Tip News
Posts
North Korea Tied To Biggest Crypto Heist Ever

North Korea Tied To Biggest Crypto Heist Ever

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
February 24, 2025

Good Monday morning. The late Betty White is getting her own stamp. Have a great start to your week!

In Today’s Brief

Listeria: Fatal outbreak
Pope Francis: Latest prognosis
New Jersey: Mayor dies
Dow Jones: Brutal session
Sean Combs: Loses attorney

... and more

First time reading? Sign up here

Top Tips

1) Cold-handed crime

Hackers pulled off the largest cryptocurrency heist in history.

The news: Bybit said $1.5B in digital assets were stolen from its cold wallet, a supposedly secure offline storage system for crypto. Hackers then quickly transferred the funds from the Dubai-based exchange and liquidated them. The theft is over double the size of the biggest known crypto heists.
The suspects: Analysts believe hackers with ties to North Korea's government pulled off the theft. Pyongyang backs the Lazarus Group, a hacking collective notorious for stealing billions through the crypto industry. The stolen funds then go to fund dictator Kim Jong Un's regime.
Big picture: Bybit CEO Ben Zhou said the exchange would make any impacted users whole and all funds remain safe for over 60M users worldwide. The company has $20B in assets; it could cover the lost crypto itself or find loans to refund users.

2) In the DOGE-house?

Elon Musk's latest stunt has already been countered by others in President Donald Trump's orbit.

What happened: The billionaire Department of Government Efficiency head emailed all federal employees over the weekend, demanding they respond with a recap of their work accomplishments last week. Musk added failure to respond by tonight at 11:59 p.m. ET would be considered notice of resignation.
The pushback: Many agencies, including the Defense and State Departments, have told their employees to ignore Musk's demand. Federal worker unions have pushed back on the missive, as have elected officials.
The pivot: Musk has since seemingly chalked the gambit to a test designed to identify "outright fraud." The billionaire alleged a "significant" number of government workers do little or no work and don't check emails; he also claimed without evidence that "non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks."
Big picture: Almost all of Musk's DOGE cuts and moves have sparked immense criticism and outcry. This is arguably the most disruptive one yet. It is also the first time many fellow Trump loyalists have stood on the other side.

3) Another right turn

The Christian Democratic Union won Germany's snap election as expected.

The results: Exit polls signaled the center-right CDU will finish with about 28.5% and party leader Friedrich Merz will become chancellor of Europe's strongest nation. But the CDU will only have a projected 208 of 630 seats in the Bundestag, necessitating governing coalition talks. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will likely remain in place as a caretaker for several weeks.
The surge: Alternative for Germany finished second with 20.8% of the vote, capturing 151 seats in its best performance ever. But Merz has already said he will not form a government with the controversial far-right party. Scholz's center-left Social Democrats finished third with 16.5% of the vote and 121 seats.
Big picture: AfD's results are the best for a German far-right party since the end of World War II, which will create pressure for Merz on his right flank. A coalition with Scholz and the Social Democrats may be the most likely road to forming a government. Merz is pro-NATO and could clash with Trump; he has said Europe must begin to stand on its ownapart from the U.S.

Looking to kickstart the new year with better sleep?

Cornbread Hemp has you covered with their all-natural, melatonin-free sleep support. Their gummies are crafted with USDA organic ingredients like full-spectrum hemp extract, valerian root, lavender, and chamomile, ensuring you avoid the groggy hangover often associated with melatonin. Vegan and guilt-free, they seamlessly fit into your bedtime routine, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Embrace the new year with calm and restful nights, knowing sweet dreams are just a gummy away.

Plus, Cornbread is giving Tip News readers 30% off your first order when you use code RESOLUTION at checkout.*

Order now and get the sleep you deserve

*One-time purchases only, cannot be combined with subscription discounts.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

A listeria outbreak tied to supplemental shakes has killed at least 11 people nationwide. The impacted products are commonly used in hospitals and long-term care facilities; at least 37 people have been hospitalized due to illness (More)
A hostage situation at a Pennsylvania hospital turned fatal. The gunman and a police officer were killed when gunfire broke out at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York; three hospital workers and two cops suffered gunshot wounds and a fourth staffer was injured (More)
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fired the city's fire department chief, blaming Kristin Crowley for a botched wildfire response. Gov. Gavin Newsom formally asked Congress for close to $40B in funds for disaster recovery after blazes devastated the region (More | More)

World News

Pope Francis has "mild" kidney failure, according to The Vatican. The pontiff remains in critical condition at a Rome hospital with bilateral pneumonia; he is said to be alert and showing some improvements (More)
An escaped French prisoner was arrested in Romania after nine months on the run. Two guards were killed when armed assailants ambushed a convoy carrying Mohamed "The Fly" Amra last May; he is an alleged drug trafficker and accused of ties to a murder (More)
Today is the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would step down in exchange for a peace deal or NATO membership; French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the war with President Trump today at the White House (More | More)

Political News

A New Jersey mayor believed to be the nation's oldest died at 100. Vito Perillo was in his second non-partisan term leading the town of Tinton Falls; the World War II veteran had previously decided not to seek re-election this fall (More)
Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. was fired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Trump nominated retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine to replace him; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported the move and other firings of top brass (More)
Florida Rep. Cory Mills is under criminal investigation for allegedly assaulting a woman in Washington. Metropolitan Police's response is also the subject of an internal review; the Republican lawmaker said he did nothing wrong (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed lower to end a brutal Friday. The Dow Jones dropped almost 750 points; the Nasdaq fell over 400 (Dow -1.69%, Nasdaq -2.20%, S&P 500 -1.71%).
UnitedHealth Group is reportedly under a federal civil fraud investigation. The Justice Department is probing the embattled healthcare giant's Medicare billing practices, according to The Wall Street Journal (More)
The European Union will reportedly cut back on its business sustainability rules. Fewer companies will be required to comply with reporting protocols to make continental industries more competitive as the U.S. moved to curtail regulations (More)

Entertainment & Sports

One of Sean "Diddy" Combs' top attorneys withdrew from his federal sex trafficking case. TMZ reported Anthony Ricco quit the hip-hop mogul's defense team over in-fighting regarding strategy; Combs' trial is scheduled to begin May 5 (More)
The New York Yankees ended their infamous facial hair ban. Coaches and players will be permitted to have "well-groomed" beards for the first time in almost 50 years; mustaches were previously permitted (More)
Actress Lynne Marie Stewart died at 78. She was a member of The Groundlings comedy troupe and was known for roles in Pee-wee's Playhouse and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (More)

Quick Hitters

Real Hero: A non-verbal teenager wandered from his Illinois home in sub-freezing conditions wearing just a shirt. A quick-thinking bus driver spotted him and saved the day.
Take Note: Yes, peanut butter can go bad. Here is how you know when to toss your jar and buy a new one.
Go Deep: You are constantly hearing about tariffs these days. Here is a close look at how the trade duties work.
New Idea: Veterinarians at the University of Florida will test an eye-drop medication they believe could reverse blindness in some horses. It could also work for humans if it proves successful.
Life Hack: You do not need to go to a tailor or break out a sewing machine if your pants are too long. This simple trick will easily shorten them without much effort.

Watch This

That is not a bad AI-generated animation. It’s a real-life flying car in action.