Move Over Delta, Omicron Here to Stay

www.ozy.com [OZY]() Start your day smarter with a dossier on the most important world news, rounded off with a shot of intriguing and offbeat stories. Like the president, you deserve no less. Dec 21, 2021 TODAY Omicron continues to dominate the news after the World Health Organization advised global holiday curbs on travel and large celebrations to slow the spread of the variant. A worldwide market slump continues due to uncertainty over the fast-spreading virus, which two weeks ago accounted for just 3% of cases. But that number has grown to a whopping 73% in the United States. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump is suing New York Attorney General Letitia James in an attempt to thwart her investigation into possible fraud. All this and more in today’s Presidential Daily Brief. IMPORTANT 1 - Home for the Holidays Omicron danger outweighs holiday fun, say top health officials Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the WHO, advised worldwide curbs on holiday plans to slow the spread of the new omicron variant, saying, “An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled.” France and Germany have already instituted travel restrictions and health passes, and the Netherlands has imposed lockdowns over the holidays. But the U.S. has yet to enforce any restrictions on gatherings or travel. At a briefing Monday, Dr. Ghebreyesus pushed for global vaccinations, saying the pandemic could be quashed in 2022 if 70% of the world were vaccinated before the middle of next year. (Source: [BBC]() 2 - Slippy Slidey Stock Market Markets continue to show instability over omicron, oil and American politics Though markets rebounded slightly on Tuesday, a worldwide slump continues due to uncertainty over omicron. Leading the way for other markets, oil prices over possible new travel bans — causing drivers, airplanes and factories to burn less fuel — have further affected stock prices. Sen. Joe Manchin’s last-minute withdrawal of support for President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion Build Back Better bill, a possible supercharger for the U.S. economy, has also influenced trading. Optimism took another hit last week when the Federal Reserve announced it will take quick and aggressive action to combat runaway inflation by cutting economic aid. (Source: [AP]() 3 - Omicron Gone Wild The new variant accounts for 73% of all new US Covid cases Yes, you read that correctly. A mere two weeks ago, omicron accounted for just 3% of U.S. cases. But in the week of Dec. 11 that figure rose to 12.6% of circulating virus, while the delta variant accounted for 87%. Now just a week later, omicron accounts for a full 73.2% and delta an estimated at 26.6% of cases. New York City and Washington, D.C., have been hit particularly hard by the tsunami of cases affecting America’s urban centers. City officials are doing everything they can to combat the new opponent, but it seems it may be too little too late. (Source: [CNN]() 4 - Trump v. James The former president battles civil tax fraud investigation In his latest attempt to thwart New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into possible fraud committed in the state of New York, Donald Trump has sued for a court order to halt the procedure. Trump’s countersuit accuses James of being “guided solely by political animus,” while James responded that this is just one more in a long line of tactics by Trump and his lawyers to delay her investigation, firmly stating, “No one is above the law.” Trump’s highly unusual suit targets James personally, saying she should be blocked from taking any civil or criminal action against him. (Source: [NBC News]() 5 - Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: Maxwell jury begins deliberations. The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend who stands accused of trafficking girls for sex, will soon conclude. (Source: [AP]() Remaining hostages escape. In a daring moonlit escape, the 12 remaining missionaries kidnapped in Haiti earlier this year eluded their kidnappers, walking miles overnight to safety. (Source: [NPR]() Watch Mad Money’s Jim Cramer As He Discusses COVID Stock Picks, Robinhood Investors, Tesla & Battles With His Temper INTRIGUING 1 - Go Green — That’s an Order! EPA takes a firm stance to reduce US carbon dioxide emissions The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to reduce car and light truck pollution — the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions — to lessen the country’s enormous carbon footprint. By 2026, speed limits will top out at 55 miles per gallon of gas, preventing about 3 billion tons of emissions by 2050. The EPA’s move responds to the Biden administration’s pledge to combat climate change: “We followed the science, we listened to stakeholders, and we are setting robust and rigorous standards that will aggressively reduce the pollution that is harming people and our planet,” said EPA chief Michael Regan in a statement. (Source: [Axios]() 2 - New Jaw Muscle Drops Scientists have discovered an undetected third muscle in the human jawbone So you thought we had it all figured out when it came to something as elementary as human anatomy? Think again! Researchers in Switzerland discovered an overlooked layer of the masseter muscle, one of the main muscles that helps humans chew. The two-part muscle, easily visible when the jaw is tensed, runs along the jawline in both a superficial and a deep layer. Now researchers have found a third, even deeper layer. While laypeople may yawn at the news, it’s a big deal for scientists, who likened it to discovering a “new species of vertebrate.” (Source: [TheHill]() 3 - Crowd-Sourced Justice Petition to reduce a truck driver’s prison sentence galvanizes millions Four million people and counting have signed a petition asking lawmakers to reduce the 110-year sentence handed down to truck driver Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, whose truck caused a fatal 28-car pileup in 2019 on Interstate 70 in Denver. Four people died in the ensuing fire and chaos, after Aguilera-Mederos slammed into a group of cars on the shoulder when his truck’s brakes failed. The petition, started on Change.org, asks Colorado Governor Jared Polis to shorten the trucker’s sentence, taking into account his lack of any previous offense, and holding the trucking company, which ignored several past troubles in the vehicle, accountable. (Source: [NPR]() 4 - Yep, Trump Too Booster shots are all the rage, even for the former president On Bill O’Reilly’s show The History Tour, Donald Trump revealed that he is fully vaccinated — with a booster shot to boot. During his presidency, Trump steadfastly opposed vaccine mandates and has refused to encourage his supporters to wear masks or get the vaccine. While in office, he regularly flouted public health recommendations and peddled unproven treatments for COVID-19. Earlier this year, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that the booster shot is “probably not for me.” In early December, an NPR report showed that those living in pro-Trump counties had 2.73 times the death rate of pro-Biden counties due to COVID misinformation. (Sources: [ABC News](, [NPR]() 5 - Cancerous Cleansers Proctor & Gamble recalls dozens of hair products containing benzene A recent report found traces of benzene, a proven carcinogen, in 32 dry shampoos and conditioners sold by the company. P&G subsidiaries Pantene, Herbal Essence, Aussie and Old Spice are among those affected. The company is offering full reimbursement for the tainted products to any customer who fills out a claim with proof of purchase. Benzene is present in an alarming number of everyday products, and consistently earns a spot on the list of the 20 most-used chemicals in the country, even though repeated exposure to the chemical is known to cause cancer. (Source: [NBC News]() Join Our Team! 1 - OZY is hiring for the following roles: Senior Editor — Looking for an experienced, talented and snappy writer and editor to help grow our flagship morning newsletters. 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