Human trafficking rescue, iPhone 15 overheating, and a monkey pizza delivery.

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US News, Politics, & Government

McCarthy and Gaetz spar in heated meeting ahead of government shutdown

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) got in a heated exchange during Thursday morning’s conference meeting, with Gaetz accusing McCarthy of paying influencers to attack him on social media. Gaetz has criticized McCarthy’s leadership lately, insisting that a bipartisan short spending bill to prevent a government shutdown would be a breach of the deal McCarthy made with conservatives to become speaker in January. McCarthy is pushing for a vote on the temporary funding resolution on Friday, which is unlikely to receive enough support to proceed to the Senate. (More)

Biden to announce library for John McCain in future of democracy speech

President Biden has designated federal funding to construct a library and community facility at Arizona State University to honor the late Arizona Sen. John McCain. It will be built with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act — the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package passed in 2021. McCain died of brain cancer in 2018 — the same disease that killed Biden’s son Beau three years earlier. (More)

House GOP’s impeachment witnesses say there's no evidence yet that Biden committed a crime

House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing on Thursday against President Joe Biden. The Oversight Committee said they have evidence that will show how President Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain. However, the panel of witnesses said there is no evidence of a crime by the elder Biden, but more bank records are needed from him and his son Hunter Biden to determine if there might be. The impeachment inquiry will allow investigators access to records that were previously off limits, which is why Republicans insist it’s necessary. Democrats argue that the move is a political witch hunt. (More)

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World

Dutch police arrest gunman after deadly hospital shooting

Dutch police arrested a 32-year-old student after a “targeted” shooting spree in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The shooting began in a private home where the suspected gunman fatally shot a woman and injured her daughter before setting fire to the house. The suspect then went into a classroom at Erasmus University Medical Center and shot a doctor. The shooter was a student at the university and was finally apprehended after setting a fire in the hospital. (More)

Fears rise of volcanic eruption near Naples after strongest earthquake in 40 years

Seismic activity has been increasing in a large volcanic area close to Naples, Italy, over the past year. On Wednesday, a 4.2 magnitude earthquake occurred, the strongest in the region in 40 years. Pressure building beneath the volcano and a weakening crust from the recent earthquakes have primed the area for an eruption, which is home to at least 360,000 people. Officials have accelerated the creation of evacuation plans in the event that the volcano erupts. (More)

Six women rescued from back of truck in France after texts to reporter

Four Vietnamese and two Iraqi women have been rescued from the back of a refrigerated truck after a text to a BBC reporter sparked a cross-border search. The women were hoping to make it to the U.K. or Ireland but knew they were in trouble when the truck headed in the opposite direction. Things became worse when the refrigeration was turned on, and the temperature dropped rapidly. The women texted a BBC reporter in London, who was able to use their GPS location to guide authorities to the truck. The women were rescued after a 10-hour search. Authorities have opened an investigation amid suspicions of human trafficking. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed higher on Thursday (S&P +0.59%, Nasdaq +0.83%, Dow +0.35%) ~ The three major averages got a boost as Treasury yields dipped yesterday from multiyear highs. (More)

Delta CEO says airline will modify SkyMiles changes: 'Probably went too far'

Earlier this month, Delta Air Lines announced that it was simplifying its loyalty program by basing Medallion Status on only spending rather than also counting flights. It also said it would limit the number of American Express cardholders who can access its clubs. On Thursday, the airline admitted they may have gone too far after receiving feedback from customers. Further adjustments to effectively serve customers at various loyalty tiers will be announced in the coming weeks. (More)

Epic Games is eliminating 16% of its workforce and selling Bandcamp

Epic Games, the creator of popular video game Fortnite, will lay off 870 employees and part ways with 250 others as it sells its stake in music site Bandcamp. Most of the cuts are outside of the company’s core business, so it will effectively reduce costs without interrupting any major development plans. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Harry Potter actor Michael Gambon dies at 82

Actor Michael Gambon, who portrayed Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series of movies, has died at 82. He began his acting career on the stage and was eventually selected by Laurence Olivier to star in Hamlet. He won multiple awards during his stage acting career, including three Olivier Awards. Gambon was knighted in 1998. (More)

Golf’s Ryder Cup begins today

The Ryder Cup tees off today at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy. The biennial tournament between the U.S. and Europe brings together the top players from each respective region to compete against each other. The U.S. won in dominant fashion two years ago in Wisconsin and hopes to win in Europe this year. A feat they haven’t achieved since 1993. (More)

Major League Baseball draws highest attendance since 2017

More than 70 million fans will attend Major League Baseball games for the first time in six years, thanks to new rules aimed at elevating the fan experience. The changes, including pitch clocks to speed up play, limits on defensive shifts to increase offense, new social spaces at ballparks, and speedier entry, have led to a 9.2% increase in attendance. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

CDC director urges flu, COVID vaccination amid low uptake

Vaccination rates for COVID-19 and the flu have declined recently and a large portion of the U.S. population said they are not interested in getting either this year, according to a new survey. The survey found that only about 20 percent of Americans are worried about themselves or someone in their family getting infected with the flu, COVID, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). And roughly 40 percent of adults said they don’t plan on getting vaccinated for the flu or COVID. When asked why, survey respondents cited side effects, distrust of vaccines, and the belief that the vaccines don’t work well. (More)

iPhone 15 is one of the hottest gadgets of the year, literally

The iPhone 15 has a new titanium frame and A17 processor, which are reportedly causing overheating issues. Customers have complained that the phones gets hot when playing games, charging, or even when the phones aren’t in use. One video shows the iPhone 15 Pro reaching temperatures of around 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The problem lies with its usability when it overheats. The device can disrupt charging or even shutdown completely when it gets too hot. (More)

Honda forms largest EV partner network in the US despite not yet selling an EV in the country

Honda will soon have the most charging locations in America after its partnerships with EVgo and Electrify America, two of the largest EV charging networks in the United States. There’s just one problem, it doesn’t currently offer any EVs in the U.S. Honda’s near-term electric strategy relies on a partnership with General Motors which will help them produce two Honda electric vehicles: the Acura ZDX, and the Honda Prologue. The company expects to ship 45,000 Prologues sometime in 2024. (More)

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Bonus Material

Watch: A monkey paying for his pizza delivery.

Win a stay at Shrek’s Swamp in the Scottish Highlands.

An Irish university plans to offer a degree in social media influencing.

How to start habits that actually stick.