The More Things Change...

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. Jan 03, 2022 TODAY Twitter permanently suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s personal account on Sunday after repeated warnings over the spread of misinformation. Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the CDC will consider revising its recommendations for asymptomatic Americans who test positive for COVID-19. Sudan Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another day of unrest over October’s military coup in Khartoum. And Democrats hope to gain Sen. Joe Manchin's support for the popular Build Back Better Bill after his surprise rejection of the bill before the holiday recess. All this and more in today’s Presidential Daily Brief. IMPORTANT 1 - Greene Gone Twitter suspends Marjorie Taylor Green’s personal account over misinformation Republican from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was permanently suspended from Twitter this weekend for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, which goes against Twitter’s policies. The suspension came after Greene tweeted her criticisms of public health measures instituted during the pandemic to prevent unnecessary deaths and slow the spread of the virus. Only Greene’s personal account has been suspended; her official government account will remain active. Greene attacked Twitter after the ban, calling the social media giant an “enemy to America.” Back in May, she faced a widespread backlash for comparing COVID-19 precautions to the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. (Source: [NPR]() 2 - Accentuate the Negative The CDC may revise its isolation requirements after sharp criticism Dr. Anthony Fauci announced yesterday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consider revising its recommendations for asymptomatic Americans who test positive for COVID-19. The CDC shortened its isolation period for those infected with the virus from 10 days to five days, as long as the person remains asymptomatic and wears a mask around others for a period of five days. But doctors and health providers said the measures did not go far enough, asking the CDC to also require a negative antigen test before leaving isolation. The CDC is reconsidering its guidelines, with new updates expected today. (Source: [AP]() 3 - Sudan in Turmoil Sudan’s Prime Minister resigns dealing a blow to hopes for democracy Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another day of unrest in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The prime minister was placed under house arrest during a military coup last October, but was reinstated a month later after agreeing to a power-sharing deal with the military. Pro-democracy civilians in Sudan rejected that agreement, calling for a democratic civilian political leadership. Hamdok insisted he did his best to keep the country from “sliding toward disaster,” and added that despite all of his efforts no progress had been made. Since the military coup on Oct. 25, 56 people have been killed during protests. (Source: [BBC]() 4 - Manchin’s Last Stand Senate Democrats have a few more shots at wooing the senator Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has been a thorn in the side of Democrats for months. Now his vote represents a final blockaide to President Joe Biden’s popular Build Back Better Bill from passing the Senate. As the Senate leadership meets Monday night and Senate Democrats hold their weekly caucus lunch on Tuesday, both occasions mark Manchin’s first interactions with his colleagues since the holiday recess, which came immediately after his surprise opposition of the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is planning a vote on the package later this month. (Source: [Axios]() 5 - Briefly Here are some things you should know about today: New labelling for genetically modified foods went into effect Jan. 1. New labelling on controversial scientifically altered foods may prove confusing, consumers should now look for “bioengineered” instead of “genetically modified organisms (GMO).” (Source: [WaPo]() Stock market may see leveling off in 2022. Some fear slides as the Federal Reserve removes supports to the economy, though investors remain optimistic. (Source: [WSJ]() Biden’s child tax credit set to expire as COVID surges. The widely acclaimed pandemic benefit that has pulled millions of children out of poverty will lapse over a congressional standoff. (Source: [NYT]() Watch Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein As He Discusses Investing in Character and Why to Believe in Capitalism INTRIGUING 1 - Grounded for the New Year Nearly 2,000 US flights canceled on New Year’s Day due to omicron spike The recent COVID surge, coinciding with widespread storms, created a massive headache for U.S. airlines over the New Year’s weekend. Many of the 1,956 cancelled U.S. flights … and more than 4,000 grounded flights worldwide … were due to staffing shortages after an explosion of coronavirus infections. Airlines have been managing staff shortages for weeks, and the industry has pushed hard for shorter quarantine guidelines for breakthrough cases. With over 14,000 canceled flights in the past 10 days, airlines are desperate for a reprieve. But that’s not looking likely anytime soon — the Federal Aviation Administration predicts even more travel delays this week. (Sources: [TheHill](, [Reuters]() 2 - Emily, Stay in Paris Ukraine culture minister insulted over negative stereotype on Netflix show The hit show Emily in Paris on Netflix follows a young American woman, played by Lily Collins, as she adjusts to life in Paris and, more broadly, Europe. In the recently released second season, Emily goes on a shopping spree with a classmate from her French class named Petra, a Ukrainian woman portrayed as an unfashionable shoplifter. Ukraine culture minister Oleksandr Tkachenko complained to Netflix that the character is a blatant and insensitive stereotype, calling the portrayal “unacceptable” and “insulting.” Season one of the show was widely criticized by the French for its airbrushed portrait of Paris and stereotypical Parisians. (Source: [BBC]() 3 - 5G Marches On AT&T and Verizon reject a request to delay 5G over flight safety concerns U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson had formally requested that AT&T and Verizon delay their deployment of 5G wireless services for no more than two weeks over aviation safety concerns. In a joint letter on Sunday, both AT&T CEO John Stankey and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg refused to delay the rollout, but said they would not deploy 5G close to airports for six months. The aviation industry and the FAA are concerned that 5G technology could interfere with sensitive aircraft electronics, like radio altimeters, leading to flight disruptions. (Source: [CNN]() 4 - Remembering Betty White The ‘Golden Girls’ star dies at age 99 after a lifetime in show business Few actors can say they’ve performed for as many decades as Betty White. The beloved actor began her career onscreen in 1952, when she appeared in the sitcom Life with Elizabeth, which she also produced. White’s path to stardom was assured after her star turn on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1970s and on The Golden Girls, an iconic sitcom about single women of a certain age in the 1980s. White maintained a devoted fan base and enjoyed a late-life renaissance, acting in the sitcom Hot in Cleveland and in her own reality show Betty White’s Off Their Rockers. (Source: [People]() 5 - Last Straw Antonio Brown makes a dramatic exit after years of erratic behavior The Tampa Bay Buccaneer wide receiver retired mid-game on Sunday, tearing off his jersey, hurling it into the stands and walking away despite players’ pleas for him to stay. The NFL has repeatedly declined to either sanction or help the notoriously difficult player for a growing list of offenses that include allegations of sexual assault from two women and using a fake vaccination card to flout NFL vaccination requirements. Though the NFL gave Brown a three-game suspension over the offense, some viewed it as a slap on the wrist. Tampa Bay went on to a 28-24 victory over the New York Jets. (Sources: [CNN](, [Rolling Stone]() 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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