The Fitness Magazine: Your Team SIX Military Daily Brief: Obama Commutes Manning Sentence

IMPORTANT

January 18, 2017

Rep. Ryan Zinke, Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of the interior, appears at his confirmation hearing yesterday. Source: Getty

Obama Commutes Chelsea Manning's Sentence

She's getting out early. The former Army intel analyst, serving a 35-year sentence for leaking classified material, will be released May 17 rather than in 2045 as scheduled. Manning - formerly known as Bradley - was convicted of giving 700,000 military files and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks. She tried to commit suicide twice over the past year, and waged a hunger strike to plead for gender reassignment surgery. Manning's release could lead to Julian Assange facing a U.S. court: The WikiLeaks founder recently said he'd agree to extradition if Obama commuted Manning's sentence.

Sources: Newsweek, CNN, BBC

Nigerian Military Mistakenly Bombs Refugee Camp

"It was never intended." So said a spokesman for Nigeria's armed forces after a fighter jet bombed a camp in Rann, killing at least 52 refugees and aid workers and injuring hundreds more. The military says it was targeting the forces of Boko Haram, the Islamist group whose war with the Nigerian government has killed 20,000 and displaced millions. Militant fighters were thought to be gathering in the area. Now medical teams from Cameroon and Chad are converging to help the wounded, as authorities launch an investigation into the incident.

Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera

Interior Pick Zinke Says Climate Change Is Real

He's not in denial. Former Navy SEAL and Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of the interior, said yesterday that climate change is not a hoax - a departure from the president-elect's stance - but that the degree of human influence is debatable. He's acknowledged a "glitch" in his Navy record, when he used military vouchers for personal travel, which might have hindered Zinke's rise through the ranks. But the public-lands advocate had a fairly easy hearing and is expected to win Senate confirmation.

Sources: AP, Chicago Tribune, NYT, Politico

UK Prime Minister: Britain Won't Stay in Single Market

Cue the scramble. Theresa May had long signaled that staying in the EU's single market wouldn't be a goal of Brexit, despite the potential devastation for British industries that depend on the tariff-free trade with EU countries that the single market promises. Now she's made it official in a highly anticipated speech, and financial markets, automakers and other businesses are swiftly drawing up contingency plans. May's speech sent the pound higher, however, as she confirmed that Parliament will have a vote on the final Brexit deal.

Sources: The Guardian, WSJ (sub), FT (sub)

Briefly

Know This: Chinese President Xi Jinping may be stepping up his country's role as a global leader. Former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos is suing Donald Trump for defamation after he called her allegations that he sexually assaulted her "false and ridiculous." And local media reports that former President George H.W. Bush, 92, has been hospitalized but is "doing fine."

Paws and Reflect: "I would imagine that there is probably a gun in the schools [in Wyoming] to protect from potential grizzlies." So said Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of education, during a question about guns in schools at her confirmation hearing.

Talk to Us: We want your feedback on the Presidential Daily Brief - what you think we're doing right and what we should be doing differently. Send us an email at pdbrief@ozy.com.

INTRIGUING

Indian State Has a Plan for Universal Broadband

Talk about open access. The southern Indian state of Telangana has a roadmap for improving residents' lives, beginning with running water and broadband in every home. That means getting 23 million people online, a revolutionary leap for India, where 1 billion citizens don't have internet access - a quarter of the world's disconnected population. Telangana has rejected Western proposals like Facebook's Free Basics access. Instead, the recently independent state is building its own network, laying 62,000 miles of fiber optic cables alongside new pipes carrying fresh water to rural homes.

Sources: Wired

Community Banking Is Ready for a Comeback

Their hopes are inflating. For six post-crash years, only two banks were launched in the U.S., but would-be finance lords are now piloting a small-bank revival in places like Austin and Buffalo. Institutions with less than $10 billion in assets see a sunny forecast in rising interest rates, which help their margins, and Republican plans to roll back financial regulations. But in order to survive in the megabank era, mom-and-pops will have to find a niche - like, say, serving millennial entrepreneurs in Boston.

Sources: OZY

Seniors Aren't Exempt From Student Loan Debt Woes

This isn't just a millennial problem. A new report shows that people over 60 are now the fastest-growing demographic in the American student loan market, and many are already in serious debt. Over the past 10 years, seniors' debts have quadrupled as parents and grandparents take out loans on behalf of college-age relatives. A generation ago, it wasn't common for grandparents to be involved with paying for their grandchildren's education. But now, skyrocketing school costs have left 2.8 million over-60s in debt to student loan companies.

Sources: NPR

Steve Harvey Apologizes for Joke About Asian Men

It's no laughing matter. The comedian apologized yesterday for a segment on The Steve Harvey Show in which he joked that books about Asian men dating Black or white women should be one page long, ending with, "No thank you." Then he dissed Chinese food. After a torrent of online criticism, Harvey tweeted that he did not intend "malice or disrespect." The 60-year-old Family Feud host also caught flak for a recent meeting with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss a possible role in shaping housing policy.

Sources: Entertainment Tonight, AJC

Chris Paul Will Miss 6-8 Weeks for Thumb Surgery

This one hurts. The Clippers have weathered the absence of Blake Griffin, but now they're facing a torn ligament in their nine-time All-Star point guard's left thumb. After going under the knife today, Paul isn't expected back until early March, missing a crucial stretch as Los Angeles battles for NBA playoff positioning. Griffin is expected to return later this month, but the Clippers have been woeful in the past without the two stars. Raymond Felton and others will try to fill the floor general gap.

Sources: SI