Going Nowhere Fast

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. Dec 28, 2022 Today A pandemic-era restriction on immigration along the U.S.’s southern border will stay in place until at least February after a Supreme Court vote. Republicans turned on incoming New York Representative George Santos after revelations of a litany of lies. New York’s death toll rose as the post-storm clean-up continued. And would-be travelers in China begin planning trips abroad for the first time in three years. All this and more in today’s PDB. [Our Favorite Sneakers This Year]( [Cariuma]( We all know winter can have a tendency to get us down sometimes. The temps are dropping, the days are shorter and you often are looking for that one thing that brings you the warmth of the summer sunshine. We’re proud to say that we found it. The celeb fave – OCA Low Suede by [Cariuma]( is BACK IN STOCK after clearing a 77,000-person waitlist! You heard us. These celeb, skater, and surfer-loved kicks are back; say goodbye to their mile-long waitlist (for now). With mentions from Vogue, Fast Company, Forbes, and many, many more, they’re going to go fast…again. If you snag ‘em now, we promise you’ll be filled with warmth, cheer and you’ll sport our favorite sneakers of the year! JSYK: These sneakers never go on sale, but OZY readers get a special offer by clicking the link below and using the code [OZYDEC for 15% off](your next purchase. [TAKE ME SHOPPING]( IMPORTANT On Hold SCOTUS Rules to Keep Trump-Era Immigration Legislation At least for now, the court ruled Tuesday. The policy restricts immigration into the U.S. along the southern border for pandemic-era public health reasons, and advocates have long argued against keeping it in place. Tuesday’s 5-4 ruling will keep the policy until the case is argued before the bench in February, led by border states fearing a fresh wave of immigrants amid reports of overwhelmed shelters in Mexico. In his dissenting opinion, conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that the public health fear “has long since lapsed” and reminded that the Supreme Court justices are “not policymakers of last resort.” (Sources: [AP](, [Politico]() Stranger Than Fiction House Colleague Demands ‘Jew-ish’ Rep Be Investigated for Lies “New Yorkers deserve the truth and House Republicans deserve an opportunity to govern without this distraction,” fellow incoming New York Republican Nick LaLota said. Long Islanders, who elected George Santos to a two-year term last month, are “deeply troubled” by reports that Santos lied about his work experience and family history, LaLota added. Former supporters in the Republican Jewish Coalition abandoned the political neophyte Tuesday. “He previously claimed to be Jewish,” the Coalition said in a statement following revelations he had lied about his grandparents escaping the Holocaust. Santos has since clarified that while he identifies as Catholic, he is “Jew-ish.” (Sources: [Reuters](, [The Hill]() Horror New York Rescue Efforts Continue as Finger-Pointing Begins “We’re, unfortunately, finding bodies on the street and in snow banks,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said as the rescue effort continues. Around 1,000 emergency calls went unanswered, beginning Friday and continuing throughout the storm in Buffalo, and authorities are working through the backlog. Citizens have taken to social media to criticize the official response, with some feeling that local authorities are implying those who died may be at least partially responsible for becoming trapped. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown assured that is not the case and noted conditions “made the emergency response much more difficult and much more complicated.” (Sources: [CNN](, [NYT]() Open Up! A Wary Welcome Back to the World for Chinese Travelers An end to travel restrictions abroad for Chinese nationals has sent agency websites into meltdown and put passport office workers on high alert for when applications come back online Jan. 8, but would-be travelers may find a hesitant world. In Japan, a favorite destination, the current surge has prompted authorities to require a negative COVID test on arrival. For many in China, the news is a mixed blessing. “I’m happy about it but also speechless. If we're doing this [reopening] anyway — why did I have to suffer all the daily COVID tests and lockdowns this year?” one Shanghai resident said. (Source: [BBC]() Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: Conflict. Ethnic violence in South Sudan’s eastern Jonglei state left at least 56 dead this week. An official said youth from the Nuer community attacked another group, but make up most of the casualties. (Source: [Reuters]() Tax off. Spain will drop its value-added tax on basic food goods to battle the cost of living. Essentials like bread, cheese and vegetables will be VAT-free for six months, while other products will see the VAT slashed in half. (Source: [Euronews]() Influencers. Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla accused Russia of supporting the Serb minority in northern Kosovo behind the mass protests and barricading that he said are destabilizing the country. (Source: [Al Jazeera]()  [Our Favorite Collab This Year]( [Cariuma]( We all know the cool, sustainable sneaker brand, [Cariuma](. But have you met Patone's Color of the Year 🤔 This year, Cariuma has been named Pantone’s official footwear partner (again) for their Viva PANTONE Color of the Year 2023! And they’re bringing the heat with this colorway, available in six of their most recognizable styles. These celeb, skater, and surfer-loved sneaks are helping PANTONE 18-1755 make its debut. A brave and fearless carmine red, imbued with a dynamic presence, encouraging experimentation these sneakers embolden the desire for self-expression. All styles are crafted from ethically sourced materials such as GOTS-certified organic cotton canvas, natural rubber, recycled plastics, and premium suede from LWG Gold-Rated suppliers – and each style includes their signature cork and mamona oil insoles. Ethical, colorful, and stylish? Cariuma just checked all three. This collab has sold out every. single. year. So hurry and grab a pair while they’re still in stock! Snag 15% off with your personalized code, [OZYDEC](. [LET’S GO SHOPPING]( INTRIGUING Digging Deep In Sudan, a New Generation Is Unearthing Africa’s Hidden Histories Call it the end of the Indiana Jones era. Students at Khartoum University are leading the charge in challenging the Western dominance of archaeology and putting African researchers in the foreground for the continent’s historical future. “It is very important that Africans do African archaeology … because then we will have our own archaeological cultures. The idea that people from the west know best is changing,” student Sabrine al-Sadiq said. Homegrown expertise upends centuries of colonial-era dominance during which foreigners dominated research. Sudanese conservation expert Dr Eglal el-Malik says Sudan is ready to discover its own secrets. (Source: [The Guardian]() Down, Down No Christmas Bonus for Tesla, but New Year Could Bring Cheer Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company suffered the sharpest one-day drop in share price since April on Tuesday when it closed down 11% — shaving off $109.10 per share, reducing its market value to around $345 billion. Market watchers suspect this reflects a drop in demand that might mean a cloudy future. Musk has been distracted by his takeover of the social media platform Twitter, but factors like high inflation and interest rates are also to blame. Still, some analysts aren’t ready to write off Tesla just yet: one expects to see the “green shoots” of recovery in the new year. (Source: [Bloomberg]() Show’s Over Melanie C Isn’t Spicing Up Poland’s New Year Festivities Anymore Better known as Sporty Spice, the pop star did not refer directly to Poland’s regressive LGBT restrictions, but her decision to pull out of the Zakopane event was welcomed by activists. In a social media post, she mentioned issues “that do not align with the communities I support” as her motivation, although state broadcaster TVP, behind the New Year’s Eve event, said Melanie C had been forced to withdraw “under the pressure of online comments.” The pop star is one of the U.K. entertainment world’s most prominent LGBT allies — dubbed an “honorary gay” by Attitude magazine earlier this year. (Source: [BBC]() An Open Book It’s Always Better Late Than Never at the Library The age-old librarian maxim rang true for the Nantwich Library in Cheshire, northwest England, last week. A book borrowed towards the end of 1972 has finally found its way to the returns chute — just shy of 50 years on from Jan. 30, 1973, its due date. Introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification for British Schools had been picked up by a teacher at a local school but, according to a Facebook post from the library, why it took decades to be returned is unknown. “Some of the information in this volume may be slightly outdated,” the library’s Facebook post said. (Source: [UPI]() Black and White Iran Chess Champ Sara Khadem Makes Her Move Alongside Others Khadem, 804th in the world, competed in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Kazakhstan without a headscarf, Iranian media revealed this week. It comes months into the country’s women-led demonstrations against draconian regulations, including required wearing of the hijab. In October, climber Elnaz Rekabi took part in a competition in South Korea without the cover — she later said it had been unintentional — while an archer’s hijab slipped during a televised award ceremony in a move widely read as support for the protest movement. Deputy Sports Minister Maryam Kazemipour derided such actions as against Islamic norms and apologized. (Source: [Reuters]() NOW STREAMING FROM OZY STUDIO COMMUNITY What else are you curious about? Share your questions or thoughts with us at OzyCommunity@Ozy.com ABOUT OZY OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. [www.ozy.com]( / #OZY Curiosity. Enthusiasm. Action. That’s OZY! [TV]( | [PODCASTS]( | [NEWS]( | [FESTIVALS]( A Modern Media Company OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](