Biden impeachment, stolen Van Gogh painting, and zombie trout.

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US News, Politics, & Government

Speaker McCarthy directs a House panel to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden

Speaker Kevin McCarthy is directing a House committee to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden over his family’s business dealings. McCarthy said the investigation into Biden’s son, Hunter, has revealed enough corruption to warrant the impeachment inquiry. He is launching the inquiry without a House vote because he may not have enough support from the slim GOP majority. (More)

DOJ charges 5 ex-Memphis officers over fatal beating of Tyre Nichols

The Department of Justice indicted five former Memphis police officers involved in the deadly police beating of Tyre Nichols earlier this year. The five officers repeatedly punched and kicked Nichols after a traffic stop and a brief foot chase. He was hospitalized after the incident and died three days later. The federal indictment accuses the five men of willfully depriving Nichols of his constitutional rights by using unreasonable force and depriving him of medical assistance while knowing he was seriously injured. The officers are also facing state charges. (More)

Escaped prisoner armed with stolen gun.

Escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante stole a rifle from a garage in southeastern Pennsylvania. The homeowner fired several shots at Cavalcante but he managed to escape and is now armed with a .22-caliber rifle and ammunition. 500 law enforcement personnel are involved in the search and are closing in on his location. However, locals in the area are frustrated with the search efforts and don’t understand why he hasn’t been caught after two weeks on the run. (More)

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World

Sweden brings more books and handwriting practice back to its tech-heavy schools

Sweden is making a push to ditch high-tech learning tools in its schools and reintroduce traditional learning methods like printed books, quiet reading time, and handwriting practice. The Swedish Minister for Schools also wants to reverse the rule that makes digital devices mandatory in preschools and completely end digital learning for children under the age of 6. (More)

A Russian passenger jet with a hydraulics problem makes a safe emergency landing in an open field

A Russian passenger jet with 170 people on board made an emergency landing in a field on Tuesday, and no one was seriously injured. The crew reported a problem with the hydraulic system midflight and requested permission to land the plane at an airport with a longer runway. However, they didn’t have enough fuel to make it and decided to land it in a field instead. (More)

Stolen Van Gogh handed to Dutch art sleuth in Ikea bag

A Van Gogh painting stolen from a Dutch museum in March 2020 has been recovered after a three-and-a-half-year mission to reclaim it. Dutch art detective Arthur Brand received the painting in a pillow inside an Ikea bag by a man who wasn’t involved in the theft. The painting was passed around the criminal underworld until Brand was approached by the man who offered to return it because it had become a headache to keep holding it. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed lower on Tuesday (S&P -0.57%, Nasdaq -1.04%, Dow -0.05%) ~ Oracle shares posted their worst day since 2002, sliding 12.5% after last quarter sales fell short of estimates. Big tech stocks also fell yesterday, driving down market averages across the board. (More)

Smurfit Kappa strikes $11 billion WestRock deal to create packaging leader

Ireland’s Smurfit Kappa is buying its US rival, WestRock, for $11 billion to create the world’s largest paper and packaging company. The deal will combine Europe’s largest paper and packaging producer with the second largest player in the US, creating a company worth nearly $20 billion. Smurfit Kappa shares dropped by 10%, while WestRock’s were up by 7% during trading on Tuesday. (More)

McDonald’s is getting rid of self-serve soda machines

McDonald’s is eliminating its self-serve soda machines by 2032 at its US restaurants. Consumer behavior has shifted since the pandemic, with many more customers opting for drive-thru and delivery services and less dining in, reducing the need for the machines. It also plans to design future restaurants with smaller or no dining rooms and high-tech drive-thrus. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Jets' Aaron Rodgers has torn Achilles tendon

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon in Monday night’s win over the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers had an MRI that confirmed the tear that occurred when he was tackled during the opening possession of the game. The average recovery time for an NFL player to return from a torn Achilles is about 9-12 months. (More)

Matt Olson hits 51st HR

Matt Olson tied the Braves single-season homerun record of 51 with his solo shot in the 4th inning of Atlanta’s 7-6 victory over Philadelphia. Andruw Jones set the original record in 2005. Olson is one of just 15 players since 2000 to reach the 50-homer mark. He has never hit more than 39 homeruns in a season before this year. (More)

2023 WNBA Playoffs

The WNBA postseason begins tonight with the Minnesota Lynx taking on the Connecticut Sun at 8pm ET. The top-seeded Las Vegas Aces are looking to repeat as champions and start their title defense against the Chicago Sky at 10pm ET. Full matchups and TV schedules can be found here.

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Science, Health, & Tech

Decongestant ingredient in popular products does not work

The FDA announced that a common decongestant ingredient in many popular over-the-counter flu remedies does not work. Phenylephrine, an active ingredient in medicines including Benadryl, Mucinex, Sudafed PE, and Tylenol, is no more effective than a placebo. The medicine is still effective if taken as a nasal spray, but its destroyed in the gut, making it useless when taken orally. Companies will likely pull the medications off the shelves this fall and scramble to formulate alternatives without the ingredient. (More)

Hobbies protect older people from age-related decline in mental health and wellbeing

Having a hobby is linked to higher levels of happiness, self-reported health, and life satisfaction among people aged 65 and over. The study was conducted over a four to eight-year timeframe with 93,263 participants from 16 countries on three continents. It also found that in countries with better life expectancy and national happiness levels, more people reported having a hobby. (More)

Apple debuts iPhone 15 and other updates

Apple introduced its iPhone 15 lineup on Tuesday, with improved cameras and a standard USB-C charging cable. As is customary, each model has an option to upgrade to a larger screen and a bigger battery. The Apple Watch comes with a chip upgrade and a new gesture that allows users to take actions by double-tapping their thumb and pointer finger. (More)

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Bonus Material

Zombie trout are taking over rivers across Montana.

Take a second to clear your head with these free guided meditations.

Red wine floods a city’s streets in Portugal.

The latest luxury commodity: Ice.