- Tip News
- Posts
- DNC Kicks Off: Harris, Biden, Protests
Good Monday morning! We hope you had a great weekend. So what happens when you win a lifetime supply of something? It depends. Have a great day!
In Today’s Brief
Iowa: Mastodon skull
Libya: Bank shutdown
Vance: ‘Fake’ claim
FuboTV: Legal win
Graceland: Extortion plot
... and more
First time reading? Sign up here
Top Tips
1) Watch what happens
The Democratic National Convention begins today in Chicago, and there is a lot going on.
The lineup: President Joe Biden will speak tonight. Former President Barack Obama will headline Tuesday, with former President Bill Clinton setting up Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday before Vice President Kamala Harris gives her nomination speech on Thursday. The national party has already formally nominated the ticket, but there will be a "ceremonial" vote. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also speak tonight.
On the outside: The city expects 30-40K protestors representing an array of left-wing and pro-Palestinian groups critical of the party's support for Israel. The convention itself should removed from demonstrations, but some Democrats are concerned about optics and unrest that harken back to their infamous 1968 convention, also in Chicago. Harris also desperately needs the support of Michigan's large Arab community in that all-important swing state.
Big picture: All eyes will be on Biden as he passes the torch amid reports he is still angry about being forced to drop his re-election bid. There is also intrigue about what impact, if any, the protests will have on the event's overall reception. Butthe main talking point: Can Harris continue her campaign's momentum and sell herself to the nation, or will she give former President Donald Trump more time to reset his efforts?
2) Locomotive lockout
Canada is bracing for a historic railroad work stoppage.
The news: Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National will lock out Teamsters Canada workers starting Thursday. Negotiations on a new contract began last November; both sides were reportedly far apart as of this weekend.
Getting ready: Canadian National has already barred container imports from U.S. partners. CPKC will halt all shipments starting in Canada tomorrow, as well as U.S. shipments headed north of the border. Both railroads have stopped taking certain shipments of hazardous and refrigerated materials.
Big picture: Analysts expect any work stoppage to be brief but impactful. The companies move a combined $1B of shipments daily and an extended lockout would significantly dent supply chains on both sides of the border. The companies' U.S. networks will continue to operate if there is a work stoppage in Canada.
3) Diary dispute
A long-running lawsuit many consider a U.S.-China proxy battle will go to trial today.
The story: Li Rui, a former Chinese Communist Party official and an outspoken member of its liberal wing, kept meticulous diaries for 80 years before he died in 2019 at 101. His unvarnished writings include first-person accounts of the Cultural Revolution, a stint as Mao Zedong's personal secretary, eight years of solitary confinement as a political prisoner, the Tiananmen Square massacre and more.
The issue: Li's U.S.-based daughter, Li Nanyang, eventually transferred her father's diaries to Stanford University's Hoover Institute, which has a vast CCP archive. She and the school say Li wanted Stanford to have the diaries. But Li's widow, who lives in China, filed a lawsuit after his death demanding their return, sparking a years-long legal battle (a Chinese court has already ruled in her favor).
Big picture: Stanford's lawyers alleged the Chinese government is bankrolling the litigation and using the widow to suppress historical documents that conflict with Beijing's established narratives under President Xi Jinping, who Li criticized. The school will maintain custody of some version of the content no matter what, but historians say holding the original diaries is essential. The judge on the case could rule Stanford is not beholden to a foreign court.
Quick Tips
U.S. News
Archaeologists unearthed a 13K-year-old mastodon skull in Iowa. It took 12 days to excavate the remains, which were found on private property near the Missouri border; scientists said the bones were well-preserved (More)
Military personnel exchanged fire with assailants outside an Air Force base in San Antonio. There were no casualties or injuries; the base guards were fired upon in two separate incidents and local police are investigating (More)
Former New York Rep. George Santos is expected to plead guilty today in his federal fraud case. The disgraced Republican lawmaker was expelled from the House last year; the terms of his plea deal are not yet known (More)
World News
Libya's central bank has suspended operations indefinitely. The bank said it was halting all activities after the abduction of its top information technology officer yesterday; armed men stormed the bank's headquarters last week, reportedly aiming to pressure the bank's governor to resign (More)
Medical workers in India launched a nationwide strike to protest the rape and murder of a doctor at a state-run hospital. The work stoppage and demonstrations began Saturday and continued yesterday (More)
Iran could declare itself a nuclear weapon state "by the end of the year," according to Ohio Rep. Mike Turner. The House Intelligence chairman, a Republican, criticized the Biden Administration's approach toward Tehran (More)
Campaign News
Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance alleged "fake polls" are used to depress Republican turnout and create division within the party. The GOP vice presidential candidate made the comments when asked about recent surveys showing Vice President Harris leading former President Trump (More)
Trump has tabbed former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to play Harris during his debate prep. The ex-lawmaker left the Democratic Party after a failed presidential bid in 2020 and is now an independent (More)
Convicted New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez formally ended his independent bid for re-election. Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint former staffer George Helmy to replace Menendez when the longtime Democratic lawmaker resigns from the upper chamber tomorrow (More)
Business & Markets
Major indexes closed higher on Friday. The S&P 500 posted its best week of the year (Dow +0.24%, Nasdaq +0.21%, S&P 500 +0.20%).
A federal judge temporarily blocked Venu, the joint sports streaming service planned by Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery. Competitor FuboTV filed an antitrust lawsuit against the venture in February, arguing it would stifle competition; the recent decision pauses the launch until the case is settled (More)
Mastercard will reduce its global headcount by 3% in a previously announced reorganization. The anticipated cuts will impact about 1K workers; the credit card company expects to make the layoffs by the end of Q3 (More)
Entertainment & Sports
Federal prosecutors charged a woman with attempting to defraud Elvis Presley's family and seize control of Graceland. The Department of Justice alleges Lisa Findley tried to extort a payoff from the music legend's estate by threatening to foreclose on the landmark via a bogus loan claim (More)
Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage will play NFL legend John Madden in an upcoming biopic. Madden will focus on the Pro Football Hall of Famer's run as the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl-winning head coach, not his heralded broadcasting career (More)
Singer-songwriter Maurice Williams died at 86. He was the frontman of the doo-wop group The Zodiacs; their Stay hit No. 1 in 1960, becoming the shortest song to top the charts ever (More)
Quick Hitters
Feel Good: A new mother was struggling to afford formula for her daughter, who was born prematurely. An unexpected discovery under the lid of a canister brought her to tears.
Take Note: There are plenty of delicious-looking dishes prepared on by food influencers on social media. But not all of these trendy meals are worth the effort.
Go Deep: So-called "shrinkflation" is felt everywhere when shopping. However, its impact may be most dramatic when purchasing toilet paper compared to years past.
New Idea: Releaf Paper, a startup company, uses dead leaves to make paper rather than cutting down trees. The novel approach uses far less water than normal paper-making and has a much smaller carbon footprint.
Life Hack: Following the presidential election without completely stressing yourself out is possible. Here are some tips to stay informed but maintain your sanity.
Watch This
Is it safe to go in the water?
Links
A lot has changed with the Electoral College map 🗳️
Meet Time Magazine's Kid of the Year 🏆
DNA's new use: Getting a second passport 🛂
Craft distilleries are in crisis 🥃
Wait for your flight in the great outdoors 🌲
Slang terms that middle school parents may want to know 🛹
When driverless cars wake up the entire neighborhood 🔔
Playing the old-name game with iconic brands 🤔
Even the strong and tough get spooked by thunder ⚡️
Rucking is the hot new fitness trend 🥾
Looking Ahead …
Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 will hit the Max streaming service on Friday. The second installment does not currently have a theatrical release date after the first flopped at the box office earlier this year.