James Earl Jones: 1931-2024

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In Today’s Brief

• FBI: Crypto scams

• Princess Kate: Ends chemotherapy

• Debate: Tonight in Philly

• Dow Jones: Big rally

• PWHL: Teams rebranded

... and more

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Top Tips

1) 'Never be another'

Legendary actor James Earl Jones died yesterday. He was 93.

• Early years: Jones grew up in Mississippi and overcame a stutter, earning a degree from the University of Michigan and serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before becoming a pioneering Black actor. He made his Broadway debut in 1957 and later became a film and television star.

• Iconic roles: Jones made his big screen debut in Dr. Strangelove, but his breakthrough was his voice role as Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise. He also played Terence Mann in Field of Dreams and voiced Mufasa in The Lion King, among a litany of other notable works, including the voice of CNN commercials. He won two Tony Awards, three Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award and honorary Academy, Screen Actors Guild and Tony Awards.

• The reactions: "There will never be another of his particular combination of graces," said actor LeVar Burton. Actor Kevin Costner said he was "grateful to have been a witness to him making that magic happen" in Field of Dreams. "James Earl Jones will never die," director Paul Feig said.

2) Trial moved

The alleged University of Idaho killer scored a key legal victory.

• The news: A judge agreed to change the venue of Bryan Kohlberger's quadruple murder trial yesterday. Judge John Judge said there is "reasonable likelihood" to believe Kohlberger would not receive a fair trial in Latah County, where the school is located; he also concluded the county lacks the resources to accommodate such high-profile proceedings.

• Catch up: Kohlberger, 29, faces the death penalty in the grisly stabbing murders of four students at an off-campus house in Nov. 2022. The killings have generated a significant amount of national media attention (and speculation). Kohberger was seeking a doctorate in criminology at nearby Washington State University; he was arrested about a month after the murders at his parents' home in Pennsylvania.

• Next steps: An administrative director will now determine the new venue. Kohlberger's attorneys want the trial moved to Boise, the state's capital and biggest city. The trial is scheduled to begin June 2, 2025 and last about three months. Prosecutors say they have DNA evidence and cellphone records connecting Kohlberger to the crime; his attorneys say he has an alibi.

3) Palace intrigue

The fight for Rupert Murdoch's empire has begun.

• In the courthouse: A legal battle pitting the controversial Australian billionaire media mogul against some of his children will start next week in Nevada. Murdoch wants to alter the terms of an irrevocable trust and position his oldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, to inherit and control assets like Fox News and the Wall Street Journal. But his three other children are fighting the changes.

• Ideological bent: Lachlan Murdoch, already the chairman of Fox Corp. and News Corp., is considered politically conservative like his father and likely to continue the current perspective of the media outlets. His three siblings are believed to be political moderates; brother James had endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and donated significant amounts to Democratic candidates.

• In the boardroom: A hedge fund has launched an activist effort to undercut Murdoch's control of News Corp. at the shareholder level. Starboard Value wants to eliminate the dual-class share system that lets Murdoch hold about 40% of the company's voting stock despite owning 14% of its equity. The resolution is not binding and could be blocked from the next annual meeting.

• Big picture: Murdoch and his holdings have had a massive impact on the country, the Republican party and the rise of former President Donald Trump. The court battle will be shrouded in secrecy, as the Washoe County Courthouse in Reno will keep all proceedings confidential and under seal. But a coalition of national media organizations is pushing to seek access, arguing it is in the public interest.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• Americans lost $5.6B in cryptocurrency scams last year, according to the FBI. People over 60 were the most targeted; the fraudsters use elaborate tactics to cultivate targets and assure them bogus investments will pay off (More)

• Tropical Storm Francine will likely impact Louisiana as a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center said it expects the storm will make landfall tomorrow night at Category 1, but its exact track is uncertain (More)

• The manhunt for the alleged Kentucky highway shooter remains ongoing. Joseph Couch is believed to be in a remote area near where five people and a dozen vehicles were shot; he told a woman he planned to kill "a lot of people" in a text message before the incident, but he also said he planned to kill himself (More)

World News

• Princess Kate announced she has completed chemotherapy for her undisclosed form of cancer. She intends to make more public appearances moving forward, but Kensington Palace said it is too early to say she is cancer-free (More)

• Bangladesh has begun the process to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India. The longtime despot resigned and fled amid violent civil unrest; the country's International Crimes Tribunal said she is the "main accused" in the deaths of over 600 people (More)

• Typhoon Yagi has killed over 60 people and injured over 200 in Vietnam. The storm has collapsed bridges, caused flooding and landslides, brought heavy winds and destroyed buildings; it is the strongest typhoon to hit the country in decades (More)

Campaign News

• Vice President Harris and former President Trump will debate tonight at Philadelphia's National Constitution Center. ABC will moderate with other networks carrying a simulcast; the event begins at 9 p.m. ET and will last 90 minutes (More)

• Delaware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island will hold the final congressional primary elections of the year. The Democratic battle in New Hampshire's 2nd District has received the most national attention; Democrat Sarah McBride is bidding to become the first openly transgender member of Congress in Delaware (More)

• About 36% of top election officials nationwide have resigned since the 2020 presidential election, according to a CBS report. It is the highest turnover rate in at least 20 years, sparking concerns among experts heading into this fall (More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes rebounded and closed higher yesterday. The Dow Jones was up almost 500 points (Dow +1.20%, Nasdaq +1.16%, S&P 500 +1.16%).

• Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw is expected to resign, according to The Wall Street Journal. The railway executive is reportedly under investigation for misconduct related to an inappropriate workplace relationship (More)

• Seven public companies will pay a combined $3M in SEC fines for violating whistleblower protections. Acadia Healthcare received the harshest penalty, getting dinged for $1.4M (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• The Professional Women's Hockey League announced a rebrand ahead of its second season. It will still operate as a six-team league, but it has given each franchise a nickname after they played under city names last season (More)

• Kathy Bates said she will retire when her role on CBS' upcoming Matlock reboot ends. The 76-year-old actress won an Academy Award for her performance in Misery; she has also won two Golden Globes and two Primetime Emmys (More)

• Eminem will open tomorrow night's MTV Video Music Awards. The rapper is tied with Peter Gabriel for the most victories by a solo male artist in the program's history; he received eight nominations for this year's edition (More)

Quick Hitters

• Very Cute: This video of a little boy getting a haircut will brighten your day. He is having the time of his life, and so is his barber.

• New Idea: Plastic waste is a major environmental issue. An innovative chemical procedure breaks down bags and bottles to make new recycled materials.

• Go Deep: How does the body know whether to cough or sneeze? Neurons in your brain make the call.

• Take Note: Do not open your eyes while swimming underwater. Experts say there is no "safe" body of water, and goggles are the way to go.

• Cooking Hacks: Small adjustments in the kitchen can lead to delicious dishes. Here are a few great tips, including how to best revive cold pizza and salvage overdone cookies.

Watch This

You can visit Albert Einstein's brain, you know.

Links

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• How to get your sleep schedule on track for the fall 😴

• U.S. food insecurity skyrocketed last year 🥗

• The Cold War saw some wacky Arctic military projects ☃️

• California is the $1M home kingdom 🏠

• Stone skimming's world championship event is a big deal 🪨

Looking Ahead …

The world's longest tunnel is about to be closed for a spell. The Delaware Aqueduct, an 85-mile underground channel that carries water from upstate New York into New York City, will shut down for six months in October to repair leaks and build a new bypass.

Question of the Day

Yesterday’s results:

Will you watch the presidential debate tonight?

• Yes (66%)

• No (34%)