Skimm This: China's 70th, Global Banking, and Galactic Mysteries

It’s October 1st. Today, we Skimm’d This: 

• China celebrated the big 7-0 today, and used the occasion to talk up its accomplishments. We’ll break down what China’s got to be proud of, and what it may want to avoid mentioning. 

• Another world leader is in the news over a phone call with President Trump. This time: it’s the prime minister of Australia, and the topic was the 2016 election. We’ve got the deets.

• The International Monetary Fund has a new boss, and she’s already got a lot on her plate.

• And finally, why some astronomers think a mysterious, faraway planet...could be something much darker. And smaller. 

theSkimm: Today marked 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the country threw a huge birthday party for itself. China’s economic and military rise is impressive, but there are some storm clouds on the horizon, too. We’ll put it all in perspective. Meanwhile: another phone call between President Trump and a foreign leader is under scrutiny. Also on today’s show: the IMF gets a new boss, and why ‘Planet 9’ may not be a planet at all.