27 maja 2015

Fwd: The Presidential Daily Brief - 05/27/2015

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From: OZY <admin@ozy.com>
Date: Wed, May 27, 2015 at 1:20 PM
Subject: The Presidential Daily Brief - 05/27/2015
To: pascal.alter@gmail.com


What Happened, Why it Matters
OZY
May 27, 2015  FIFA Officials Arrested  |  Floods Plague Southern U.S.  |  Thieves Hack I.R.S. Returns  |  Will France Take Less Time Off?
Dark road ahead for FIFA? Six top officials have been arrested and await extradition to the U.S. to face federal corruption charges.
Dark road ahead for FIFA? Six top officials have been arrested and await extradition to the U.S. to face federal corruption charges.  Source: Corbis

IMPORTANT...

1FIFA OFFICIALS ARRESTED OVER 'CORRUPTION'

They've been red-carded. Swiss authorities apprehended six officials from international soccer's governing body early today, politely escorting them from their hotel to be extradited to the U.S. on federal corruption charges. Feds say up to 14 suspects have been involved in "institutionalized" wrongdoing linked to World Cup bids, with charges including racketeering and money laundering. Legal wrangling could further weaken the scandal-dogged organization and threaten its longtime president, Sepp Blatter, who's expected to be elected to a fifth term on Friday, despite some calling for his resignation.

NYT, BBC

2STORMS IN TEXAS, OKLAHOMA KILL 17

Water, water everywhere. The southern U.S. is digging out after torrential rains and tornadoes killed at least 17. Parts of Houston, America's fourth-largest city, remain underwater as workers battle to clear roads littered with debris and abandoned cars, and to restore power to 100,000 homes. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declared 40 counties disaster areas, and President Obama has pledged federal funding. But that doesn't mean Mother Nature is done: Heavy rain remains in the forecast, and with several still missing, the death toll is likely to rise.

Reuters, BBC, USA Today

3HACKERS ACCESS 104,000 I.R.S. RETURNS

Financial aid turned into a financial raid. A record-finding tool called Get Transcript — meant for downloading old returns with information needed for loan applications — has been hacked by identity thieves. Posing as legitimate taxpayers, an organized crime syndicate is suspected of using stolen personal information to claim $50 million of other people's tax refunds, and authorities fear this could lead to fraudulent bank or credit card accounts being opened. The I.R.S. has shut down the tool to bolster security and plans to notify all affected parties by mail.

Forbes, CNN Money, NYT

4SNAPCHAT CHASES IPO, SPURNS OFFERS

They're going it alone — and going public. Founder Evan Spiegel, 24, says he's not interested in being acquired, referring to Facebook's $3 billion offer. Instead he's planning an initial public offering at an undisclosed date. Spiegel admits that the messaging app startup — valued at $15 billion in March, up from $10 billion last year — has yet to prove it can generate income from ads, but hopes to forge additional revenue streams and IPO strength in a bid to stick around longer than all those fleeting messages.

FT (sub)

BRIEFLY...

Libyan prime minister escapes assassination attempt. (Al Jazeera)

Court refuses to lift block on Obama's immigration plan. (WSJ) sub

Hamas accused of human rights abuses in Gaza. (AP)

EU set to unveil migrant quota plan. (BBC)

Taliban claims deadly attack on Kabul guesthouse. (DW)

INTRIGUING ...

1FRENCH FIRMS TRY TO SHORTEN LES VACANCES

They've been saying "oui" to a 35-hour work week since 1998, with employees enjoying 27 vacation days a year. Originally meant to reduce unemployment, those standards are now under fire, with some companies wanting to lay off that brand of socialism. At energy giant EDF — where overtaxed staff work 39.5 hours, netting an extra 23 days for a whopping 10 weeks of annual leave — bosses are now dangling bonuses as incentives to scale back to just seven weeks in order to compete with the rest of the working world.

Quartz, Management Today

2TACO BELL, PIZZA HUT DROP ARTIFICIAL ADDITIVES

It was a natural choice. The fast food giants are tossing artificial ingredients by the end of the year, hoping to boost sales in an increasingly health-conscious marketplace. Nacho and pizza cheeses will lose their yellow No. 6, and the end is nigh for seasoned beef's fake black pepper flavoring. The plans to alter nearly every menu item have some diners kicking up a fuss, and naturally, the makeover will have little effect on fat content. But others are applauding the change and hope more restaurants follow suit.

The Verge, ThinkProgress

3CAN ALCOHOL BREAK ELDERLY HEARTS?

It's meant to pump blood, not whiskey. A study of 4,500 seniors with an average age of 76 found that drinking can threaten the heart's structural integrity, especially in women. Researchers found that even modest amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can cause females' heart muscles to deteriorate in small but significant ways, while men should limit themselves to two tipples a day to avoid damaging their most vital organ. The study, which contradicts earlier research, is unlikely to change current U.S. guidelines, but bolsters recommendations to drink in moderation.

LiveScience, WebMD

4BROADWAY ENJOYS RECORD-SETTING SEASON

Those neon lights are shining brighter than ever. The Big Apple's theater hub has been raking in the cash with record attendance and box office grosses this year, thanks to revitalized tourism and new smash hits joining the pantheon of long-running stalwarts. Shows like An American in Paris led the newcomers this season, which saw an unprecedented 13.1 million attendees shell out $1.37 billion for perennial musical favorites and celeb-driven plays, all of which are vying for gold at the Tony Awards on June 7.

Variety, NYDN

5CAVS SWEEP HAWKS, ROLL INTO FINALS

Cleveland is rocking. After sitting out two games with an injury, point guard Kyrie Irving didn't miss a beat, leading the Cavs to a 118-88 victory over top-seeded Atlanta last night to take the Eastern Conference title. LeBron James — who nearly averaged a triple-double in the series — will make his fifth straight appearance in the finals, this time looking to deliver Ohio its first ring since 1964. Meanwhile, the hobbled Hawks will watch from home as the Cavs face the Warriors or Rockets for the NBA title.

ESPN

Paul and Colette Pondella have 10 wolfdogs in their pack at the Shadowland Foundation.
FAST FORWARD

Wolf Therapy: The Latest in Mental Health Care
Wolves have permeated many cultures' lore and captivated humans since the dawn of time. Now they might be some people's best hope for recovery.

drugs
RISING STARS

Can One Man End the Global Drug War?
Czech drug czar Jindřich Vobořil is showing the world how to tackle vice from his home base.

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