Tip News Daily Brief

Your Daily Brief

December 18, 2023

Good morning and happy Monday. There are numerous food safety recalls each week, but this one may impact many of you. Quaker Oats has recalled an array of its popular Chewy granola bars and some cereals for potential salmonella contamination. Over two dozen products are impacted by the recall. While there have not yet been any confirmed illnesses related to the recalled food, salmonella can cause fatal conditions in rare instances. Have a great start to your week.

In Today’s Brief

U.S. Senate: Deal 'not anywhere close'
Putin: Dismisses talk of war with NATO
Mayim Bialik: Out as Jeopardy! host
Citigroup: WFH amid layoff fears

... and more

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Top Tips

Could U.S. attack Houthis head-on?

U.S. and UK warships shot down over a dozen drones in the Red Sea over the weekend as an Iranian-backed militant group continues to attack vessels, leading to speculation about next steps.

Consistent barrage: The USS Carney has shot down several dozen attack drones deployed by the Houthi rebels in recent weeks. Drone attacks have escalated in the Red Sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The U.S. has so far acted defensively against the drones, but there are reports direct military action is possible as more U.S. Navy ships head to the region. The HMS Diamond, a British destroyer, also shot down a drone on Saturday. The French have intercepted drones as well.
Shipping stoppage: The Houthis have targeted commercial vessels, specifically ones they claim will supply Israel. The Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Straight are critical waterways to access the Suez Canal. However, shipping giants Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, and MSC have halted travel in the region due to the drone threat. Those changes will impact worldwide commerce.
Who are the Houthis? They are a rebel group that controls parts of Yemen. Iran backs them, although they are not considered as intertwined with Tehran as Hamas and Hezbollah. Long-running hostilities with Saudi Arabia drives the Houthis' alliance with Iran. They are also supporters of Palestinian causes.

U.S. continues to push Israel in Gaza

Israel said its soldiers accidentally killed three hostages in Gaza as the U.S. continued its efforts to push for an expedited end to the current stage of the war with Hamas.

IDF response: The Israel Defense Forces said a trio of hostages were shot despite holding a white flag. The IDF said its forces felt threatened but acknowledged the action violated the rules of engagement; soldiers were firing on Hamas when the incident occurred. There are still about 120 hostages remaining in the enclave.
Lloyd visit: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit Israel this week. He will continue the American push for Israel to define milestones for the war and de-escalate fighting over the next few weeks. President Joe Biden has repeatedly warned Israel that it is losing international support as it continues to operate in Gaza without any let-up. Israel has told the U.S. it remains committed to eliminating Hamas, but it hopes to end heavy fighting in 2-3 weeks.
Tunnel discovered: The IDF announced it discovered the largest Hamas underground tunnel yet. It runs at least 2.5 miles long and is over 150 feet deep in some places. The tunnel appears to be wide enough for vehicles to pass through. The tunnel does not cross into Israeli territory, but one shaft is close to the northern border with Gaza. Israel has made destroying Hamas' tunnels a key objective. It has even begun controlled flooding; Israel believes the militant group's top leaders are sheltering underground.

Matthew Perry's autopsy results released

Friends star Matthew Perry died from "acute effects of ketamine" and subsequent drowning, according to autopsy results.

Official declaration: Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his Pacific Palisades home on Oct. 28. His death was ruled an accident, according to the report. Officials said Perry's blood tested positive for ketamine, which is used to treat anxiety and depression. The report also said Perry exhibited coronary artery disease and had another drug used to treat opioid addiction in his system
More details: The autopsy did not find any recreational drugs in Perry's system, although prescription drugs and "loose pills" were found at his home. The report stated the actor had reportedly been sober for 19 months before his death. It also found that he was no longer smoking. But the amount of ketamine in his system was greater than what would be expected given his last known ketamine treatment was over a week before his death. Experts who were not involved with the autopsy said that could indicate Perry misused ketamine or used it outside of treatment. Perry had written about ketamine treatment in his memoir.
Exploring ketamine: The drug is a medical anesthetic; it is illegal to use it recreationally. Experts say it makes users feel disassociated and removed from their bodies and physical surroundings. It can cause hallucinations and alter emotions. The FDA approved its use in nasal spray form to treat depression in 2019; its usage to treat anxiety and depression has grown since. But the drug can have fatal effects including cardiac irregularities and respiratory issues, which the autopsy attributes to Perry's death.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said legislators are "not anywhere close" to a deal on Ukraine aid and border security. The Senate will continue to negotiate this week to pass a bill before the new year; it would also need to pass the House (More)
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was ordered to pay $150M in damages to two Georgia election workers he defamed after the 2020 presidential election. Giuliani has vowed to appeal the verdict (More)
A Confederate war memorial will be removed from Arlington National Cemetery this week. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and House Republicans have pushed back on the decision (More)

World News

Vladimir Putin said President Biden's assertion that Russia would invade a NATO country following a victory in Ukraine is "complete nonsense." The Russian president said his country has no interest in conflict with the alliance (More)
Cardinal Angelo Becciu was convicted of embezzlement by a Vatican tribunal and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. Becciu's attorney said he will appeal; he is the highest-ranking Catholic Church official to ever stand for a criminal trial in the Vatican (More)
Over 60 migrants attempting to reach Europe drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Approximately 2.5K people have died trying to migrate across the central Mediterranean Sea (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Mayim Bialik is out as a host of the Jeopardy! game show. The actress announced her exit on social media; Sony says former show champion Ken Jennings will be the show's only host moving forward (More)
The U.S. will host the revamped FIFA Club World Cup in the summer of 2025, a year before it hosts the World Cup with Canada and Mexico. The expanded tournament will feature 32 professional teams from around the globe (More)
An NBA G-League player and his girlfriend will face murder charges after a woman went missing in Las Vegas. Chance Comanche, who played collegiately at Arizona, was arrested Friday (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed mixed on Friday. The Dow was up again and the Nasdaq posted a record close, but the S&P 500 slipped slightly (Dow +0.15%, Nasdaq +0.35%, S&P 500 -0.01%).
Citigroup announced most of its 240K employees can work remotely for the rest of the year starting today. The news comes amid fears the bank could be preparing for mass layoffs (More)
The president of the Chicago Federal Reserve cautioned that "it is too early to declare victory" regarding the U.S. economy's ability to weather inflation. Austan Goolsbee made the comments following recent market optimism about 2024 rate cuts (More)

Tips & Tricks

Feel Good: Firefighters in Virginia deftly handled a tricky situation. When they arrived at a house call, they discovered a family's Elf on a Shelf engulfed in flames after being too close to a heat-emitting lamp. So they put out the fire and helped get the elf back to the North Pole to recuperate while Santa Claus dispatched a new elf to fill in.
Sneak Peek: The fourth season of HBO's True Detective series debuts in January. Jodie Foster and Kali Reis will star in True Detective: Night Country, which is set in Alaska. You can watch the trailer here.
List Season: It was an excellent year for Taylor Swift. Everyone knows that. But her success remains staggering when broken down step by step. Here are 13 ways Swift took over the world in 2023.
Go Deep: The silicon semiconductor is a tiny chip that powers almost all technology we use, and Taiwan produces half of the world's supply. Here is an inside look at how the chip industry has transformed the country and become a significant geopolitical issue.
Take Note: Ireland is considering legislation granting nature the same constitutional rights as people. The bill would be the first such measure in the European Union if approved. But the concept is not original. New Zealand has already granted legal personhood to a river and several South American countries have established similar laws.
Hot Take: We have heard of people arguing Rocky IV is a Christmas movie (and we agree). But this is a new one: The case for why Batman Returns should be viewed as not only a holiday film, but as a romantic comedy as well. Do you agree?
Life Hack: If you are trying to figure out how to keep your kids entertained on a long car ride to visit family for the holidays, look no further. This TikTok mom says all you need is a smartphone, a plastic bag and a little creativity.

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Tip-Offs

The U.S Senate is now grappling with a staffer sex tape scandal.

A British boy is back in the UK after being missing for six years.

Willie Nelson reveals his secret for beating back writer's block.

... while ex-NYT opinion editor James Bennet breaks his silence.

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had surgery for a broken hip.

Looking back at a wild red carpet fashion statement at the Oscars.

... and there will never be an Everybody Loves Raymond reboot.

A geomagnetic storm could allow you to see the Northern Lights.

Looking Ahead …

Apple is expected to focus on its wearable technology in 2024. The Vision Pro virtual reality headset will be the company's big new product next year, but it will also revamp the Apple Watch and Airpods with significant upgrades. Apple will also overhaul the iPad and release a new iPhone.

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