Tip News Daily Brief

Your Daily Brief

November 30, 2023

Good morning and happy Thursday! Wolverines are ubiquitous in popular culture, from the Marvel superhero to the University of Michigan’s sports teams’ nickname. However, they now face extinction. Experts believe fewer than 400 animals remain in the continental U.S. as their snowy habitats melt due to climate change. The Biden Administration placed wolverines under Endangered Species Act protection yesterday, granting the ferocious creatures more protections.

In Today’s Brief

Santos: Expulsion vote is today
NATO: Renews Ukraine support
Taylor Swift: Spotify’s top artist
Cigna: Merger talks with Humana

... and more

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Israel-Hamas truce extended at deadline

Israel agreed to extend the truce in Gaza an additional day, announcing a deal with Hamas minutes before fighting was set to resume.

Last-second decision: Israel appeared ready to restart military operations. But an extension was achieved moments before the truce expired at 7 a.m. local time (midnight on the East Coast). The Israelis previously said they would only continue the truce if Hamas agreed to release 10 more women and children held hostage. The militants had offered seven captives and the bodies of three hostages it claims were killed by airstrikes; the terms were not immediately known.
Second extension: The pause in fighting began last Friday. It was originally scheduled to run for four days. It was then extended two days through Wednesday before the second extension early this morning. Israel has reiterated it will resume military operations once the truce ends. President Joe Biden reportedly told the Israelis they must be cautious as the offensive moves to the southern part of Gaza.
American hostage released: Hamas freed 16 captives on Wednesday, including the second American released during the truce — Liat Benin Atzili, who is also an Israeli citizen. Hamas has now released 102 hostages since the start of the war, including 97 during the truce period. Israel has turned over roughly 200 Palestinian prisoners in return. Both sides have mainly released women and children. There are approximately 140 remaining hostages, including eight Americans.

Schumer denounces antisemitism

New York Sen. Charles Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, delivered a floor speech on the rise of antisemitism in the country yesterday.

The significance: Schumer is the highest-ranking elected Jewish official in U.S. history. He spoke for 40 minutes, decrying a surge in antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Schumer called it “a crisis, a five-alarm fire that must be extinguished” and said Jewish Americans feel “targeted and alone.”
Other points: Schumer spoke of family members who were killed in the Holocaust, as well as the experiences of other Jewish Americans. He also spoke out against Islamophobia and hatred directed toward Arab Americans. Schumer added people can disagree with Israel’s government, but they must speak out against antisemitism. He cautioned liberals against veering into antisemitism while supporting the Palestinian people.
The reception: Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the chamber’s Minority Leader, praised Schumer’s comments on the floor as “extraordinary.”

Kissinger dies at 100

Former Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger died yesterday. He was 100.

His legacy: Kissinger’s consulting firm announced his death and did not provide a cause of death. Kissinger, who was Jewish, fled Nazi Germany before World War II and became a Harvard graduate and professor before becoming one of the most dominant forces in the history of U.S. foreign policy, serving and advising politicians on both sides of the aisle.
His impact: Kissinger is the only man who has served as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor at the same time. He won a share of the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for his work ending the Vietnam War and helped President Richard Nixon normalize relations with China, as well as set Cold War policy and stabilized relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
His critics: Many believed Kissinger lacked morals and principles, with some even accusing him of war crimes. Kissinger played a role in Vietnam War plans before the conflict ended, directed U.S. resources to meddle in other countries' affairs and was considered a shameless self-promoter who courted celebrity.

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U.S. News

New York Rep. George Santos could be expelled from the House today. The scandal-plagued lawmaker has survived two prior removal efforts, but there are reportedly enough votes to clear a two-thirds threshold (More)
United Auto Workers announced it has begun efforts to organize all non-union automakers with U.S. factories, including Tesla. The UAW recently ratified new deals with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis (More)
One of the three college students of Palestinian descent shot last weekend in Vermont suffered a spinal injury and cannot move his legs, according to a family member. One victim is out of the hospital and the third is hospitalized in stable condition (More)

World News

NATO’s foreign ministers reaffirmed the bloc’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. The coalition said it will “continue their support for as long as it takes” in a statement following meetings in Brussels this week (More)
Federal prosecutors say a plot involving India’s government to kill a Sikh separatist and U.S. citizen living in New York was thwarted. Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has been charged for allegedly attempting to contract an undercover DEA agent as a hitman at the behest of an Indian official (More)
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wants to prohibit cell phones in the country's schools. The proposal comes after he announced plans to repeal a generational smoking ban; Ireland has also considered a similar measure (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Taylor Swift was named Spotify’s most streamed artist in 2023, ending a three-year run by Bad Bunny. Swift’s songs have been streamed 26.1B times since the start of the year; her Midnights album was the No. 2-streamed album worldwide (More)
Salt Lake City has been designated as the preferred host of the 2034 Winter Olympics. Utah’s capital city will not be formally awarded the event until next year, but it is already in planning talks with the IOC (More)
Soccer’s international governing body for rules has signed off on experimenting with a disciplinary system similar to hockey’s penalty box at the professional level. The rule change would allow officials to temporarily remove players from the pitch, but not eject them (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed mixed yesterday despite revised GDP numbers that said the economy grew 5.2% in Q3, which beat initial projections (Dow +0.04%, Nasdaq -0.16%, S&P 500 -0.09%).
Health insurance company Cigna is in talks to merge with Humana in a deal that could be over $60B in value. Regulators have blocked similar past consolidation efforts for antitrust reasons (More)
Disney CEO Bob Iger said he plans to end his second stint atop the company in 2026. He also said ABC and its other TV networks are not for sale despite comments suggesting otherwise earlier this year (More)

Tips & Tricks

New Snack: Get ready to enjoy macaroni and cheese ... without the cheese. Or any dairy product, for that matter. Kraft is launching NotMac & Cheese, a version of its popular product that it says will taste and feel the same, but be produced with ingredients like fava bean protein and coconut oil powder.
Sneak Peek: Check out the trailer for Memory, an upcoming film featuring Jessica Chastain as a single mother whose life becomes chaotic after her high school reunion. Peter Sarsgaard, who stars alongside Chastain, was named Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for his performance.
Not Running: Mark Cuban’s recent moves led many to believe the billionaire entrepreneur could be preparing for a third-party presidential run. But Cuban batted down the speculation yesterday, telling NBC he has no plans to get into the race. Cuban announced he is leaving Shark Tank and agreed to sell a majority share of the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week.
Don't Forget: This will be the first Christmas in close to a decade where Congress is not scrambling to avoid a government shutdown. But just because legislators have kicked the can down the road does not mean all is well. Little has changed since the last continuing resolution and lawmakers will be up against the clock once again come January.
Go Deep: Conspiracy theories have always existed, but their prevalence has become a particular cultural flashpoint in recent years, especially in political discourse. One author argues you can trace the rise of modern conspiracy thought to the Roswell UFO incident in 1947.
Travel Tip: If you ever find yourself in Sweden, do not try to make small talk with the locals. And do not be offended if they ignore you. Conversations are supposed to be meaningful in Swedish culture, so people tend to avoid needless banter with strangers.
Life Hack: Many people rely on wifi to use their cell phones while traveling overseas. But unfamiliar, and potentially unprotected, networks can leave you susceptible to hacking. Here are some helpful tips to maintain digital privacy and safety when you are on vacation.

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Tip-Offs

Pro-Palestinian protesters did not reach the NYC tree lighting.

Pentagon officials are raising alarms about a cash crunch.

… while Russia could make foreigners take a loyalty oath.

Some clues about West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin's plans.

Does Tucker Carlson want to be Donald Trump’s top diplomat?

The interesting origin of a Canadian university’s English campus.

... and cops found a baby python living in a college dorm room.

Aaron Rodgers has returned to practice for the New York Jets.

Looking Ahead …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is not running but is often speculated about as a potential 2024 replacement for President Biden, will debate tonight on FOX News (9 p.m. ET). The debate will be moderated by FOX opinion host Sean Hannity and run 90 minutes. It will be televised live from Alpharetta, Georgia, but there will not be an audience. Hannity has sold it as an examination of the conservative-liberal divide at the state level, but the politicians could see it as a chance to strive for the highest office.

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