United States

Authored by A.Z.Mohamed via The Gatestone Institute,

Authored by Ryan McMaken via The Mises Institute

In a government-controlled healthcare system, the state determines who can receive treatment and when. This has long been admitted. But, what is less often discussed is that once a patient finds himself within a state-run healthcare facility, the state may deny him treatment — even if privately funded. 

This was recently illustrated when Charlie Gard, a small child suffering from mitochondrial depletion syndrome, was denied privately-funded treament planned by his parents. 

Authored by Kevin Muir via The Macro Tourist,

This morning I have decided to write about US swap spreads. I know, you are already reaching for the delete key, but wait…

I tried to remember a time when swap spreads were exciting. I dug back into my memory, and tried to recall something that might spice up this snoozer of a topic.

Just one day after John Podesta appeared before a closed session of the House Intelligence Committee to offer his thoughts on "Russian meddling", CNN's anonymous sources are apparently telling them that Obama's former National Security Advisor, Susan Rice, will also appear before a closed session of the committee next month.  Here is more from CNN:

After allegedly pressuring the Chinese government to act first and adopt sanctions against nearly 10 local entities who the US claims provided North Korea with materials used in its nuclear program, the US has decided to act.  In an unprecedented step, the Treasury Department slapped financial sanctions on two Chinese nationals and a Chinese shipping company over their ties to North Korea stemming from its nuclear program, according to Reuters.