- Tip News
- Posts
- Hamas Leader Killed In Iran
Good Wednesday morning. A robotics company that spun out of Google has invented robotic pants to help hikers climb uphill. While they will cost $4.5K when they hit the market, people will be able to rent them for a much more affordable $80 a day at some popular trail locations. Have a great day!
In Today’s Brief
CDC: Bird flu spend
Southport: Riot after attack
Project 2025: Director out
Spirit Air: Business class
Oscars: Host hunt
... and more
First time reading? Sign up here
Top Tips
1) Striking back
A top Hamas leader was assassinated in Iran.
What happened: Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the militant group's political bureau, was killed in an airstrike in Tehran eary this morning. Hamas and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps alleged Israel was responsible, but there was no formal Israeli comment as of 1 a.m. ET. Haniyeh's bodyguard was also killed.
High-ranking: Haniyeh is the most senior Hamas official killed since the Gaza war broke out. He was visiting Iran for the inauguration of new President Masoud Pezeshkian and met with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, hours before he was killed. Haniyeh has played a major role in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Parallel operation: Israel announced it killed Hezbollah's most senior military official yesterday following an airstrike in Beirut. The assassination of Fouad Shukr was said to be retaliation after the Lebanon-based militia group killed 12 children in a weekend missile attack in the Golan Heights.
Big picture: Haniyeh's death is a significant blow to Hamas and likely reinforces Israel's vow to kill the top brass responsible for the Oct. 7 attack. It also serves as further notice that Iran, and potentially its top leaders, are susceptible to Israeli attacks. The incident will also spur concerns about further escalation in the region.
2) No defense
FBI and Secret Service officials offered new details on the breakdown that led to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
New voice: Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said he "cannot defend" the agency's lapses at the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He told the Senate Homeland Security Committee he is "ashamed" in his first public comments since replacing Kimberly Cheatle after she resigned following her disastrous House testimony last week. Rowe also had fiery exchanges with lawmakers.
What we learned: FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said local law enforcement photographed gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks nearly an hour before the attack and radioed that he had a gun 30 seconds before shots were fired. But Secret Service were apparently not informed immediately. Rowe also blamed local law enforcement for failing to secure the roof Crooks fired from.
The shooter: Crooks is believed to have scouted the rally site days before the event; he also flew a drone the day of the shooting. Abbate said the bureau believes it has uncovered a social media account that belonged to Crooks; the account posted antisemitic and anti-immigration messages in the 2019-20 timeframe. The FBI is working to see if Crooks also posted left-leaning content and has not determined a motive.
3) Any day now
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to choose a running mate by early next week.
The plan: Harris is set to select a vice presidential pick by next Monday. The new Democratic ticket would then embark on a multi-stop campaign swing through key battleground states later in the week. That timeline would also create a two-week run-up to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which is Aug. 19-22.
The grapevine: Buzz is growing around Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as Harris tries to lock down support in critical Midwestern states (and former President Trump bids to flip the Land of 10K Lakes). Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg are other top contenders.
Who it won't be: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper withdrew his name from consideration. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also said she is not in contention. Reporting is mixed about the viability of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Quick Tips
U.S. News
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will invest $10M into the federal response to bird flu among livestock workers. The agency maintains the risk to the general public remains low; three new cases were identified in Colorado last week (More)
Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin Guzman Lopez pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in Chicago federal court, days after he was apprehended along with Sinoloa cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia. The details of the arrests at a New Mexico airfield remain murky (More)
The only U.S. soldier convicted in the My Lai massacre is dead. William Laws Calley Jr. died in late April, but his death has only become public now; he was an Army lieutenant during the notorious Vietnam War incident (More)
World News
A riot broke out in an English city after a third child died following a stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop. Police said right-wing extremists attacked a Southport mosque and clashed with cops following false reports the suspect was an asylum seeker; Swift said she is at "a complete loss" over the incident (More)
There is growing speculation Russia is preparing for a significant prisoner exchange that could involve the U.S., Ukraine or other countries. Six political prisoners have been abruptly moved while client state Belarus pardoned a German man facing a death sentence (More)
Angola said it brokered a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict inside the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda has denied DRC charges it is supporting rebels against government troops; fighting will reportedly pause indefinitely starting Aug. 4 (More)
Campaign News
Project 2025 Director Paul Dans has stepped down. The sprawling policy proposal drawn up by the Heritage Foundation and other right-wing groups has become a political liability for former President Trump, who has distanced himself from the effort (More)
White House Senior Advisor Anita Dunn is joining a top Democratic super PAC. The former Obama Administration official will work to boost Future Forward's efforts to support Vice President Harris' campaign; Dunn is the first aide to exit after President Biden dropped his re-election bid (More)
Harris leads Trump in two of three new national polls. The vice president is up 43-42 in a Reuters survey and 47-46 in a Morning Consult poll; Trump leads 52-48 according to a Harvard-Harris poll (More)
Business & Markets
Major indexes closed mixed yesterday. The Federal Reserve will issue updated guidance today following its monthly meeting (Dow +0.50%, Nasdaq -1.28%, S&P 500 -0.50%).
Spirit Airlines will introduce business class seating for an additional fee. The budget airline will also upsell customers for rows where the middle seat is kept empty; the moves come after the Biden Administration blocked a proposed merger with JetBlue (More)
Stellantis will offer broad buyout packages to non-union salaried U.S. workers. The automaker is trying to cut costs and boost profits following poor H1 results; it has not ruled out layoffs (More)
Entertainment & Sports
The Academy Awards are on the market for a new host. Jimmy Kimmel will not return in 2025 after hosting the show for the fourth time earlier this year; John Mulaney has reportedly already declined an offer (More)
The U.S. women's gymnastics squad won the Olympic team title at the Paris Games. Simone Biles captured her fifth career gold medal in the triumph; Italy won the silver and Brazil took the bronze (More)
Norah O'Donnell will step down as CBS Evening News anchor after the presidential election. The network is expected to use a rotating group of anchors moving forward; O'Donnell has been at the helm since 2019 (More)
Quick Hitters
Feel Good: A commercial airline pilot noticed a passenger's dog was restless during a lengthy delay. Knowing he was the only person who could get off the plane, he took the pooch for a walk on the tarmac.
Small Wonders: Miniatures like dollhouses, models and other tiny recreations have always been prevalent in society. But they are currently enjoying a moment in pop culture.
Go Deep: Sudden-onset aerophobia -- when people became scared of flying seemingly out of nowhere despite uneventful past experiences -- appears to be on the rise from an anecdotal standpoint. Researchers are not completely sure what causes it.
Take Note: Do you find yourself constantly waking up during the night? Check out this rundown to identify the potential cause (and cure) for your restless sleep.
Life Hack: Parents, take note. If you need to have a tough conversation with your children, one expert suggests you talk it over in the car.
Watch This
More like listen to this -- what is believed to be the oldest surviving recording of a human voice.
Links
A third of sports fans believe their wacky rituals work 🧢
Crazy ways to save money on a wedding 💍
Bike lanes do not slow down emergency vehicles 🚑
The meaning of the Olympic rings 🥇
Europeans love to drink 🍺
Running a restaurant at the literal end of the world 🥶
This is a hell of a party trick 💪
Making dollars and sense of states without income tax 💰
Glitter is a colossal environmental pain 🎉
More proof you can get pretty much anything from China 🦍
Looking Ahead …
Among the lower stakes in this year's presidential election: Air Force One's future color scheme. People in former President Trump's orbit believe he would follow through on past plans to revamp the plane's iconic look if re-elected, although it would cost a lot of money.