Debate Recap

The sixth Democratic presidential debate took place in Los Angeles last night. The seven participants discussed an array of issues that included the impending impeachment trial, climate change, and more - check out a recap below.

USMCA Passes House

The House voted 385 to 41 yesterday to approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), sending the bill to the Senate for consideration in the new year. Mexico’s Senate has already approved the deal, which will not replace the current North American Free Trade Agreement until ratified by all three countries.

India Shuts Down Internet

Three of India’s top telecom networks suspended service to areas of New Delhi and Mangalore under the government’s direction on Thursday. Those areas reportedly had a large number of people marching in the streets in protest of India’s new citizenship bill, which creates a path to membership for immigrants of all major religions except Islam.

Live and Learn

Live Nation has announced a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department that extends and clarifies its 2010 merger agreement with Ticketmaster. The DOJ accused Live Nation of violating the terms of the merger agreement - barring Live Nation from forcing venues to book their tours using Ticketmaster - which is now set to expire in Dec. 2025.

Jumpman for Joy

Nike reported its quarterly earnings for the period ending Nov. 30, outperforming analyst’s expectations in earnings and sales. Nike’s earnings rose 70 cents per share compared to an expected 58 cents, as the company said its Jordan brand experienced its first-ever billion-dollar quarter.

Drug Drawing

Swiss company Novartis has launched a lottery-style program to provide doses of its uber-pricey drug, Zolgensma, free of charge to the winners. Zolgensma is touted as a one-shot cure for patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy - a deadly inherited disease - and is the world’s most expensive drug at a price of more than $2.1 million.

Request Denied

A court in Frankfurt, Germany ruled that Uber can no longer send ride-hailing requests to third-party rental car companies via its app. In Germany, Uber’s ride-hailing platform works exclusively with licensed private-hire vehicle companies, meaning the court order essentially outlaws Uber’s current model of operations in the country.

Pay It Forward

Tired of seeing his patients struggle to pay for necessary surgery, Nebraska surgeon Dr. Demetrio Aguila III created a solution that benefits not only his patients but the entire local area. The M25 Program, the first of its kind, allows patients to pay down the cost of surgery with time spent volunteering in their community.

This revolutionary idea involves a partnership with several local nonprofits, who provide the funds for the various surgeries. The patient selects a charity from the list of participating organizations, and are assigned a certain amount of volunteer hours to complete in order to pay off their surgery. The M25 program not only helps alleviate the cost of surgery for patients, but it also greatly reduces the need for paperwork under the innovative billing system. The first patient to benefit from the M25 program was Jeffrey Jensen, who received surgery on his leg and was billed a total of 560 volunteer hours, which he was able to complete with his family, church, and Boy Scout troop all pitching in to help.

Jensen said that the volunteer work and spending time with those in his community has improved his quality of life as well as his health following surgery. He told Healing Hands, “The M25 program is not about money—it’s about how if people come together to help other people, then your community thrives.”

The Power of Giving

Business owner Michael Esmond of Pensacola, Florida is no stranger to struggle and hardship. In the 1980s, he was unable to pay his utility bills during one of Florida’s coldest winters on record, where temperatures regularly hit the single digits.

Not wanting other families to have to suffer the same nerve-wracking conditions around this time of year, Esmond discovered the people in his Gulf Breeze community who were at risk of having their utility services disconnected. He paid the outstanding bills of 36 families, amounting to a $4,600 contribution towards a happier holiday season for dozens of grateful families.

Instead of warnings, the families received holiday cards from Esmond’s local spa business notifying them that their utility bill had been paid for. Three dozen families will have a huge load off their back during this season thanks to one special man who embodies the holiday spirit of giving.