5 things to know for July 12: Presidential race, Economy, Alec Baldwin trial, Immigration, Auto dealer outage
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Presidential race
Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi have spoken privately about the future of President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign as a growing list of Democrats look to steer him out of the race. Sources say both the former president and ex-speaker are concerned about how much harder they think it has become for Biden to beat former President Donald Trump — but are not sure what to do. Biden dismissed concerns about his health during a high-stakes solo news conference on Thursday and said he would “keep moving.” However, some analysts say it may be too late for Biden to convince many potential voters after his poor debate performance and amid a pattern of public gaffes. On Thursday, Biden mistakenly called Vice President Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump” and also accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin.”
2. Economy
Consumer prices in the US fell in June for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Consumer Price Index dropped 0.1% from May, which helped to slow the annual rate of inflation to 3% from 3.3% in May, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Falling gas prices as well as a drop in new and used car prices helped to usher in the first month-on-month decline since May 2020, the data showed. The better-than-expected inflation report further bolstered hopes that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates sooner than later and help make borrowing money less expensive for many Americans.
3. Alec Baldwin trial
Today marks the third day of testimony in actor Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial, nearly three years after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of the film “Rust.” Hannah Gutierrez Reed — the armorer for the film who was responsible for firearm safety on set — has been called to testify today but will not cooperate, her attorney said. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter, in April. A crime scene technician and a former “Rust” detective said this week that they believe 26-year-old Gutierrez Reed was the one who brought the live rounds to set. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty and has maintained he did not pull the trigger after he discharged the prop gun.
4. Immigration
Panama has placed barbed wire on several routes along the Darién Gap in a bid to block migrants making their way north. The treacherous 66-mile hike through a mountainous rainforest region connecting South and Central America has seen an increase in the number of migrants willing to risk their lives and safety to cross it. Panamanian figures show more than 170,000 migrants crossed the route from January to June 6 of this year. Some high-ranking officials in neighboring Colombia have criticized Panama’s latest move. “The barbed wires in the jungle will only bring drowned people into the sea. Migration is stopped by removing economic blockades and improving the economy of the south,” Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said.
5. Auto dealer outage
CDK Global, a software firm serving car dealerships across the US that was roiled by a cyberattack last month, appears to have paid a $25 million ransom to the hackers to get their systems back online, multiple sources told CNN. The ransomware attack that hit CDK in June disrupted thousands of auto dealerships that use the company’s software to manage everything from scheduling to sales and orders. The ransom was likely paid in bitcoin and sent to a cryptocurrency account controlled by the hackers, sources say. Federal officials discourage paying a ransom to cybercriminals because it can fuel future attacks, but some companies feel they have no choice but to pay to recover customer data or regain control of their operations.
THIS JUST IN
Nearly all AT&T cell customers’ call and text records exposed in a massive breachThe call and text message records of tens of millions of AT&T cellphone customers in mid-to-late 2022 were exposed in a massive data breach, the telecom company revealed today. AT&T said the compromised data includes the telephone numbers of “nearly all” of its cellular customers and the customers of mobile virtual network operators on its network between May 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
A timeline of the 7-month-long Ambani mega-weddingToday is the main ceremony of India’s most anticipated wedding of the year. The internet is awash with rumors of the performer lineup, but one thing is certain: There will be no expense spared.
Italian authorities confiscate almost $1 million in fake olive oilThe alleged criminals were stunned this week when authorities raided their facilities olive a sudden.
Prince Harry presented with the Pat Tillman Award for Service at ESPYSThe Duke of Sussex graciously accepted the award Thursday amid backlash from Tillman’s mother. Read why she disagreed with the selection.
Olympics receives backlash over its official carScientists and engineers say the vehicle selected to be the official car of the Paris Olympics “will damage the reputation” of the green Games.
Australian museum admits that ‘Picassos’ hanging in restroom are fakeThe Museum of Old and New Art has come clean: The Picasso paintings hanging in its women’s restroom were forged by one of its own curators.
QUIZ TIME
As the Olympics approach, which river in Europe could host some of the Games’ swimming events despite pollution concerns?A. SeineB. ThamesC. TiberD. Danube
Take me to the quiz!
Last week, 54% of readers who took the quiz got eight or more questions right. How will you fare?
IN MEMORIAM
Acclaimed actress Shelley Duvall has died of complications of diabetes, according to reports. She was 75. Known for her thin physique, large expressive eyes and powerful performances, Duvall was a standout playing opposite Jack Nicholson in the iconic 1980 horror film “The Shining” and Robin Williams in the comedy “Popeye” that same year.
TODAY’S NUMBER
500,000That’s roughly how many Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until next week amid sweltering summer heat. The widespread outages in southeast Texas came after Hurricane Beryl slammed into the Gulf Coast on Monday.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“This match I will remember forever.”
— Jasmine Paolini, after becoming the first Italian woman in history to reach a Wimbledon final. The 28-year-old is enjoying the best season of her career since breaking into the top 100 in 2019. Millions will likely tune in to the final on Saturday when Paolini, the No. 7 seed, will play No. 31 Barbora Krejčíková for the coveted Wimbledon title.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY ...
Transforming lives by helping dogs find forever homesA unique nonprofit is improving lives by pairing kids in the juvenile justice system with abandoned dogs. Watch the heartwarming video here.
The former president Barack Obama and ex-speaker Nancy Pelosi are concerned about the future of President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign. They believe it has become harder for Biden to beat former President Donald Trump, but they are unsure what to do.
CDK Global, a software firm serving car dealerships in the US, appears to have paid a $25 million ransom to hackers to get their systems back online. Federal officials discourage paying a ransom to cybercriminals, but some companies feel they have no choice but to pay to recover customer data or regain control of their operations.
