| | | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks through the U.S. Capitol before unveiling new health care legislation Tuesday. Source: Getty |
| | IMPORTANT | | 01 | They’re preparing for a healthy debate. Following the Trump administration’s call this week for a federal court to cancel the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, Democrats are hunkering down for a fierce political fight. While the public’s been distracted by special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “we have been focused on health care.” They started by unveiling a bill yesterday to lower insurance premiums and boost protections for pre-existing conditions.
Is this a winning strategy for Democrats? With 40 percent of their voters saying health care is their top concern, it could be a defining issue in the 2020 election. | |
| | 02 | After their fresh rebuke of Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday, British lawmakers will consider alternatives to her Brexit deal in a series of votes later today. Meanwhile, May — who’s still hoping to put her agreement up for a third vote tomorrow — will seek support from fellow Conservatives, and is reportedly even considering offering her resignation in exchange for a firm commitment to her deal.
What are the British people saying? A “cancel Brexit” petition has collected nearly 6 million signatures, and a new survey shows that 81 percent believe the government has handled the withdrawal badly.
Read this OZY story about why Americans overreport their voting histories. | |
| | 03 | Claiming they collectively hold a majority in Thailand’s lower house of Parliament, seven parties announced they’re forming a coalition against the ruling military government. Led by the Pheu Thai party, the group has pledged to “bring back democracy.” But with the results of Sunday’s elections — which appear to favor the pro-military Palang Pracharat party — still delayed, there are few signs that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is prepared to cede his post.
How much power can the opposition muster? They still lack enough total votes to name a prime minister, and could instead produce a political deadlock in the lower house. | |
| | 04 | The embattled OxyContin manufacturer has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by the state of Oklahoma, which alleged that the pharmaceutical giant’s aggressive marketing of the drug triggered America’s opioid crisis. Around $200 million of the settlement will be used to establish the National Center for Addiction Studies and Treatment at Oklahoma State University. The company’s founding Sackler family must cough up $75 million.
What’s next for Purdue Pharma? Still facing more than 1,600 lawsuits — and likely bankruptcy — some experts believe this settlement could open the floodgates for many more.
Don’t miss OZY’s Special Briefing on the Sacklers’ tainted philanthropy. | |
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| | | | INTRIGUING | | 01 | Calling it “a whitewash of justice,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel slammed the decision by state prosecutors not to pursue criminal charges against the Empire actor. Smollett was charged with felony disorderly conduct after police said he paid two brothers to stage a homophobic and racist attack. “This was not an exoneration,” said state attorney Joe Magats. Smollett has maintained he’s innocent.
Is he off the hook? Not yet: The FBI is still investigating a threatening letter Smollett allegedly received, while some experts believe civil suits may also be forthcoming. | |
| | 02 | They’re hungry for more. Part of its promise to boost purchases of American farm products to ease its trade war with Washington, Beijing will import as much as 330 tons of U.S. pork this year — an 81 percent increase from 2017. So high is China’s willingness to fork out for pork that officials may be willing to swallow the 62 percent tariffs. Some experts think that record import estimate may even be conservative.
Why is demand so high? China’s scrambling to contain the spread of African swine fever among its herds, which have already been decimated by 15 percent.
Don’t miss OZY’s profile of the man behind Trump’s trade war. | |
| | 03 | According to a U.S. trade judge, the Cupertino-based tech giant infringed on Qualcomm patents relating to power management and data downloads, leading her to recommend blocking the import of some iPhone models with Intel chips. It’s the latest blow in an ongoing legal battle between the companies as Qualcomm claims it’s owed unpaid royalties, while Apple accuses the chipmaker of anti-competitive licensing strategies.
What happens next? The judge’s recommendation must be reviewed by the International Trade Commission — which rejected another Qualcomm case against Apple earlier this week — while the two sides await a larger trial next month. | |
| | 04 | More seniors than ever are spending their golden years on the streets, OZY reports. Nearly half of all homeless older adults reached that dubious point for the first time after turning 50, researchers found — compared to only 11 percent in the early 1990s. What’s more, homeless individuals in their 50s tend to suffer health problems that are generally more common in people in their 70s and 80s.
What does the future hold? Based on research covering New York City, Boston and Los Angeles County, America’s elderly homeless population is projected to nearly triple by 2030. | |
| | 05 | There’s no time to waste. The European Parliament voted 410 to 192 yesterday to end daylight saving time in the EU by 2021 — though individual states can choose whether to continue changing their clocks twice a year. Each country would have to inform the rest of the bloc about its choice by April 2020.
Is everyone in agreement? Some complain that the decision, which rested on an online survey of 4.6 million Europeans, was too heavily influenced by the 3 million Germans who participated.
OZY asks: Will Germany become Europe’s sole powerhouse? | |
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| | Caught Up? Now Vault Ahead ... | | To get more fresh stories and bold ideas in your inbox, check out The Daily Dose. | | | Acumen Rather than enjoying the fruits of decades of labor, more elderly Americans are facing homelessness instead. READ NOW | |
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