🚨 Over a Barrel – October 17 2022

*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 5:00pm AM. 

The Lead: China Flexes Its Muscles

credit: reuters

China announced a few things worth paying attention to over the weekend. First, they announced full possession of Hong Kong and said Taiwan was next. Also, they said that they would strengthen their military to “world-class standards.” 

In other words: we’re ready if we’re pushed. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping said these things at the Chinese Communist Party Summit over the weekend. 

China already has the largest military in the world in terms of manpower. They have over 2 million active military members. Their military budget is only one-third of the U.S. military budget, however, and they are the world’s second-largest seller of arms behind the U.S.

Protests in Paris

credit: twitter

Thousands of people protested in Paris this weekend and across France. They are demanding an end to EU and NATO involvement in Ukraine, high energy prices and high costs of living. Police used pepper spray and battons against the protestors during some violent clashes.

A major oil refinery in France has been on strike forcing many gas stations to close. Yet other refineries in France began exporting oil to Germany just last week. France does have nuclear power but many major plants are set to shut down for maintenance, making energy even more scarce. Or at least they were until a strike hit those plants and delayed the maintenance schedule.  

People in France have been warned of power outages coming this winter. 

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Crisis in Ethiopia

credit: flickr

Diplomats are calling for peace in Ethiopia after a meeting to discuss peace was postponed due to “logistical and technical issues.” 

Experts are warning that the bloody war will become even bloodier in the upcoming days and weeks. This is a conflict the world has largely ignored in favor of the one in Ukraine but the violence is staggering. Over 500,000 people have been displaced and close to one million are facing starvation. 

The conflict involves Tigray forces facing government forces, which are now fortified by troops from Eritrea. 

What's Trending?

credit: tyrell hampton

Selena is trending because Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber posed for pictures together at some gala and that shocked people who thought that they were mortal enemies because of Justin Bieber. 

CountdownToMidnighTS is trending because Spotify unveiled lyrics for an upcoming Taylor Swift song in a Times Square billboard. 

Joyce Sims is trending because the 63-year-old R&B singer died this weekend.

News By The Numbers

2030. That is when Pfizer says that a vaccine for cancer could be ready based on the same mRNA technology that is in the company’s Covid vaccines.

$19 million. That is how much Apple was ordered to pay by a judge in Brazil for not including a charger with its iPhones. 

24.73 seconds. That is how fast a robot in Oregon ran the 100-meter dash. That is not faster than a human. Usain Bolt can do it in 9.58 seconds. 

The Power Of Smiling

credit: giphy

Here is a good resolution for you this week: Smile more. 

I know that sounds condescending but research shows that smiling is good for stress relief and productivity. Studies show that smiling during a run makes the run easier and smiling during a shot lessens the pain. It also lessens stress and lowers the heart rate. 

Incidentally, research shows that Americans smile more than people in other countries! 

Fun fact: English speakers say “cheese” when they smile for pictures. Chinese speakers say the word for eggplant, which sounds like chee-suh. Eggplant! 

Los Angeles city officials have not said how it would pay for this program. They only said that they would use “various funding streams.” 

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