Tip News Daily Brief

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December 7, 2023

Good morning and happy Thursday! Saxo Bank, a Danish investment firm, issued a report with outrageous predictions for 2024. And they did not exaggerate about things being off the wall. Among the bold calls: Robert F. Kennedy will be elected President, Saudi Arabia will buy European soccer's Champions League and U.S. capitalism will end. But to be fair to Saxo: It has gotten a few of its past prognostications right, including predicting Brexit. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

U.S. Senate: Ukraine, Israel aid blocked
United Nations: Rare move in Gaza war
Norman Lear: TV legend dies at 101
Jamie Dimon: Suggests crypto ban

... and more

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Top Tips

Campus antisemitism outrage continues

The refusal of campus leaders at three elite universities to denounce calls for the genocide of Jews during Congressional testimony continued to roil the nation.

What happened: Harvard President Claudine Gay, Penn President Elizabeth Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth all sidestepped lawmakers' questions during a Tuesday House hearing on antisemitism on college campuses. All three refused to say calls for Jewish genocide violated their respective codes of conduct when pressed by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, sparking widespread outrage.
White House weighs in: The Biden Administration condemned the campus leaders' comments yesterday. "It’s unbelievable that this needs to be said: calls for genocide are monstrous and antithetical to everything we represent as a country," a White House spokesman said in part. Gay clarified her testimony yesterday amid calls for her resignation, saying, "those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account."
Rise in antisemitism: A recent poll released by Jewish advocacy groups said only 46% of Jewish college students feel safe on campus since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and 73% have experienced or seen antisemitic incidents since the start of the current academic year. Muslim advocacy groups have also reported a rise in bias incidents.

Kevin McCarthy retiring from House

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy will retire at the end of the year.

The exit: McCarthy served 17 years in office. He will leave the House two months after his controversial ouster following a tumultuous tenure with the gavel. The California representative needed 15 rounds of voting to win the office and was then eventually forced out by a small group of GOP lawmakers. McCarthy initially said he would remain in Congress, but his departure has been anticipated for weeks.
What's next: McCarthy said he will remain involved in politics in a Wall Street Journal op-ed announcing his retirement. But he did not specify his plans. McCarthy's district is a Republican stronghold, so the GOP should hold his seat. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to call a general election, but he has not committed to it.
GOP majority shrinks: McCarthy's exit will drop the Hoise down to 433 members with Republicans holding a 220-213 advantage. That gives current Speaker Mike Johnson a three-vote majority, and it could dwindle to two if Democrats regain the seat vacated by expelled New York Rep. George Santos. The attrition is reportedly a concern among House Republicans.

Taylor Swift wins Time honor

Taylor Swift was named Time's 2023 Person of the Year, making history -- and some news -- in the process.

The rationale: The pop star's Eras Tour and album re-releases have dominated pop culture this year. Time said she was chosen because she "found a way to transcend borders" in a polarized world and "brought joy to a society desperately in need of it."
The history: Swift is the first person to be honored for their achievement in the arts. She is also the first woman to repeat as an honoree. Swift was also recognized in 2017 when Time honored individuals who inspired women to speak out about sexual misconduct.
Her comments: Swift granted Time a rare interview in conjunction with the award. She detailed how she prepared for her grueling tour in the sitdown and revealed how country music star Kenny Chesney boosted her young career. Swift also made her first public comments about her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce and took shots at adversaries Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Scooter Braun.

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U.S. News

Senate Republicans blocked a $111B spending bill that would give aid to Israel and Ukraine due to a lack of border security provisions. The bill was voted down 51-49 with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders voting with the GOP; he wants conditions attached to the Israeli aid (More)
Former South Carolina Gov. and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley was targeted most during the fourth and potentially final Republican presidential debate last night in Alabama. The debate was contentious and lively (More)
Three people were killed and one injured in a shooting on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus. Police said the suspected shooter was found dead (More)

World News

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter and called on the UN Security Council to use its influence to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Israel condemned the motion and accused Guterres of trying to exert political pressure on its government (More)
The Justice Department charged four Russian soldiers with war crimes. The DOJ alleges the soldiers -- who are not in custody -- unlawfully detained and tortured a U.S. citizen who was assisting Ukraine in its war against Russia (More)
An Arizona man was arrested last week for allegedly inciting a religiously-motivated terrorist attack in Australia last year. Australian officials say the unnamed suspect made extremist comments online that inspired three people to kill two police officers and a bystander before dying in a shootout (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Norman Lear died yesterday at 101. The film producer and screenwriter created numerous successful 1970s sitcoms, including All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Sanford and Son; he was also a political activist for liberal causes (More)
The Hollywood actors union formally approved its new three-year deal with studios. SAG-AFTRA members ratified the contract, which ended a four-month strike, with 78% approval (More)
A former Jacksonville Jaguars business employee is accused of stealing $22M from the NFL team. Federal prosecutors allege he manipulated the team's credit card program for personal use (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed lower yesterday, with the Dow and S&P 500 in the red for the third straight day. The Nasdaq also slipped after a Tuesday rebound (Dow -0.19%, Nasdaq -0.58%, S&P 500 -0.39%).
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon believes the U.S. government should consider banning cryptocurrencies. He said their only "true use case" is to aid criminal activities during testimony before the Senate Banking Committee (More)
McDonald's will open its first CosMc's restaurant in Illinois this week and will open nine more -- all in Texas -- by the end of 2024 with future expansion possible. The spinoff concept focuses on drinks and small meals (More)

Tips & Tricks

Feel Good: A California teenager runs a charity called Socks 4 Seniors, which sends novelty socks to assisted care and nursing homes during the holiday season. Over the last five years, the organization has donated to almost 100 facilities in 48 states; it is closing in on a $10K fundraising campaign and plans to donate to all 50 states.
Go Deep: It has been 40 years since The Day After, one of the most-watched television films ever, was broadcast by ABC. The movie, which told the story of Midwesterners who survived a nuclear war between the U.S. and Soviet Union, is credited with changing opinions about the Cold War arms race and impacting millions, including then-President Ronald Reagan.
Be Ready: Speaking of Armageddon in the heartland ... you can now reserve a spot in an underground bunker at a repurposed Army base in South Dakota that will be ready when Doomsday rolls around. The 575-unit project is designed to fit 10K and comes with an open floor plan and amenities such as appliances and on-site medical care.
Great Escape: It has never been easy for North Koreans to flee their oppressive country and seek refuge in China or South Korea, and it has become virtually impossible since the coronavirus pandemic led to border closures. But one man and his family just completed a harrowing journey across rough seas to find freedom.
Fitting Punishment: An Ohio judge handed down a unique sentence to a woman convicted of assaulting a worker at Chipotle. Rosemary Hayne must work at least 20 hours a week at a fast-food restaurant to avoid jail time. Hayne was found guilty of throwing a bowl of hot food in the worker's face.
Big Find: The Salton Sea is the largest lake in California. And it could be the site of the 21st-century equivalent of a gold rush. A recent Department of Energy study has concluded the lake -- heavily polluted and dying in the state's southern desert -- contains enough lithium to build 375M electric vehicle batteries.
Sneak Peek: Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy will make his directorial debut in Good Grief, an upcoming dramedy that features him as a man grieving his husband's sudden death as he and his friends take an emotional weekend trip to Paris. The first trailer is here.

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Tip-Offs

Disney adults explain why they cannot get enough Magic Kingdom.

Weather apps have become more accurate thanks to technology.

... while developers have made video game weather more realistic.

Israel has loosened its gun laws in the wake of Hamas' attack.

Kim Jong Un shed crocodile tears about North Korea's birth rate.

A British woman grew herself a pair of jeans out of flax and indigo.

... and food waste is used to 3D-print tabletop furniture in Italy.

George Santos has become a money-making success on Cameo.

Looking Ahead …

Speaking of Santos, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has scheduled a special election to fill his vacant seat following his expulsion from the House. Voters in the state's Third Congressional District will head to the polls on Feb. 13. The race is considered a toss-up; President Biden won the district in 2020 before Santos was elected in 2022. The major parties appoint a candidate under the rules of the special election; former New York Rep. Tom Suozzi, whose retirement originally opened the door for Santos, is favored to be the Democratic nominee.

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