Resignations Sweep Northern Ireland, Gambia And Even Yahoo

PNUT GALLERY

In a small but important gesture, Secretary of State John Kerry apologized for the State Department’s discrimination against LGBT employees. Watch his speech here.

 IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

 We’re All Cautiously Optimistic For These Cyprus Peace Talks

The fact that Greek and Turkish community leaders are even talking about Cyprus reunification in the first multilateral conference since the island’s partition 43 years ago is reason enough to celebrate this historic moment. Greece’s Nicos Anastasiades and Turkey’s Mustafa Akıncı have been trying to settle inter-ethnic divisions on the island for the last 18 months, and those talks will culminate in a high-stakes peace deal in Geneva this week.

The meeting on January 12 will include Turkey, Greece and former colonial power Britain, because of course they’re still involved. It’s already worth commending both Anastasiades and Akıncı for their moderate stances, endorsement of coexistence and shared commitment to finding a solution. With Europe becoming an increasingly sectarian space, the prospect of Christians and Muslims rebuilding a shared island would be a powerful symbol of hope.

 NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

 Trump Leaves The Apprentice For Family Feud

President-elect named Jared Kushner as Senior Adviser to the President, after what must have been a thorough vetting process. After all, Jared Kushner is Trump’s son-in-law. The appointment further entangles the incoming administration in a maze of criticism and legal problems. Kushner will have to argue that federal anti-nepotism laws, which prohibit any federal official from hiring family members to an agency or office which he or she leads, don’t apply to him. Otherwise, he’ll have to retain an informal role, similar to Trump’s children as they join political meetings.

Meanwhile, Democrats seem to have their hands full trying to investigate the Russian hacking. Democratic members of Congress are calling for a “Protecting our Democracy Act” that would create a 12-member panel to interview witnesses and issue subpoenas to examine Russia’s attempts to influence the election. Beyond using the documents US intelligence currently offers, the panel would function as an independent commission similar to what was created to investigate the September 11 attacks. However, Russia was quick to call the idea a “witch hunt” and while we don’t always like to side with the Kremlin, the legislation’s resemblance to McCarthyism is hard to ignore.

Belfast: McGuinness Throws His Hands Up In The Air And Walks Out

Tensions rose between Northern Ireland’s two largest parties as Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness resigned from his position as Deputy First Minister in a protest move against the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) handling of a failed renewable energy scheme. His opponent, First Minister Arlene Foster (of the DUP) has come under scrutiny over the last month for refusing to step down in the face of a conflict of interest, and her party’s handling of the scandal.

 KEEPING OUR EYE ON: RESIGNATIONS

Gambia: Communication minister Sheriff Bojang is the first high-profile Cabinet member to resign since President Yahya Jammeh refused to accept election results indicating his loss. Supporters of opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won the December election by a thin margin, hope that Bojang’s resignation will encourage others from the outgoing Cabinet to follow suit.

Yahoo: CEO Marissa Mayer will be stepping down from Yahoo after they close their $4.83 billion deal with Verizon. Yahoo will be selling its core internet business and then changing its name to Altaba Inc.

 LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

 German Lawmaker Wants The State To Pay For Prostitutes

With healthcare and higher education already provided by the German government, it’s easy to assume “financing sexual assistance” would be the natural next step. Green Party lawmaker Elisabeth Scharfenberg raised eyebrows when she suggested that the state assist those in serious need of a prostitute. Scharfenberg’s idea was inspired by a similar system in the Netherlands, where elderly applicants prove a medical need for sex and show that they are unable to afford a sex worker without state funding. Prostitution has been legal in Germany since 2002 but never offered as part of medical assistance. Considering many insurance plans in the United States don’t even cover vision and dental exams, it’s unlikely this will appear in your benefits package anytime soon.