| |
IMPORTANT
| | | Inaudible | McCarthy Fails to Flip Holdouts in Speaker Vote Voting for the speaker of the House will continue into an unprecedented third day after the Republican majority failed to reach a consensus again Wednesday in six rounds of ballots some members compared to Groundhog Day. Rep. Kevin McCarthy has reportedly made concessions to far-right holdouts, including potentially dropping the five-member requirement to oust a speaker to just one. It’s not clear if that will be enough to win any defectors, though, and it may put off supporters. McCarthy ally Rep. Steve Womack said closed-door talks Wednesday night will “hopefully” produce a resolution but “hope is never a method.” (Sources: WaPo, Politico) |
|
| | | Two Popes | Catholics Bid Farewell to Pope Benedict, Ending Emeritus Era It’s the first time a pope has presided over the funeral of a predecessor in over 220 years, the Vatican said. Almost 200,000 visitors streamed through St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lay in state ahead of today’s funeral. The former pontiff bucked centuries of tradition when he resigned in 2013, just eight years after succeeding Pope John Paul II, citing poor health. Heads of state from Catholic-majority European nations are attending in an unofficial capacity, since Benedict was no longer head of state for the Vatican. He died on New Year’s Eve at 95. (Sources: BBC, Reuters) |
|
| | | | | Sub-prime | Amazon Cuts 18,000 Jobs in Silicon Valley Bloodbath It’s almost double the previously announced 10,000 layoffs and is the largest round of cuts during the current tech slump. “Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economies in the past, and we will continue to do so,” CEO Andy Jassy said Wednesday. Most of the lost jobs are expected to be in corporate divisions, like recruitment and retail teams. Amazon, which previously said it hired too many workers during the pandemic, had 1.5 million employees in September. Demand has slowed in recent months and prompted Jassy to get creative, including potentially selling available space in Amazon’s cargo planes. (Sources: Bloomberg, WSJ) |
|
| | | Sparing Nothing | Prince Harry Alleges Attack by Prince William in Memoir Leak Spare, Harry’s forthcoming memoir, details an alleged physical attack by his brother, heir to the British throne. Harry describes the 2019 incident at his London home, saying William had embraced the “press narrative” against his American wife, Meghan Markle, calling her “abrasive” and “rude.” When Harry objected, he said William “came at me ... and knocked me to the floor.” The personal revelations in the book — leaked to The Guardian while under strict security — are expected to deepen divisions within the British royal family. Direct quotes from family members, including between King Charles and Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, reportedly feature heavily. (Source: The Guardian) |
|
| | | Briefly | Here are some things you should know about today: Twin blasts. At least 35 people, mainly women and children, were killed in two car bombs in Somalia’s central Hiraan region on Wednesday. Terror group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility. (Source: DW) Not us. New Zealand has bucked the trend for requiring COVID testing for travelers arriving from China. The government said a public health assessment found testing is not needed at this stage. (Source: Radio NZ) Back to the streets. Lima police used tear gas to prevent protesters from marching on Peru’s Congress on Wednesday, two weeks after violent protests over the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo. (Source: Reuters) |
|
|
|
| | |
INTRIGUING
| | | Bad Grades | Varsity Blues Admission Scammer Rick Singer Jailed for 3.5 Years “The conduct in this case was something out of a Hollywood movie,” Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said after the sentencing hearing Wednesday. The plot — in which wealthy parents fudged test results and extracurriculars for their underachieving children — came undone in 2018, destroying the reputations of dozens of high-profile families. Singer netted $25 million from his clients and paid about $7 million in bribes to testing centers and university sports officials to secure places in elite colleges across the United States. He’s also on the hook to pay the IRS $10 million and forfeit millions more to the federal government. (Source: AP) |
|
| | | Antisocial Behavior | Ireland Smacks Meta With Millions in Privacy Breach Fines Facebook’s parent company must pay $414 million for two fines after the Irish Data Protection Commission’s ruling Wednesday. Both Instagram and Facebook violated the European Union’s powerful General Data Protection Regulation on data handling and advertising, the commission said. Meta users in Europe must be able to opt out of having their data used for advertising personalization, and the Irish regulator gave the platforms three months to fall in line. DPC has long had Meta in its sights — investigations began the day GDPR came online. Meta, citing a “lack of regulatory clarity,” said it will appeal the ruling. (Source: CNBC) |
|
| | | These Times of Woe | ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Stars Sue Paramount Over Underage Nude Scene Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting said Franco Zeffirelli, the late director of the Oscar-winning 1968 film, misled them, saying they’d be wearing nude-colored underwear during a sex scene. Instead Hussey, who was 15 at the time, and Whiting, then 16, were pressured to appear fully naked. While the incident occurred decades ago, a temporary suspension on the statute of limitations for alleged sex crimes in California — and the waning careers of the actors, now in their 70s — means they’re finally comfortable with coming forward. They’re seeking damages of $500 million from the studio for sexual abuse, sexual harassment and fraud. (Source: BBC) |
|
| | | It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! | It’s ... a Congressman? While this year’s class of freshmen representatives wait for a new speaker to swear them in, California Rep.-elect Robert Garcia brought some reading material. Rather than swearing his oath of office on the classic religious text, the Democrat will use a few personal cherished items: the U.S. Constitution, his citizenship certificate, a photo of his parents, who he lost to COVID in 2020, and a rare first issue of Superman borrowed from the Library of Congress. Garcia immigrated to the U.S. from Peru when he was five and will be the first openly LGBT immigrant representative in Congress. (Sources: KTLA, Long Beach Press Telegram) |
|
| | | | | Game, Set, Match | WTA: Women’s Tennis Will Not Return to China Until Peng Resolution Officials from the Women’s Tennis Association still haven’t met with Peng Suhai, despite requesting a meeting in 2021. “A return to the region will require a resolution to the Peng situation,” the group insisted. The former world doubles No. 1 accused Zhang Gaoli, former vice-premier of China, of sexual assault in a 2021 social media post that has since been scrubbed. She later denied making the accusation. The WTA said it wants to return to China soon, but “will not compromise our founding principles to do so.” Men’s tennis was also put on hold in China last year due to the pandemic. (Source: Reuters) |
|
|
|
| | |
NOW STREAMING FROM OZY STUDIO
| | |
|
|
COMMUNITY
What else are you curious about? Share your questions or thoughts with us at OzyCommunity@Ozy.com |
|
| ABOUT OZY OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. Curiosity. Enthusiasm. Action. That’s OZY! |
|
|
|
|
