The Outsiders

Europe's Toxic Brew, Hamas Leader Killed

Jul 31, 2024

"The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously." That's how Taylor Swift responded to a heartbreaking mass stabbing that killed three children at a Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England. What followed is part of bigger story—impacting Europe and other places around the world—that combines the rise of the far right, political hate speech, an anti-immigrant fervor, and the social media driven spread of false news. WaPo: (Gift Article): Far-right rioters attack U.K. police, mosque amid false claims on stabbings. "Police said the riot in Southport on Tuesday night was stoked in part by social media posts that incorrectly alleged that the stabbing was perpetrated by a recent asylum seeker who had arrived in Britain by illegally crossing the English Channel on a raft. Amid reported chants of 'We want our country back,' rioters pelted police with bricks, injuring as many as 50 officers and sending 27 to hospitals. The rioters also smashed the windows of a mosque, torched vehicles and looted a shop. The violence, on the same day the town was holding a peaceful, heartrending vigil for the dead and injured girls, stunned Britain, where the stabbings have been round-the-clock news."

2

Direct Message

"Hamas’ political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed early Wednesday in the Iranian capital, according to Iran and the Palestinian militant group, both of which blamed Israel for an attack that has raised fears of spiraling conflict in the region." The killing comes just days after senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut. ("The Hezbollah commander who the Israeli military says it killed in an airstrike Tuesday had been blamed by Israel for a deadly weekend rocket attack and was accused by the U.S. of orchestrating the 1983 bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American servicemen.") AP: How two strikes on militant leaders in the Middle East could escalate into a regional war.

+ Like most things in the Middle East, the impact of these killings is hard to predict. "That Israel can kill even when the target is a prominent official, there on a brief visit—not long enough for Israel to surveil him and track his routines—suggests that the Israelis’ ability to operate in Tehran is very extensive indeed. The life-insurance premiums for senior Iranian and Hezbollah officials just spiked." The Atlantic (Gift Article): Ismail Haniyeh’s Assassination Sends a Message. Here's the latest from CNN.

3

A Higher Power (Gun)

"For decades, McLean Bible Church has served as the place of worship for many of D.C.’s Republican elite. The sprawling evangelical megachurch in Vienna, Virginia, boasts a roster of former parishioners that includes everyone from Ken Starr to Mike Pence. It’s where Donald Trump once dropped in for a brief prayer after a round of golf. McLean Bible is also where, in November 2017, a senior pastor named Dale Sutherland formed a nonprofit called Act2Impact. In those days, the organization was described in state records as an 'auxiliary' of the church, with a mission to 'preach the gospel' and 'conduct evangelistic and humanitarian outreach.' But that mission was short-lived." An investigation from MoJo and The Trace: Inside the Secret Multimillion-Dollar Operation to Dismantle America’s Gun Laws.

4

Five Ring Circus

"'You’ll meet someone, and their first reaction is, 'I bet I can beat you, let’s play,' Zhang said, laughing. 'I don’t think you’d really say that to anyone in another sport. If you saw Michael Phelps, I don’t think you’d say, 'I bet I can beat you in a race.'" The NYT(Gift Article) sets the record straight: No, You Can’t Beat an Olympic Table Tennis Player.

+ You getting a point off a ping pong Olympian would be a big upset. But since that match isn't happening, we'll have to settle for this one: Biggest upset of the Olympics? World No. 1 table tennis player goes down. (Weirdly, the favored player was using a backup paddle after his main one was damaged by paparazzi.)

+ Simone Biles and Team USA reclaim Olympic gold in women's all-around gymnastics final. (Watching gymnastics is so nerve wracking. I was watching the coverage after already hearing the results and I was still stressed out during every twist and turn.)

+ As is the case with many events, the best part of gymnastics is watching the parents, especially after they were forced to stay away during the pandemic games. For Olympic parents barred from Tokyo Games, a tangible joy in Paris.

+ Is the Paris Olympic pool slow? The answer isn’t that deep. As much as the swimmers are criticizing the Olympic pool, at least they didn't have to jump into the Seine with the triathletes. "It didn’t taste great. It’s a little bit brown."

+ South Korean Sharpshooter Kim Yeji Is the 2024 Olympics’ First Breakout Style Star. As one person put it, she has "The most 'Main Character Energy' I've ever seen in my life."

5

Extra, Extra

Show Me the Money Impact: "Some of L.A.’s poorest families received cash assistance of $1,000 a month as part of a 12-month pilot project launched nearly three years ago. There were no strings attached and they could use the money however they saw fit. Now, a new study finds that the city-funded program was overwhelmingly beneficial." LA Times: Study details ‘transformative’ results from L.A. pilot that guaranteed families $1,000 a month.

+ Officially Concerning: Kamala Harris has gained momentum in the polls. In swing states, Trump still has momentum in the number of election conspiracists working in local election offices. These Swing State Election Officials Are Pro-Trump Election Deniers.

+ Part of the Package: Ever notice how many FedEx and UPS trucks are double-parked on city streets? Well, it turns out that they get ticketed. A lot. But that's just part of the business. One year, 14,000 tickets: How delivery giants shrug off fines and flout SF’s parking laws.

+ Birtherism 2.0: "She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black." That was one of the predictably racist and unhinged things Trump said during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. (Trump is the same ignorant racist that he's always been. The problem is that there are millions of Americans who are fine with it and thousands of GOP officials that enable it and everything else.)

+ Rock and Awe: "The Army is seeking to recoup money from an $11 million marketing deal with the United Football League and celebrity Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson after the partnership failed to yield a single new recruit."

6

Bottom of the News

"What makes a good speed puzzler? According to Mr. Álvarez-Ossorio, they need great visual acuity, quick hands, concentration, organization and intuition. 'Of course you also have to have technique,' he said. 'But in my opinion, what differentiates a true champion is the ability to self-control, to ensure that the pressure does not affect them or they hardly notice it.'" NYT (Gift Article): You Won’t See Them at the Olympics, but These Speed Puzzlers Are World-Class.

+ Taco Bell’s parent company aims to bring its ‘Voice AI’ technology to hundreds of stores in the US by the end of 2024. (The AI can take your order, accurately predict your impending gastrointestinal symptoms, and provide a map of the nearest public restrooms.)