Tip News Daily Brief

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July 27th, 2023

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In Today’s Brief

Typhoon Doksuri: Hits the Philippines
Mastercard: Bans cannabis purchases
Sinead O’Connor: Passes away at 56
Meta: Sees double-digit revenue growth

...and more

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Hunter Biden plea deal

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges yesterday after a deal he struck with the Justice Department was put on hold when the judge questioned the agreement’s terms.

Biden, 53, was charged last month with two misdemeanor crimes of failure to pay between $1.1M to $1.5M in taxes before lawful deadlines. His subsequent plea deal included a guilty plea to two tax misdemeanors for failing to pay taxes and a diversionary agreement on a gun-related felony for owning a weapon while he admitted to using drugs. Now that his plea deal fell apart, Biden’s lawyers have been given 14 days to come to a new deal with the prosecution.

Yesterday’s events follow a five-year investigation into the first son’s finances. DOJ officials are reportedly still investigating whether he violated federal laws that required him to register as a foreign agent while working in China and Ukraine during his father’s vice presidency.

Fed issues rate hike

After pausing increases in June following 15 months of rate hikes, the Federal Reserve announced yesterday that it is raising interest rates by 0.25%, or 25 basis points.

The Fed’s decision to raise rates by 0.25% was unanimous between all members of the Federal Open Market Committee and marks the 11th rate hike in 17 months. In a statement, the Committee said it “decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 5-1/4 to 5-1/2 percent.” The midpoint of that target range sits at the highest level for the Fed’s benchmark rate since 2001. The Committee also said it “would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy” going forward to bring inflation back to its target level of 2%.

The Fed’s announcement comes two weeks after the Labor Bureau released a report showing that U.S. inflation rose by 3% in June (as measured by the CPI). That 3% annualized increase in the CPI marks a decline of 6% from its June 2022 level, which saw an annualized increase of 9% compared to June 2021.

UFO congressional hearings

A House committee on national security heard testimony yesterday from three former military officials on unidentified aerial phenomena, often called “UAPs” or “UFOs.”

Retired Major David Grusch testified that he “absolutely” believes the government was in possession of UAPs and said he was informed of a “multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program” during his time as an intelligence officer. In a statement, Defense Department officials said investigators hadn’t discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”

In May, NASA held its first public meeting on UAPs and called for a more rigorous scientific approach to clarify the origin of hundreds of purported sightings. When asked yesterday during the hearing whether the U.S. has recovered the bodies of pilots of crashed craft, Grusch said that “biologics came” with some of the recoveries, and he called them “non-human.”

In partnership with Food Revolution Network

A Vital Crossroads

Industrial agriculture has become one of the most destructive forces on Earth.

We’re eroding the soil of vital nutrients… Contaminating our food (and our bodies) with pesticides… And running out of water.

But there are a few brave innovators fighting for change.

This week, you can watch their story (and be part of the solution) with the groundbreaking film The Need To GROW. Our friends at Earth Conscious Life are hosting a limited-time global screening event for free.

>> Watch now: The Need To GROW.

Narrated by Rosario Dawson (The Lego Batman Movie, The Mandalorian, and more), this film will warm your heart and inspire you with possibilities.

You’ll learn about the breakthrough technology that regenerates soil in days — what would take nature 400 years. (And why this is so threatening to the powers that be!)

This film is urgent, and needs to be seen by as many people as possible.

>> Watch the trailer and get access to stream The Need To GROW now. Totally free.

Please support our sponsors!

Quick Tips

Around the Globe

Typhoon Doksuri hit the northern Philippines yesterday, leaving at least six people dead and displacing 16K people as it blew roofs off houses, flooded low-lying villages, and triggered dozens of landslides, according to officials (More)
Russia bans surgical gender reassignment procedures in new legislation signed by Vladimir Putin; the unanimously-approved law also annuls all marriages where a partner is trans and prevents transgender individuals from adopting (More)
Members of Niger’s presidential guard surrounded the presidential palace in what African organizations have called an attempted coup against President Mohamed Bazoum; according to the president’s Twitter, he and his family were unharmed (More)

On the Homefront

A crane collapsed at a Manhattan construction site in New York yesterday, causing 16 tons of concrete and debris to fall into the street; the incident left at least six people injured, two of which were firefighters responding to the scene, per local officials (More)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was escorted away from a press conference after appearing to have difficulty speaking; the Senator began discussing the chamber’s annual defense bill before silently staring ahead with a blank look on his face for around 20 seconds (More)
Mastercard is moving to ban cannabis purchases on its debit cards in the United States; the company said the move comes after it discovered that some shops were accepting debit payments despite the federal ban on cannabis in the U.S. (More)

Glitz & Games

In partnership with Faye

A London jury acquitted Kevin Spacey of sexual assault charges after a trial in which he testified as a witness in his own defense; the verdict came on Spacey’s 64th birthday (More)
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, who rose to fame with the 1990 single “Nothing Compares 2 U,” passed away at 56, per an announcement from her family; a cause and date of her death was not revealed (More)
Rapper Travis Scott’s “Utopia” concert at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt was officially canceled due to “complex production issues”, according to a statement from Live Nation Middle East (More)

From our partners: Protect Your Upcoming Summer Vacation – This holiday season, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst with travel insurance that will go the distance to make sure you’re looked after from takeoff to checkout. Travel insurance with and easy sign up, quick claims processing & fast payments via Faye Wallet. Get covered in 60 seconds.

Business & Markets

Major indexes in the stock market ended mixed after the Fed’s rate hike announcement, with the Dow gaining while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 lost (Dow -0.23%, Nasdaq -0.12%, S&P 500 -0.02%)
Meta reported revenue growth of 11% in Q2 compared to the same period last year, marking the first time it has seen double-digit revenue growth since Q4 2021; shares of the company (NASDAQ: META) rose by over 6.5% in extended trading (More)
Seven major automakers are working together to build a North American electric vehicle charging network that will aim to nearly double the number of quick-charging plugs in the U.S. and Canada (More)

Tips & Tricks

Feel Good: Meet Samantha Frye, an 18-year-old former student who took her college savings and bought the restaurant where she worked as a dishwasher, embracing entrepreneurship and proving that there’s more than one way people can invest in their future
Sneak Peak: 50 years after The Exorcist became the first horror film to ever be nominated for best picture, the franchise is seeing a return with The Exorcist: Believer… and its terrifying trailer is already having us jump in our seats
Bump This: Singer-songwriter Mitski just released her new acoustic single “Bug Like An Angel”, reminding us all that our lows in life can also have moments of beauty - listen now on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube
Chow Down: Groceries don’t come as cheap as they used to, and we can all use simple meals that cut down costs; try this recipe for sausage hash that makes a hearty and tasty meal with only five ingredients
Nerd Out: Read up on how ancient DNA taken from corpses at Machu Picchu has revealed that the so-called Lost City of the Incas was home to a multicultural population that hailed from across the empire and beyond
Go Deep: Dive into an interview with EJ Lagasse, the 20-year-old son of world-renowned-chef Emeril, and hear his plans for carrying his father’s legacy into the future
Life Hack: Snacking can be a helpful way to get through the day when you’re busy, tired, or just extra hungry; in a new study, researchers have found the healthiest way to snack in order to better control your blood sugar while powering through your day

Tip-Offs

Starting in 2024, you may need a visa to travel to Europe.

Listen to an educational song from 1967 about ZIP codes.

Some birds now build their nests out of anti-bird spikes.

…while a curious bear finds a GoPro and takes a selfie.

8 habits to take up by age 40 if you want to live longer.

Hydrogen bombs vs. atom bombs: learn the difference.

Nasa's guide to knowing whether or not you saw a UFO.

Icelandic eruptions this year birthed a new baby volcano.

Looking Back…

On July 27th: The U.S. and North Korea sign an armistice agreement ending the Korean War (1953); Bugs Bunny, as we now recognize him, makes his first debut in Loony Toon’s A Wild Hare (1940); the first terrorist attack at the Olympics occurs at Olympic Centennial Park in Atlanta, Georgia (1996); actor and comedian Bob Hope dies at age 100 (2003).

In partnership with Food Revolution Network

Earth's Solutions

Industrialized farming is harming our planet. Soil is being eroded ten times faster than it can heal, threatening our ability to grow food in the future (and triggering skyrocketing food prices right now).

But there’s hope! The Need To GROW shows us solutions.

Join the movement for a sustainable future. This family-friendly film will inspire you to take action.

Don’t miss out! >> Watch The Need To GROW today.

Together, we can make a better future. Let’s save the soil and protect our planet.

Don’t miss this chance to watch The Need To GROW for free. Join the global movement for a sustainable food future. Be inspired to make a difference. Watch The Need To GROW now.

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