The Fitness Magazine: Your Presidential Daily Brief: Sessions Confirmed AG

IMPORTANT

February 9, 2017

Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, seen here with President Trump, has expressed discomfort with the president's attitude toward the judiciary. Source: Getty

Sessions Confirmed as AG, Gorsuch 'Demoralized'

Party lines prevailed. The Senate officially approved Attorney General Jeff Sessions 52-47, with just one Democrat jumping the aisle as concerns persist about the former Alabama senator's record on civil rights. Social media erupted with the hashtag #ShePersisted after Sen. Elizabeth Warren was formally silenced during the debate, leading some to speculate about her prospects in 2020. Meanwhile, Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch confirmed he'd called President Donald Trump's tweets attacking judges who opposed his immigration ban "disheartening and demoralizing," which could endear him to Democrats - and enrage the president.

Sources: BBC, NYT, The Guardian

Kenya's High Court Blocks Refugee Camp Closure

Nearly 260,000 people call it home. The closure of Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp, was ordered last year over security concerns about unproven links between the refugees and violent attacks from al-Shabab militants. But Kenya's National Commission on Human Rights challenged the decision. Today the country's high court agreed, saying it would amount to persecution to forcibly repatriate the camp's hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees, some of whom have been there for more than two decades. The government now has the right to appeal the ruling.

Sources: AFP, DW

UK House of Commons Approves Brexit Bill

It's a leap into the unknown. The bill allowing Prime Minister Theresa May to start the two-year process of exiting the EU is only two clauses long and passed without amendment. Though some attempted to attach riders - to protect workers' rights or the standing of EU citizens living in Britain during the upcoming negotiations - none succeeded. It now passes to the House of Lords, which has reportedly been warned that if it attempts to block the bill later this month, the entire House could be abolished in retaliation.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

Businesses Targeted by Trump Choose Sides

"Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom," President Trump tweeted yesterday, rebuking the department store for dropping his daughter's products. While Nordstrom's shares initially suffered, they shot up 4 percent by the end of the day. The president has made a habit of tweeting about companies, but critics are lambasting this tweet as unethical for influencing his family's business interests. As T.J. Maxx and Marshalls also stop showcasing Trump merchandise, more businesses are being forced to consider whether breaking with the Trump name will help or hinder the bottom line.

Sources: Bloomberg , NYT, BBC

Briefly

Know This: Seven protesters were arrested after they physically blocked a van deporting a mother who illegally entered the U.S. 21 years ago. The U.N. fears more than 1,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed during violent crackdowns in Myanmar. And a growing number of American immigrants are walking across the Canadian border, risking freezing temperatures to seek asylum from what they fear will be harsh immigration regulations under President Trump.

Remember This: "I would not describe any operation that results in the loss of American life as a success," said Sen. John McCain, Armed Services Committee chairman and former prisoner of war, after Press Secretary Sean Spicer claimed that anyone not describing the recent raid in Yemen as a success should apologize.

Talk to Us: OZY is working on a feature series about the evolution of the side hustle, and we want your ideas. If you have stories about interesting, crazy or novel ways that you or a friend makes money on the side, send us an email at sidehustles@ozy.com.

Meet OZY's Eugene Robinson

Will you be in the Bay Area this weekend? Don't miss a chance to meet OZY's very own Eugene Robinson live this Friday, hosting a one-of-a-kind Valentine's Day show. The first 100 people to email events@ozy.com will get access to discount VIP tickets!

Sources: OZY

INTRIGUING

Number of Homeless Students Rises With College Costs

Education is costing students meals. Increases in college tuition and student debt are making more students hungry and homeless - but many say the problem is invisible to the public. A recent survey of community colleges across the country showed that 20 percent of students weren't getting enough to eat, and a whopping 13 percent were homeless. Few colleges have support tailored to homeless students, and public assistance programs that require recipients to work part time can put further strain on those in need who also need an education.

Sources: NPR

Immigrants a Boon to Rust Belt Cities

Welcome one and all. Despite some increasingly nasty anti-immigrant rhetoric in national politics, a growing number of cities across the U.S. are trying to attract newcomers to revitalize stuttering local economies. In Nashville, an integration program called MyCity Academy has proven a success, and today the city boasts the largest Kurdish population outside Kurdistan. According to Nashville's community inclusion director, a number of cities - from mid-size ones like Bowling Green, Kentucky, to larger ones like Salt Lake City and Atlanta - are now looking into replicating their model.

Sources: OZY

Facebook Safety Check Now Lets Communities Offer Aid

They've got an open-door policy. Facebook's Safety Check lets users assure friends that they're safe when a crisis strikes - but now it's taking a more active role with a new tool that lets people offer food, transportation and a place to sleep after an accident or natural disaster. The feature, called Community Help, formalizes the support groups and events that often spring up in times of crisis. The site says it'll bar new or suspicious accounts from offering aid, to cut down on scams and dangerous situations.

Sources: Fast Company, CSM

Science Guy Returns With Show Set for April

It's capitalizing on Millennial nostalgia ... of science! The beloved TV educator's new show debunking anti-scientific claims, Bill Nye Saves the World, now has a premiere date: April 21. A new trailer indicates the 13-episode Netflix series will feature experiments, panel discussions and lots of celebrity guests, like fashion icon Tim Gunn, covering hot-button political topics from genetic modification to alternative medicines to climate change. While Nye made his name teaching children about science, this show's reportedly not aimed solely at kids, but at curious adults.

Sources: Wired, Tech Crunch

Major League Baseball Tests New Extra-Innings Rule

No more late nights? MLB is testing a new rule in the lowest levels of the minors that could zip up interminable games, forcing more action and sparing pitchers' arms: Every extra frame will begin with a runner at second base. It's a move that breaks with American baseball orthodoxy, though it's been used in international play for years and will feature in this spring's World Baseball Classic. Even if it's a wild success in the minors, fans shouldn't expect it to advance to the majors with any speed.

Sources: Yahoo Sports, Deadspin