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Ohio Doctors, An Affair And Alleged Arson

Ohio Doctors, An Affair And Alleged Arson

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
February 13, 2025

Good Thursday morning. A seafood company asked for help after about 27K salmon escaped a pen and entered the Norwegian Sea. They'll pay $45 for every recaptured fish. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

New York: Prisoner rebellion
Israel: Iran intelligence
Gabbard: Senate confirmation
Chevron: Big cuts
NIL: Federal guidance

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Burning hearts

A love triangle allegedly led to arson.

The news: An Ohio doctor is accused of setting another doctor's house on fire. Andrew Campbell, 33, of Toledo was indicted by a grand jury this week. He faces six felony counts related to the December incident.
More details: Police believe Campbell targeted Tahir Jamil in the alleged arson. They are investigating whether an affair between Campbell's wife and Jamil led to the incident. Campbell reportedly discovered the relationship several months prior. Jamil's Sylvania home is now uninhabitable.
Big picture: Campbell is a fellow at the University of Toledo. The school said he is on unpaid administrative leave. Jamil, a surgeon, is also on leave from his volunteer professor role at the school; he is reportedly being investigated for inappropriate conduct with students,

2) Talking season

Vladimir Putin has a chance to come in from the cold.

The news: President Donald Trump said he and the Russian president will begin negotiations to end the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. The leaders spoke by phone for over an hour; Trump said he believes "we're on the way to getting peace."
Making dates: Trump indicated he and Putin will likely meet in Saudi Arabia relatively soon. He also said they have agreed to make state visits to each other's nations. Putin has not been to the U.S. in a decade; Trump would make the first presidential trip to Russia since 2009. Diplomatic relations between the countries thawed further this week with a prisoner swap.
Ukrainian uncertainty: Trump said he also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But he was noncommittal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in the process -- a break from the Biden Administration's approach and one that raised red flags in Europe. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also downplayed Ukraine's chances to join NATO and indicated it must give up efforts to reclaim all territories annexed by Russia.
Big picture: Trump vowed to end the three-year war during his presidential campaign. European allies fear he will cater to Russia to achieve his goal. But the president has also expressed an openness to continue military aid to Ukraine in return for access to the country's natural resources. Trump also said he does not want Putin to exit a deal claiming he won.

3) Hot stuff

Inflation is back on the rise.

The news: January's consumer price index was up 3% YoY and 0.1% MoM. It was the fourth consecutive month of annual metric increases and the highest number in six months. Consumer prices were up 0.5%, the biggest uptick in 18 months.
Keep in mind: Businesses raising prices to begin the new year likely had an impact. As did surges in the cost of prescription medications and motor vehicle insurance.
The reactions: Major indexes were mixed after the worse-than-expected report (Dow Jones -0.50%, Nasdaq +0.03%, S&P 500 -0.27%). Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the economy is "close but not there on inflation." It is even more unlikely the central bank will consider interest rate cuts in the short term.
Big picture: Trump railed against inflation under former President Joe Biden and vowed to drive down prices. That has not happened yet. And he appears committed to risking myriad trade wars with tariffs that could heat the economy further.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

A New York state prison went into lockdown after an inmate rebellion. Three guards were injured; the Erie County facility has reportedly struggled with understaffing issues (More)
A U.S. Navy jet crashed into San Diego Bay yesterday. The aircraft's pilots ditched and were only in the water for a minute before being rescued by a sport fishing charter; they were in stable condition (More)
A Louisiana judge ordered LSU to reinstate a suspended law professor. The instructor was removed after a student alleged he used vulgar language to criticize Gov. Jeff Landry and President Trump, sparking a legal challenge (More)

World News

The U.S. believes Israel is considering strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, according to The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper's report cites a recent intelligence analysis; the report concluded the Israelis may push for American involvement in any operation (More)
A United Nations group said Bangladesh's former government may have committed crimes against humanity. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina oversaw fatal crackdowns on protests last year before resigning and entering exile; the country's new leaders are seeking her extradition from neighboring India (More)
France is in talks to remove all troops from Senegal. The French military currently has about 350 soldiers in the country; it has already pulled out of several former African colonies in recent years (More)

Political News

Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed as Director of National Intelligence. The former Hawaii House member overcame concerns about past statements about Ukraine, Syria and infamous leaker Edward Snowden; Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell was the lone Republican nay in a 52-48 vote (More)
A prominent former Illinois politician was convicted on federal corruption charges. Michael Madigan was the state's House Speaker for over 30 years, becoming the nation's longest-serving legislative leader (More)
Karrin Taylor Robson will mount another gubernatorial run in Arizona. The attorney and businesswoman lost a bruising GOP primary to Kari Lake in 2022; she has already received President Trump's endorsement (More)

Business & Markets

Chevron will cut up to 20% of its workforce. The oil giant hopes to slash costs by $2-3B; the layoffs could impact over 9K employees based on the company's most recent headcount (More)
Spirit Airlines rejected a fresh takeover offer from Frontier Airlines, scuttling the latest merger try. The budget carrier said it plans to proceed with restructuring plans after declaring bankruptcy last fall (More)
Joann will close about 500 stores nationwide. The Ohio-based crafts and fabrics retailer filed for bankruptcy last year and is seeking a sale; it currently operates over 800 locations (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Title IX does not apply to name, image and likeness compensation for college athletes, the Education Department said. The agency revoked guidance issued by the Biden Administration earlier this year; the matter has yet to be addressed by the courts (More)
Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon is no longer under federal investigation, his attorney claimed. Prosecutors had probed whether the professional wrestling mogul broke the law while trying to conceal sexual misconduct allegations against him (More)
John Oliver and Jon Stewart will headline a comedy benefit event for Los Angeles wildfire victims. Comic Relief: Stand-Up for L.A. will be held in New York next month; Chris Distefano and Ramy Youssef are among the other announced performers (More)

Quick Hitters

Feel Good: A 76-year-old Mississippi man knew he had to stay busy after losing his wife. The widower and veteran now spends his day fixing things, helping neighbors and finding love.
True Crime: A Japanese woman was arrested for squishing a sweet bun at a convenience store. The treat did not regain its form, so she was charged with damaging a little over $1 worth of property.
Go Deep: Online dating technically started before a man stepped on the moon. Here is a look back at an electronic service used by New York singles in the 1960s.
Cool Device: A new tool allows people who are blind or visually impaired to follow sporting events with their hands in real time. They utilize a tablet with a map of the playing surface and haptic feedback, among other features.
Life Hack: The news comes fast and furious these days. Here are some tips on avoiding media burnout while still staying informed.

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