The Fitness Magazine: Your Presidential Daily Brief: UK Protests US Intel Leaks

IMPORTANT

May 25, 2017

President Trump arrives today for a NATO summit in Brussels, which has been roiled with protesters rallying against U.S. policies. Source: Getty

After Leaks, Manchester Police Won't Share Intel With US

Guess who can't keep a secret? British authorities warned their American counterparts against leaking intelligence after the identity of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was revealed by U.S. media. But when classified photos from the bombing later appeared in The New York Times, Manchester police decided to stop giving the Americans information while they investigate Abedi's potentially large terrorist network. Though the U.K. will continue sharing other intelligence, Prime Minister Theresa May plans to confront President Donald Trump about the problem when they meet at today's NATO summit in Brussels.

Sources: FT (sub), BBC, The Guardian

Congressional Candidate Charged With Assaulting Journalist

This could be a game changer. On the eve of today's special election for the Montana House seat, Republican candidate Greg Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly "body slamming" a journalist in front of witnesses. Gianforte's campaign accused Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs of "aggressive behavior," but witnesses and an audio recording back up Jacobs' account. If convicted, Gianforte could spend six months behind bars. But half of Montana's voters have already cast early ballots, so the incident might not be enough to hand victory to Democrat Rob Quist.

Sources: NYT, Buzzfeed, BI

CBO: Trumpcare Would Leave 23 Million More Uninsured

That's a tough sell. While the GOP's Obamacare replacement passed the House so swiftly that the Congressional Budget Office couldn't issue a score before the vote, the numbers are now in: Fourteen million more Americans would be uninsured in 2018, and 23 million more by 2026. That's likely to trouble Senate Republicans, who've already sworn to completely rewrite the bill, as they try to reconcile the desires of centrist and hardline conservatives - not to mention voters, who are expected to give legislators an earful during next week's recess.

Sources: Washington Post, NYT, WSJ (sub)

US Warship Passes Near Disputed South China Sea Reef

They're up to Mischief. In a move likely to rattle Beijing, the U.S. Navy sent the USS Dewey within 12 miles of Mischief Reef in the Chinese-claimed Spratly Islands. The U.S. doesn't officially recognize China's sovereignty claims, but hadn't previously performed such maneuvers under President Trump - perhaps due to the desire for China's cooperation in tamping down North Korea's nuclear threat. The Pentagon is calling it a freedom of navigation operation, meant to challenge excessive territorial claims, while Beijing says the warship has been warned to leave.

Sources: BBC, NYT, WSJ (Sub)

Briefly

Know This: Embattled Brazilian President Michel Temer has deployed federal troops to Brasilia to restore order as street protests calling for his ouster saw dozens wounded. Google's AlphaGo computer has defeated human champion Ke Jie for the second time. And New Zealand has launched a low-cost 3-D-printed rocket, which could turn the country into a hub for space travel.

Remember This Number: 125. That's how many refugees have arrived in Sicily on yachts or sailboats so far in 2017, as smugglers prey on migrants who have the means to avoid resorting to deadly rafts in order to cross the Mediterranean and Aegean.

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.

OZY and GE are partnering to bring you an inside look at additive manufacturing.

This Tiny 3-D-Printed Jet Engine Could Have Big Promise

When GE engineers built an almost entirely 3-D-printed jet engine in miniature last year, they saw the backpack-size creation as little more than a fun side project. Today, however, more and more aircraft manufacturers are incorporating 3-D parts into their planes. In the future, could planes be almost entirely 3-D printed?

Sources: OZY | GE ON DIGITAL INDUSTRY

INTRIGUING

Pope Gives Trump Encyclicals on Climate Change, Peace

Subtle. When President Trump and Pope Francis met at the Vatican yesterday, the pontiff granted the U.S. president a few gifts, including copies of his 2017 peace letter and his 2015 missive on climate change and the importance of protecting the environment. The 192-page climate encyclical's philosophy stands in marked contrast to Trump's stance on rolling back environmental regulations and chopping the EPA's budget, and its delivery comes as the U.S. mulls whether to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. Trump reportedly told Francis, "Well, I'll be reading them."

Sources: Time, The Hill, Independent

Exercise Trackers Don't Accurately Calculate Burned Calories

Just being active is a step in the right direction. But new research from Stanford University has found that fitness trackers are unreliable when it comes to calculating how many calories you burn while working out. The study scrutinized seven fitness devices, and the most accurate at tracking energy expenditure, the FitBit Surge, was still off by 27.4 percent, while the PulseOn had a 92.6 percent error margin. The devices did accurately measure heart rate, but experts say users should think twice before relying on their wearables for nutritional guidance.

Sources: The Cut, Forbes

Study: Cannabis Extract Reduces Seizures From Epilepsy

Think of the children. A new clinical trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that cannabidiol - a cannabis-derived compound without psychoactive properties - can reduce seizures in young patients with a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. While nine of the 120 participants, aged 2-18, dropped out over side effects, the drug reduced seizures by 39 percent and three patients' seizures stopped entirely. Researchers are optimistic, but warn against viewing cannabidiol as a cure-all right now, saying that more studies are needed.

Sources: PRI, The Verge, Live Science

Sponsors Abandon Sean Hannity Over Conspiracy Theory

He'll have to find alternative advertisers to sponsor alternative facts. There's zero evidence to support the discredited conspiracy theory that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich was killed last year for passing information to WikiLeaks, and even Fox News has retracted its story about the case. But Hannity's said he'll continue to dig into the story, even as Rich's family has repeatedly begged him to stop. Now the conservative firebrand's feeling another kind of pressure: At least six sponsors, including Cars.com, say they've pulled their advertising from his show over the controversy.

Sources: BI, Buzzfeed, Mic

Edge Rushers Sprint Into NFL Draft

They're giving teams that cutting edge. The previously well-defined roles of defensive end and outside linebacker are merging into the versatile position of edge rusher - and it's becoming the most valuable defensive job in modern football. The hybrid position's stock is skyrocketing as more teams find their niche amid a continuing shift to 3-4 defenses. Top edge rushers are moving up the 2017 draft, with players like former Temple Owl Haason Reddick - who would've gone mid-round a few years ago - now drafted No. 13 overall.

Sources: OZY