Notatnik Pascala: Fwd: The Presidential Daily Brief

czwartek, 28 kwietnia 2016

Fwd: The Presidential Daily Brief - 04/27/2016

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: OZY <Admin@email.ozy.com>
Date: Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 1:29 PM
Subject: The Presidential Daily Brief - 04/27/2016
To: pascal.alter@gmail.com


April 27, 2016

Important

Bernie Sanders, who won only one of five primaries last night, speaks to a crowd of supporters in West Virginia. Source: Getty

Trump, Clinton Score Northeast Primary Wins

They're hoping to take the fall. The front-runners quickly claimed victory in Pennsylvania, Tuesday's biggest prize. Donald Trump, referring to himself as the "presumptive nominee," swept all five contests, bringing him within a few hundred delegates of securing the GOP nomination. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders desperately needed the Keystone State's delegates, but won only Rhode Island, while Hillary Clinton clinched Connecticut, Maryland and Delaware. Sanders maintained his determination to continue until the June convention, but tellingly issued a statement focusing not on the nomination, but on fighting for a "progressive party platform."

Sources: Politico, NYT, NBC, CNN

Salah Abdeslam Handed Over to French Authorities

It's an unhappy return. The 26-year-old, suspected of helping organize the Nov. 13 attacks on Paris that killed 130, was extradited to France today. After months of searching, police captured him in Brussels last month but agreed to return him to the scene of his alleged crimes to face trial. Authorities believe Abdeslam planned to blow himself up during the attacks, but changed his mind at the last minute. Belgian officials offered no details of his whereabouts in France, but he's scheduled to appear in court later today.

Sources: Reuters, BBC

Papua New Guinea to Close Australian Refugee Camp

So much for their offshore account. Politicians Down Under have staunchly refused to allow asylum seekers to come ashore, instead stashing them in controversial detention centers on neighboring islands. But Papua New Guinea's Manus Island facility, home to 900 people, has just been ruled unconstitutional, and the country's prime minister is asking Australia to make "alternative arrangements" immediately. It's a stinging blow for Aussie Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, whose no-tolerance policy for refugees aimed to deter people-smugglers, and it could complicate his re-election hopes in July.

Sources: Bloomberg , USA Today

Apple Sees First Revenue Slump in 13 Years

This is rotten news. A 16 percent decline in iPhone sales - Apple's core product and prime income generator - brought the company its worst quarter in years, with revenue of $50.6 billion, down 13 percent from last year. Apple's shares dropped 8 percent on news of the Q2 numbers yesterday, wiping $47 billion from the markets in after-hours trading. But there's hope: These numbers didn't include sales of the iPhone SE, which premiered last month, and new models expected later this year could boost the company further.

Sources: FT (sub), NYT

Briefly

Venezuela announces two-day work week to save electricity. (Forbes)
Fleeing thief is arrested after hopping White House fence. (Politico)
Chilling note found next to murdered California couple. (Time)
U.S. official: Airstrikes have destroyed as much as $800 million in ISIS cash. (Newsweek)
Supreme Court to consider Virginia ex-governor's conviction. (The Hill)

INTRIGUING

Winds of Change Are Stirring in Morocco

When it rains, it pours. And if leaders in this North African country don't find a way to address climate change, which is plaguing Morocco with devastating droughts and flash floods, some say no umbrella will be big enough to ward off revolution. It won't depend solely on the weather, of course, but the climate is impacting socio-economic and political developments that exacerbate inequality. This, some believe, will lead to movements demanding change, and unless Morocco gets more progressive, its leaders may soon need to duck for cover.

Sources: OZY

Millennials Surpass Boomers as Biggest US Group

Out with the old guard. The tech-savvy young generation aged 18 to 34 now numbers 75.4 million, compared to 74.9 million Baby Boomers, according to new Pew Research Center data. The younger cohort's numbers are also expected to grow, thanks to immigration, with an estimated peak of around 81 million by 2036. With earlier research showing that millennials - even those that identify as Republicans - tend to swing left on issues ranging from marijuana to same-sex marriage and immigration, these youngsters might change American politics for good.

Sources: CSM, TIME

China Sees Childhood Obesity Balloon

Prosperity can weigh you down. Three decades ago the childhood obesity rate in the world's most populous nation was almost zero. But the results of a 29-year study show that today 1 in 6 Chinese boys and 1 in 11 girls are obese - a spike attributed to rising incomes and the popularity of a "Western lifestyle." Study subjects in the rural Shandong province still have less than half the United States' obesity rate, but Chinese authorities are concerned about parallel trends toward diabetes and heart disease in the coming years.

Sources: South China Morning Post

Comcast in Talks to Buy DreamWorks Animation

Negotiations are getting animated. The entertainment behemoth is said to be working on a $3 billion deal for the studio behind Shrek and Kung Fu Panda. Comcast already owns Universal Studios - plus NBC, Telemundo and USA Network - meaning the takeover would merge DreamWorks with the team that made Despicable Me. For three years Jeffrey Katzenberg has been shopping the company that he helped form in 1997, but he's yet to close the deal. Meanwhile, the level of buzz on Wall Street may depend on Comcast's earnings report this morning.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety

Blake Griffin to Miss Rest of Clippers' Season

It's a one-two punch. Hours after star guard Chris Paul broke his hand, another bomb dropped on Los Angeles when it was revealed that Griffin would miss the rest of the NBA playoffs after reinjuring his left quadriceps, ending a tumultuous season for the power forward. Already considered underdogs in a potential second-round matchup with Golden State, the Clippers are tied 2-2 with Portland after losing two in a row. They could face serious questions about the future if their season ends in another early exit.

Sources: ESPN, SB Nation