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Minnesota Standoff Ends In Tragedy

Your unbiased daily news brief

Author

James Kratch
February 19, 2024

Happy Monday (and Presidents Day). Here is a story that can only happen in New York: A man has lived rent-free in the iconic New Yorker hotel for five years thanks to an obscure local housing law and some legal maneuvering. But he now faces criminal charges after pushing the envelope further and trying to claim ownership of the landmark venue, including an attempt to make another tenant pay him rent. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

  • National Parks: Newest one opens in Colorado

  • Mexico: Pro-democracy protests nationwide

  • Michigan: Tlaib backs Biden protest vote

  • Markets: Closed for Presidents Day

  • Daytona 500: Postponed to this afternoon

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Tragedy in Minnesota

Two police officers and a first responder were killed in a Minneapolis suburb after responding to a domestic violence call.

  • What happened: A gunman barricaded himself in a home with a woman and seven children. Shots rang out after an hours-long standoff.

  • The incident: The gunman began firing when cops were negotiating his exit from the residence. At least one officer was in the house. Shots were fired from the upper and lower levels. A third officer was shot, but is expected to survive. The paramedic was killed while attending to one of the wounded officers.

  • The aftermath: Police said the gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot. All other people in the home were evacuated without injury.

2) Navalny dead

Alexei Navalny, an imprisoned Russian opposition leader and President Vladimir Putin's most formidable political foe, is dead at 47.

  • Kremlin's claims: Russia says Navalny died suddenly after taking a walk at his remote Arctic penal colony, a day after he appeared healthy during a court appearance. Navalny's family said they have been unable to locate and secure his body as officials say an investigation into the cause of death is underway.

  • The response: Navalny's team accused Russia of murdering him; Navalny previously survived an assassination attempt by poisoning. World leaders expressed outrage and blamed Putin for Navalny's death, drawing Russian condemnation as police cracked down on demonstrations honoring Navalny nationwide.

  • Big picture: Putin was never in danger of losing his upcoming re-election bid, but he has now wholly consolidated his power. It is unclear if Navalny's death will reinvigorate international support for Ukraine in its war with Russia or alter the emergence of NATO as a U.S. campaign issue.

3) Pass the hat

The big question following former President Donald Trump's staggering $355M penalty in his New York business fraud trial: Can he pay up?

  • Sizable checks: Trump faces over $500M in civil penalties and interest between this verdict and his E. Jean Carroll defamation rulings. He will likely be required to put up the full fraud judgment within weeks to proceed with an appeal.

  • Making moves: Trump's net worth is believed to be somewhere in the $3B range, but it is unclear if he has enough available cash on hand. The former president unveiled $400 "Trump Sneakers" over the weekend while supporters launched a GoFundMe for him, developments that led to skepticism about his liquidity.

  • Big picture: Trump's financial situation could impact his campaign as the presumed Republican nominee, with some GOP concerns he could look to raid party coffers for funds. It also raises questions about a sitting president facing massive debts. The anticipated IPO of Trump’s Truth Social platform could bring a windfall, but laws would delay his ability to cash out.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

  • Colorado's Amache National Historic Site is the newest national park. A Japanese internment camp was on the grounds during World War II (More)

  • Two juveniles face gun and resisting arrest charges after a shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl parade. One person was killed and 22 injured; all 12 children injured have been released from the hospital (More)

  • Eighty percent of Americans believe the U.S. government is doing a poor job with border security, according to a Pew survey. But opinions on the severity of the situation differ based on partisan lines (More)

World News

  • Roughly 90K people demonstrated throughout Mexico yesterday, protesting democratic lapses under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Lopez Obrador has slashed funding for the nation's electoral agency and attacked journalists and judges (More)

  • Israel will begin a ground offensive in Rafah on March 10 if Hamas has not freed all remaining hostages in Gaza. Israel's plan to enter the city, which holds roughly 1.5M displaced Palestinians, has caused international concern (More)

  • The United Kingdom's National Health Service is investigating potential mass fraud related to nurses' qualifications. Over 700 workers may have used proxies to pass required tests in Nigeria before entering the UK (More)

Campaign News

  • Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib is encouraging the state's Democrat primary voters to vote against President Biden. The president's support of Israel's war against Hamas has become a political liability with Michigan's large Arab American community (More)

  • West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin ruled out a third-party presidential bid. The retiring Democratic lawmaker had teased joining a unity ticket helmed by the No Labels group (More)

  • Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips will continue his longshot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Phillips pledged to remain in the race despite laying off a significant number of campaign employees (More)

Business & Markets

  • Major indexes closed down Friday to wrap up a rough week. The markets are closed today to observe the President's Day holiday (Dow -0.37%, Nasdaq -0.82%, S&P 500 -0.48%).

  • Workers at Ford's most profitable U.S. plant are threatening to strike. The UAW and automaker are negotiating local contract issues at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville (More)

  • Toast will lay off 10% of its workforce. The restaurant management software company is expected to shed about 550 jobs as growth slows (More)

Entertainment & Sports

  • NASCAR delayed the Daytona 500 to today due to rain. The race will start at 4 p.m. ET on FOX; former champions Joey Logano and Michael McDowell will start in the front row (More)

  • Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is suing Jimmy Kimmel and Disney. Santos claims the ABC late-night host misled him into making Cameo videos to ridicule him on-air (More)

  • Oppenheimer won seven BAFTA awards at the annual event in London. Poor Things captured five awards; Prince William attended the ceremonies as he resumes royal duties (More)

Quick Hitters

  • Feel Good: East Carolina's Parker Byrd became the first person to play with a prosthetic leg in a Division-1 baseball game. Byrd lost his right leg and has had dozens of surgeries due to a 2022 boating accident.

  • Be Safe: Hyundai has recalled over 90K Genesis vehicles due to a fire risk with the engine. Owners should park their cars outside and away from structures until they are repaired.

  • Take Note: Gait speed -- how fast you walk -- is emerging as a key vital sign for personal health. Here is why having your gait examined could bring significant benefits.

  • Self Care: Mental health experts say crying can be good for you. The expression (and release) of emotion can alleviate stress and provide other positives.

  • Life Hack: You know that extra lace hole at the top of your running shoes? It is there for a reason, and it can help you the next time you work out.

  • Be Well: Pop quiz: What’s the body’s most abundant protein? The answer: Collagen. NativePath's Certified Grass-Fed Collagen Powder is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and contains 18 grams of protein per suggested serving. Start incorporating it daily to support skin elasticity, joint health, bone strength, and muscle growth and maintenance.*

*Sponsored

Amazon Freevee has released a trailer for Boat Story. The upcoming series is about two strangers who come across a shipwreck loaded with cocaine and then try to sell it.

Looking Ahead …

The new MLS season begins later this week, and the professional soccer league expects to kick off with replacement referees. The league’s officials are locked out due to a labor dispute — not with MLS, but with another officiating group.

Question of the Day

Last week’s results:

Trivia: Which astronaut was NOT on Apollo 13?

A good number of Tip News readers know their NASA history, as 41% got this right and said Ken Mattingly.