Wednesday Scoop: Brexit Delay
The big story…
British Lawmakers Shut Down Theresa May’s Brexit Deal
British lawmakers shut down Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal on Tuesday, making it the biggest defeat for any UK government in modern parliament history. CNN reports, “After 200 speeches across eight days of debate, members of the House of Commons ignored the Prime Minister’s final pleas to support her plan and threw it out by 432 votes to 202.” This defeat means May now faces a large political crisis with no clear solution in sight.
The opposition Labour party quickly called for a vote of no confidence against May following the vote. May is allowing time for the House of Commons to debate the motion on Wednesday. With 72 days to go until the country is expected to make its exit from the European Union, some wonder whether any plan will be approved at all.
In global news…
Shabab Militants Execute Deadly Attack on Hotel and Office Complex in Nairobi
An attack in Nairobi yesterday left at least 14 people killed and at least 15 wounded. The Islamist extremist group Shabab, who were responsible for killing 67 people in the attack on the Westgate Shopping Mall in 2013, orchestrated the assault yesterday, bombing three vehicles outside of the bank in the complex and sending a suicide bomber into the lobby of the hotel.
In food…
Big Mac Burger Loses EU Trademark to Irish Restaurant Chain
Yup, you read that right. McDonald’s has lost its trademark on the Big Mac after losing a legal battle to an Irish chain called Supermac. The American burger chain apparently violated EU law when they went after Supermac because the restaurant’s name was too similar to McDonald’s iconic burger. Supermac called this “trademark bullying” and won their case. TBD on what will happen when McDonald’s appeals.
In TV…
Netflix Raises Monthly Subscription Prices
Bad news for Netflix users in the U.S.: The streaming service is raising its monthly subscription price by one or two dollars (depending on the plan). Maybe it’s to cover their ongoing lawsuit over the latest installment of Black Mirror, “Bandersnatch.”
In award shows…
Alicia Keys to Host the 2019 Grammy Awards
The 15-time Grammy winner is now hosting the show herself. Watch the video of Alicia Keys being offered the job here.
In #MeToo…
Gilette Razor Commercial Combats Toxic Masculinity
The new Gillette Super Bowl commercial is a hot topic this week as it portrays the evolving role of masculinity in the #MeToo movement, referring of course to the old adage, “Boys will be boys.” Ironically, the ad seems to have failed on all counts. Many men were angry about the portrayal of masculinity as always toxic, and many women were offended by the company’s exploitation of the movement to sell razors.
In tech…
Apple Users Prefer Battery Replacements to New iPhones
Apple’s iPhone sales have flatlined as 11 million customers chose to participate in the company’s battery replacement deal rather than buy new phones. This may be a sign that Apple needs to start looking for new forms of revenue than the ever-beloved iPhone.
Trending today…
Goth Duck
Apparently Central Park’s Mandarin Duck has a hot relative from down under.
Last but not least…
A Breakdown of 2019’s Music Festivals
The time has come for music fans all over the country to begin making plans for the coming festival season. If you’re like me, you’ve already bought some tickets and started listening to festival-catered playlists. If you haven’t made your 2019 festival decisions yet, here is some guidance for finding the wisest way to spend your cash. Read more in Cece Starkman’s report for CMN to find out which music festival is right for you.
Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Natalia Kolenko, Cece Starkman, and the CMN Staff. The song ‘Africa’ by Toto is playing on an endless loop as part of an art installation in the Namib Desert in Africa. The piece is aptly named ‘Toto Forever.’ PS. Was this newsletter forwarded by a friend? Subscribe here to get the Morning Scoop straight to your inbox every day.
