become increasingly common since the military junta seized power in February 2021. A group of Western ambassadors to Myanmar condemned the attack: “This attack underscores the military regime’s responsibility for crisis and instability in Myanmar and the region and its disregard for its obligation to protect civilians and respect the principles and rules of international humanitarian law.” (Sources: [CNN](, [Al Jazeera]() Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: Tragic end. Leslie Jordan, the Emmy-winning star of Will & Grace, has died in a car accident at 67. “Crushed to learn about the loss of @thelesliejordan, the funniest & flirtiest southern gent I’ve ever known,” tweeted Eric McCormack. (Source: [AP]() ‘Mistaken identity.’ Kenyan police say Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was shot dead after failing to stop at a roadblock. A prominent critic of the Pakistani government, Sharif was in hiding in Kenya. (Source: [The Guardian]() #MeToo. Harvey Weinstein’s California trial began Monday with eight women due to testify. Defense lawyer Mark Werskman characterized one accuser as “just another bimbo who slept with Harvey Weinstein to get ahead in Hollywood.” (Source: [BBC]() [Find Your Perfect Sneaker Color]( [Cariuma]( Say “hello” to the shoe that has caught the attention of surfers and skaters everywhere. From catching waves to tearing it up at the skatepark, [Cariuma’s]( OCA Low Canvas and Suede sneakers will have you hanging loose through the fall season. This sustainable take on the classic low and high-top sneaker will have you lookin’ and feelin’ 🔥 no matter the occasion. With over a dozen colors and patterns to choose from, and a broken-in feel, the outfit options are limitless. And JSYK: these cult favorites never go on sale, but OZY readers can snag 15% off with code [OZYOCT](at checkout. [LET’S GO]( INTRIGUING Risk vs. Reward Legitimate COVID Research or Reckless Biohazardry? A brouhaha’s erupted over a Boston University study where researchers inserted a gene from the Omicron variant into an earlier strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While the privately funded research had been approved at the university and city level, some say regulators and funding agencies should have been informed. “This type of work needs to be reviewed carefully,” said evolutionary virologist Jesse Bloom, who wasn’t involved in the study. “But I would not put this in sort of the category of the most alarming types of coronavirus studies. It seems exceedingly unlikely that this virus would have pandemic potential.” (Source: [Nature]() Yearslong Fraud New York’s Biggest Hasidic School to Pay $8 Million in Fines In court papers filed Monday, the private Central United Talmudical Academy acknowledged setting up no-show jobs and diverting money from government programs for technology, child care and school lunches. “Today’s admission makes clear there was a pervasive culture of fraud and greed,” said the FBI’s Michael J. Driscoll. “We expect schools to be places where students are taught how to do things properly. The leaders of C.U.T.A. went out of their way to do the opposite.” The admission comes shortly after the [New York Times published an investigation]( exposing mismanagement and deficient education in the city’s Hasidic yeshivas. (Source: [NYT]() Say Cheese India’s Mind-Boggling Pizza Toppings Tax Dispute Khera Trading Company claimed their mozzarella topping should be classified as cheese, which carries a General Sales Tax of 12%. But the courts disagreed: Because the topping contained vegetable oil it was an “edible preparation” taxed at 18%. The introduction of the GST in 2017 has swelled India’s revenues, but the tiered system has also attracted a slew of court challenges. One judge ruled that parathas — a pan-fried flatbread — should be taxed at 18% compared to 5% for rotis, also a fried flatbread. Another stated that ice cream sold by parlors should be taxed more heavily than ice cream consumed at restaurants. (Source: [BBC]() Pretendian? Sacheen Littlefeather’s Sisters Say She Wasn’t Native American Last month, papers around the world uncritically mourned the death of the “Apache activist and actress,” and in August the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences [formally apologized]( to Littlefeather, who was born Marie Louise Cruz, for her treatment at the 1973 Oscars. But now, her own sisters say they have no Native American ancestry. “It is a fraud,” said Rosalind Cruz. “It’s disgusting to the heritage of the tribal people. And it’s just … insulting to my parents.” They also say she lied about growing up in extreme poverty and suffering at the hands of an abusive, alcoholic father. (Source: [San Francisco Chronicle]() Head On NIH Rules Collision Sports Cause CTE The National Institutes of Health says there’s a causal link between repeated blows to the head and the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy. In 2019, the CDC reached a similar conclusion, but sports bodies — including FIFA’s Concussion in Sport Group, World Rugby and the IOC — still refuse to acknowledge any link. All eyes are on CISG, which meets this week to draft its latest concussion consensus. “Our goal is to reform all youth sports so they no longer include preventable repetitive head impacts before age 14,” said a Concussion Legacy Foundation spokesperson. “No heading in soccer, no tackling in football and rugby.” (Source: [The Guardian]() 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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