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In Today’s Brief
Tennessee: ‘Chemtrails’ bill passed
Gaza: Biden-Bibi summit?
Trump: Big fundraising surge
Disney: Full board re-elected
Kansas City: Stadium vote fails
... and more
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Top Tips
1) Perfect crime?
A stunning heist in California has cops searching for answers.
What happened: A crew of burglars broke into a money storage facility in the San Fernando Valley on Easter and stole up to $30M, according to The Los Angeles Times. It is one of the largest cash burglaries in city history.
Head scratcher: The Los Angeles Police Department believes the thieves entered the facility through its roof, but it unclear how they avoided tripping its alarm system. Even more baffling: The money was taken from a safe, but there is no sign of entry on its outside. The theft was not discovered until the safe was opened by staff on Monday.
Big picture: The FBI is also investigating the heist. The nature of the crime and knowledge the safe contained so much money suggests the burglars are sophisticated. Cops are still investigating a $100M jewel heist from an armored car almost two years ago.
2) Number crunching
A series of new swing state polls favor former President Donald Trump and raise questions on how third-party candidates could impact the election.
The news: Trump leads President Joe Biden head-to-head in six of seven battleground states, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trump is up about an average of four points in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The candidates are tied in Wisconsin.
Spoiler speculation: When independent presidential candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein were included in surveys, Trump's margin grew in Georgia and North Carolina. But it remained unchanged in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania and narrowed in Michigan. Biden took a three-point lead in Wisconsin when the other candidates were included.
The takeaways: While it is a small snapshot six months out from Election Day, the polls suggest Kennedy is taking voters from candidates. If anything, the combined 2-4% Stein and West polled in each state is threatening Biden. The president would lead Trump in Michigan and be tied in Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania with that electorate share.
3) Waiting game
The song remains the same for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
The news: Powell reiterated his stance on interest rate cuts yesterday during a speech at Stanford University. He indicated he still expects three cuts to happen this year, likely starting in the summer, but that the central bank will stand firm until it is confident inflation is trending toward its 2% goal.
Dissenting voice: Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic expressed concern about the pace of inflation. Bostic said he expects one rate cut this year in Q4. Most of his colleagues still seem to believe three cuts will be possible, though.
Big picture: The major indexes closed mixed yesterday (Dow Jones -0.11%, Nasdaq +0.23%, S&P 500 +0.11%) and seemed largely unfazed by Powell's non-update. But the Fed appears committed to its deliberate approach, and political pressure could grow from both sides of the aisle as the election draws closer -- even if Powell says it won't factor into timing.
Quick Tips
U.S. News
Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill banning the release of airborne chemicals. Critics say the legislation was motivated by "chemtrail" conspiracy theories; Gov. Bill Lee could still veto it (More)
Twenty percent of American adults think violence may be necessary to get the country on the right track, according to a poll conducted by PBS, NPR and Marist. The survey found almost 30% of Republicans agreed with the sentiment (More)
Michigan prosecutors are seeking at least 10 years in prison for the parents of a school shooter. James and Jennifer Crumbley were convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year in historic verdicts (More)
World News
President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak by phone today. Netanyahu may reportedly visit Washington next week for an in-person meeting (More)
Taiwan was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, its largest in 25 years. At least nine people died with 50 reported missing; buildings were damaged, but tsunami fears did not materialize (More)
Armed gangs looted Haiti's National Library as widespread violence continues in the capital city of Port au Prince. The library's director said important artifacts and documents are at risk (More)
Campaign News
Former President Trump's campaign and the RNC raised almost $66M in March. Trump ended the month with $93M in on-hand cash, which almost doubles his February total (More)
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert was diagnosed with a rare condition after emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from her leg. The Republican said her health will not hinder her duties or re-election efforts (More)
A new UK general election poll projects a whopping 154-seat Labour Party majority in the House of Commons. A date for the election has not yet been set; the polls say the ruling Conservative Party could lose over 200 seats (More)
Business & Markets
Disney won its proxy fight against billionaire Nelson Peltz and other activist investors. Shareholders re-elected its full board, ending a months-long battle over the entertainment and media company's future (More)
Two Trump Media investors pleaded guilty to insider trading. Brothers Gerald and Michael Shvartsman made illegal trades with non-public knowledge of the planned SPAC merger involving the Truth Social platform (More)
Apple is reportedly exploring the development of personal home robots. The tech giant is pivoting with its innovation goals after abandoning its electric vehicle project (More)
Entertainment & Sports
Missouri voters rejected a sales tax proposal to boost infrastructure funding for the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs. The decision has sparked saber-rattling about whether the teams could leave the city (More)
Katie Holmes and Jim Parsons will star in the Broadway revival of Our Town. The play is scheduled to begin previews in mid-September and open in October (More)
Matt Rife has landed a deal with Netflix for two new comedy specials. The comedian will also develop and star in a workplace comedy series set in a gym (More)
Quick Hitters
Take Note: Humans need to wear special glasses to observe the solar eclipse safely next week. But what about pets?
Deep Dive: The multiverse concept has become a popular storytelling device in Hollywood. Scientists are working to determine if it may be more fact than fiction.
Eco Friendly: About 90M beauty products are discarded annually in the United Kingdom alone. Boop is repurposing them to keep them out of landfills and make them available to consumers at discount rates.
Good Catch: An Australian bank teller made a great save at work. When an older woman came in with a strange request, the teller quickly realized she was about to lose everything as part of an internet scam and took action.
Life Hack: Everyone has gone to eat at a restaurant and had something go wrong or get screwed up. Here is how to handle those aggravating situations like an adult.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes”
Want more health and wellness news? Subscribe to our brand new newsletter, Optimize Me, and start living a healthier life through diet, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness:
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Watch This
Get ready for Monday's solar eclipse by watching video from the one that happened in 1900. No, that is not a typo. The footage is over 100 years old.
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Looking Ahead …
It's never too early to talk Oscars buzz. Here are 10 films already on the awards season radar for 2025.