The stage is set for a new UK prime minister after contenders one by one ruled themselves out of the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.

Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, will lead the country in a time of political and economic turmoil in Britain, in the wake of Liz Truss after just 45 days as PM.

Christina Huang reports.

Liz Truss has resigned after just six weeks as UK prime minister, following her failed economic policy. 

The Conservative Party, which holds a big majority in parliament will now elect a new leader by October 28.

First News & Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative, a public policy think tank in Wellington, Dr Oliver Hartwich about Truss’ 45 tumultuous days as Prime Minister and what happens now. 

Next, she spoke to Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Auckland, Dr Neal Curtis about the current state of UK politics. 

~ universal harmony ~

s p l i c e  up your life 💪

This week on Dear Science Allan Blackman spoke to Casper and Christina about immunity genes for the black death increasing rates of crohn's disease, the smells that make some people mosquito magnets, and the sucess of Nasa's asteroid diversion experiment.

The National party has proposed creating a social investment fund, in a callback to a signature policy of former leader Bill English.

Social Investment spokesperson Nicola Willis proposed funding the policy in collaboration with philanthropists.

For Casper's weekly catchup with National’s Dr. Shane Reti they discussed this policy, how it differs from the current approach and how exactly funding through donations might play out.

Happy Tuesday! On today's Wire with Christina and Casper. Allan Blackman joined the team live on air to talk Black Plague, mozzies and the DART mission for Dear Science.

Casper spoke to Dr Shane Reti from the National Party for their weekly segment about their proposed social investment fund. He also had a kōrero with Rosemary Penwarden from Restore Passenger Rail about their campaign and recent protest activity on Wellington highways.

Christina spoke to Dr Stephen Noakes, a senior politics lecturer from the University of Auckland, about the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress and Xi Jinping's continued grasp on power. She also reported on Rishi Sunak, who is set to become UK's next Prime Minister in the wake of Liz Truss' resignation last week.

With the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party wrapping up, President Xi Jinping has been handed a third term in power. It breaks the unofficial precedent established since Mao Zedong’s death in 1976, where presidents have traditionally ruled for just two terms.

For more on this monumental event in recent Chinese history, Christina spoke to Dr Stephen Noakes, a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations from the University of Auckland.

Restore Passenger Rail is a environmental protest group which has been garnering headlines for disrupting traffic on Wellington highways and glueing themselves to roads.

Casper spoke to Restore Passenger Rail spokesperson Rosemary Penwarden about their movement and why they believe it’s so urgent that we have passenger rail brought back across the country.

Aged, a little staged, never disengaged.

Funk 45s