The Fitness Magazine: Your Presidential Daily Brief: Search for MH370 Ends

IMPORTANT

January 17, 2017

Relatives of those on flight MH370 gathered in Beijing two years after the plane went missing demanding information and closure. The search operation was suspended today. Source: Getty

Underwater Search for MH370 Suspended Without Answers

They've given up - for now. Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities working together on the search for the plane that mysteriously vanished in March 2014 say that after scouring more than 46,300 square miles of ocean, they're suspending the operation indefinitely. Some family members of the 239 people aboard have appealed to authorities to resume the search, saying it's "irresponsible" to stop now. Only a few pieces of debris confirmed to be from the plane have been found, but officials expressed hope that new evidence might yet come to light.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian, Al Jazeera

Authorities Arrest Istanbul Nightclub Attack Suspect

He was right there all along. For two weeks, Turkish police have been hunting nationwide for the suspect in the New Year's massacre at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. Now Uzbekistan national Abdulgadir Masharipov has been arrested in a raid on an Istanbul apartment, along with another man and three women. Officials say Masharipov's confessed and that his fingerprints match those found in the nightclub. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, from which dozens of wounded are still recovering, saying it was revenge for Turkish involvement in Syria.

Sources: BBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera

Trump Meets With MLK's Son After Lewis Spat

It won't be that easy. On the holiday honoring his father's legacy, Martin Luther King III met with the president-elect - even as Donald Trump's sparring with civil rights hero John Lewis further strained relations with the Black community. King said they discussed a plan for a free national ID that could ease the wedge issue of voter ID laws, and that Trump emphasized unity. But Black leaders say policies will matter more than photo ops. Meanwhile, more than 30 members of Congress have joined Lewis' boycott of Friday's inauguration.

Sources: NYT, AP, Washington Post, USA Today

Tobacco Giants Agree to $49.4 Billion Takeover Deal

Got a match? Twelve years ago, British American Tobacco acquired 42.3 percent of Reynolds American, which manufactures Camel cigarettes and is the leader in the U.S. e-cigarette market. Now, after a decade of agreed-upon standstill, BAT wants the rest of Reynolds - and it's negotiated a $49.4 billion price tag for the remaining shares in a deal that'll create the world's biggest publicly traded tobacco company. Shares in BAT rose 1 percent as the deal, which still needs to be approved by shareholders, was announced today.

Sources: FT (sub), Bloomberg

Briefly

Know This: The staff of an Antarctic research station will be brought home due to safety concerns about a crack in the ice shelf. Donald Trump warned BMW and Volkswagen Monday that he'll levy a 35 percent tariff on any car not made on U.S. soil. And a German court has blocked a ban on the ultranationalist far-right NPD party.

Single Mom: A female leopard shark at an Australian aquarium, separated from male sharks, has become the first of her kind known to switch from traditional mating to asexual reproduction. She hatched three eggs this year, and all the pups only carry cells from their mother.

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Presented by: History

When A Former Navy Seal Goes Hollywood

Mitchell Hall was a U.S. Navy SEAL for 21 years before he retired. Now his business is making sure Hollywood doesn't mess up when portraying the military. He helped make Zero Dark Thirty - acclaimed for its accurate depiction of the hunt for Osama bin Laden - a success, and he's just teamed up with HISTORY to create the new military drama series SIX, premiering tomorrow, Jan. 18 at 10 p.m. EST.

Sources: OZY

INTRIGUING

Last Man to Walk on Moon, Gene Cernan, Dies at 82

He was out of this world. The large, gregarious astronaut flew in space three times, and was one of only three men to visit the moon twice. The former naval aviator's first launch in 1966 was nearly a disaster: He became exhausted during a spacewalk and almost didn't make it back to the hatch. His December 1972 Apollo 17 mission - Cernan's commentary as he exited the lunar module: "Oh my golly! Unbelievable!" - was the last time NASA sent a human to the moon.

Sources: NPR, Popular Mechanics

Mass Incarceration Has Changed How Black Children Learn

Prison changes lives on the outside too. Kids are directly impacted by disproportionately high rates of incarceration for people of color, a new study shows. One in 7 Black adolescents has had a parent in jail, which has a huge impact on developmental psychology and family life. But new research shows that mass incarceration directly affects educational achievement, too: When a parent goes to jail, children's GPAs fall and mental health risks skyrocket, leading some to conclude that fixing America's education system will also require tackling criminal justice policy.

Sources: The Atlantic

Private Company Raises Funds for Lunar Mission

They're going solo. Moon Express, Inc., the first private company to get permission to land on the moon, has announced that it has reached its $45 million funding goal to take part in Google's Lunar XPRIZE competition, which challenges private companies to put a robot on the moon. But the Florida-based startup has bigger plans: It's looking into mining lunar resources like Helium-3, a potential clean energy source, and the possibility of a future moon colony. Moon Express aims to launch its MX-1E spacecraft later this year.

Sources: Tech Times, Wired

'Dreamgirls' Star Pulls Out of Inauguration; Threats Reported

The star power is dwindling. Jennifer Holliday was set to perform at Donald Trump's inauguration, but dropped out, saying in a letter to LGBT fans that she didn't realize performing would "be taken as a political act." But TMZ also reported that the Broadway star had received death threats. In addition, The B-Street Band, a Bruce Springsteen cover band, canceled an inaugural ball show after taking heat. With many big names passing, Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down and Lee Greenwood will headline the Lincoln Memorial concert on Friday.

Sources: Rolling Stone, TMZ, Talking Points Memo

Connecticut: America's Overlooked Basketball Hotbed

The Nutmeg State can ball. Hidden between prep hoop meccas Boston and New York, Connecticut punches above its weight in churning out NBA talent. Witness Kris Dunn's fearless style with the Minnesota Timberwolves, or recent college stars Will Solomon and Ryan Gomes. Local up-and-comers often play with a chip on their shoulder because they're overlooked - even by UConn, the flagship college program in the state. Next to carry the torch is dynamic New Haven point guard Tremont Waters, who's heading south to Georgetown next year.

Sources: OZY