Tip News Daily Brief

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May 11th, 2023

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In Today’s Brief

Border Patrol: Record migrant arrests
OpenAI: CEO testifying before Congress
Freaky Friday: Sequel in the works
Microsoft: No raises this year

...and more

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Top Tips

April inflation report

Inflation in the U.S. as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 4.9% in April compared to last year and 0.4% from the month prior, per a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

According to the Labor Bureau’s report, energy prices decreased by 5.1% year-over-year, while the index for food rose 7.7% from April 2022 levels. Other categories that saw price increases in the days between March and April were used cars and trucks (+4.4%), gasoline (+3.0%), and rent (+0.6%). “Core” inflation–which removes the food and energy components of the report–increased by 5.5% compared to the same period last year, and rose 0.4% in April after also rising 0.4% in March.

Last month’s 4.9% annualized rise in the CPI marks a decline of 2.2% from its November 2022 level, which saw an annualized increase of 7.1% from November 2021. Price categories that decreased in April are appliances (-1.9%), toys (-0.5%), and sporting goods (-0.3%).

George Santos charged

New York Representative George Santos surrendered to authorities yesterday and was indicted on a total of 13 federal criminal charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Per a statement from the Justice Department, the 34-year-old lawmaker was charged with seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. Santos has faced calls to resign from members of Congress–including those from his own party–over revelations that he fabricated parts of his resume, background, and personal economic standing.

Santos was elected to Congress last fall and has faced criminal investigations before, including being charged with theft in Pennsylvania in 2017 after authorities said he used false checks to buy puppies from dog breeders. The DOJ said the top charges against Santos carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if he is found guilty.

Over-the-counter birth control

An FDA advisory panel recommended that the agency allow a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription in the U.S. for the first time.

In a 17-0 vote, members of two FDA advisory committees determined that patients could properly follow the labeling instructions of HRA Pharma’s Opill—which direct patients to take the pill around the same time every day—without first consulting with a healthcare provider. If the FDA follows the recommendation and switches Opill away from prescription-only use, it could potentially expand the availability of contraception in the U.S.

Opill was first approved in the U.S. in 1973. It is a progestin-only pill, which means it’s made of a synthetic form of progesterone and doesn’t include estrogen as other birth control pills do. The pill’s maker HRA Pharma–which is part of consumer products conglomerate Perrigo–expects a final decision from the FDA to come at some point this summer.

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Quick Tips

Around the Globe

A record number of migrants have been arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border this week for attempting to unlawfully enter the country ahead of Title 42’s expiration; over 10.3K migrants were reportedly apprehended Tuesday, marking the highest single-day total in border patrol history (More)
The Swiss village of Brienz was ordered to evacuate by 6 PM local time tomorrow amid warnings that a large mass of rock on a mountain overhead could come loose and hit the town in the coming days (More)
Unrest in Pakistan following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan has led to eight deaths in nationwide protests and about 1K arrests, according to reports from Pakistani police (More)

On the Homefront

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will testify before Congress next Tuesday for the first time next week as lawmakers seek to figure out how to regulate advancing artificial intelligence tools (More)
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer presented evidence during a press conference alleging that the Biden family had business dealings in Romania and China during Biden’s time in office as Vice President (More)
U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the shooting death of 28-year-old Garrett Foster at a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Texas (More)

Glitz & Games

In partnership with Earth Conscious Life

Disney will soon pull Hulu content into Disney+ to create a “one-app experience” for users in the U.S., though the services will remain separate, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger (More)
A sequel to the 2003 film ‘Freaky Friday’ is in the works with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reportedly expected to reprise their roles (More)
Blogger and founder of Dooce.com Heather Armstrong took her own life at age 47, according to an Instagram post on the company’s account (More)

From our partners: The Need to GROW – Our soil is losing quality, stripping our food of vital nutrients and leading to an increase in diseases and skyrocketing food prices. In these tough times, the world needs grounded hope more than ever…and The Need To GROW is a powerful film that offers just that. Click here to watch the film and discover how you can be part of the solution.

Business & Markets

Major indexes in the stock market ended mixed, with the Dow losing while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 gained (Dow -0.09%, Nasdaq +1.04%, S&P 500 +0.45%)
Lithium companies Allkem and Livent announced they will combine in an all-stock deal to create the world’s third-largest producer of lithium, the metal used to make electric vehicle batteries (More)
Microsoft will not offer salary increases for full-time employees this year after providing raises to some of them in 2022, per an internal memo from CEO Satya Nadella (More)

Tips & Tricks

Feel Good: An international study of people on five continents has found that people help each other through small acts of kindness about every two minutes and that we generally accept calls for help much more often than we reject them
Speak Peek: Watch Steve Zahn go after Danny McBride & Co in the official teaser trailer for season three of The Righteous Gemstones, premiering June 18th on Max
Bump This: Gryffin and Kid Joi team up to deliver an irresistible falsetto chorus in the new EDM single “Oceans” - listen on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube
Chow Down: If you’re hosting a spring gathering soon, try whipping up this spring appetizer board filled with fresh veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and whipped feta cheese that’s sure to please even the toughest of crowds
Nerd Out: Read up on how Bard–Google’s answer to OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT–is now open to everyone in the U.S. as of yesterday and packs a slew of new features, including more languages, the ability to use images for input, and integration with more of Google’s services
Hot Goss: Finland’s outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin has reportedly filed for divorce jointly with her husband of three years, Markus Raikkonen
Life Hack: If the thought of you or your family’s economic situation gives you a sinking feeling in your stomach, you’re not alone - here are some quick tips on how to properly care for your mental health and your wallet when times get tough

Tip-Offs

Some last-minute gift ideas for Mother’s Day.

The ongoing writers’ strike impacts more TV shows.

See inside a real-life Massachusetts dollhouse.

…and a new concept car that can drive sideways.

Stunning close-up footage of a grizzly bear fight.

Why some Gen Zers love the Eurovision song contest.

Nintendo gets emotional in its newest Zelda trailer.

…and a list of the 100 all-time greatest video games.

Looking Back…

On May 11th: Glacier National Park is established in the Rocky Mountain wilderness of northwestern Montana (1910); Bob Marley dies of cancer at age 36 (1981); IBM’s chess-playing computer Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of a six-game match (1997); artist Salvador Dalí is born (1904).

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