Good morning readers. Winning Miss Kansas took more than beauty for Alexis Smith; it took bravery. During her final interview, Smith revealed her abuser was in the audience, highlighting her platform to eliminate abusive relationships. Despite the emotional moment, she declared her commitment to represent healthy relationships for all to hear. An ICU nurse and preliminary winner in health, fitness, and talent, Smith said she was determined to use her story to fight domestic violence, both locally and beyond. She'll compete for Miss America in January.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• Secret Service Director is in the hot seat

• Headline Hustle: Wiz pulls out of deal with Google and plans to IPO, Ethereum ETFs launch today, CrowdStrike CEO to testify on outages that happened over the weekend

• Warner Bros. Discovery fights with Amazon over NBA rights

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

U.S.

Secret Service Director gets grilled on security lapse at Trump rally

In a startling breach that has left both sides of the aisle reeling, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced a barrage of questions on Monday regarding the near-miss assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident marks the most significant lapse in Secret Service protection since the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

During the heated House Oversight Committee session, lawmakers grilled Cheatle on the shocking security failure that allowed 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks to fire at Trump from a nearby rooftop. Despite the bipartisan outcry and calls for her resignation, Cheatle remained tight-lipped, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation as a barrier to providing detailed answers.

Critical questions unanswered

One of the most pressing questions—why the rooftop wasn't secured—remained unanswered, fueling frustration among committee members.

• Cheatle's refusal to disclose details about the security perimeter and the number of agents on duty only added to the tension in the room.

• The director’s response, or lack thereof, has prompted an increasing number of lawmakers to doubt her capacity to lead and ensure the safety of the nation's protectees.

The session, described as "unusually depressing" by committee members, concluded with a stark realization: confidence in Cheatle's leadership has eroded. Calls for her immediate resignation highlighted the urgent need for a re-evaluation of Secret Service protocols, especially in light of rising political violence and the looming presidential election.

Looking ahead…as the investigation continues, with a 45-day independent review led by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano already underway, the nation waits anxiously. The scrutiny of Secret Service procedures and the effectiveness of current security measures are now under more intense scrutiny than ever. As we move closer to the election, the effectiveness of these discussions and their implementations will be under the nation's microscope.

IN THE KNOW

Headline Hustle

👋 Wiz backs out of Google deal, will pursue IPO as originally planned. Wiz has decided to forgo a $23 billion acquisition offer from Google, opting instead to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) as initially planned. The acquisition would have been Google’s largest deal ever, nearly doubling Wiz's $12 billion valuation from its last funding round. Concerns about antitrust issues and investor interests influenced the decision. Wiz, a cloud security startup founded in 2020, has experienced rapid growth, hitting $350 million in annual recurring revenue in 2023. The company plans to continue its growth independently.

🏦 Ethereum ETFs officially launch today. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved exchange-traded funds (ETFs) holding ether, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency, with trading expected to begin as soon as Tuesday. Several fund issuers have submitted additional registration statements, and exchanges have given notice of the upcoming trading. Major asset managers like BlackRock, Fidelity, and VanEck, along with crypto-focused firms like Bitwise, 21Shares, and Grayscale, are set to launch these funds. While not expected to be as popular as bitcoin ETFs, ether ETFs are predicted to attract significant investor interest.

💻️ CrowdStrike CEO to testify on the massive outage that affected hospitals, banks and government agencies. CrowdStrike CEO was summoned to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee regarding a major outage caused by a faulty update affecting Windows PCs, disrupting flights, hospital procedures, and broadcasters. The committee chairs stressed the need for a detailed explanation and mitigation steps, requesting a hearing by Wednesday. The outage, which CrowdStrike's CEO assured was not a cyber incident but an issue with their security software update, continues to impact services, with Delta still facing disruptions.

SPORTS

Warner Bros. Discovery takes on Amazon for NBA rights

Warner Bros. Discovery is not ready to pass the ball just yet.

On Monday, the media giant threw a curveball at the National Basketball Association by announcing its intent to exercise matching rights against a deal initially set for Amazon Prime Video. This move marks a pivotal play in the ongoing battle for premium sports content.

Foul or game winner?

Warner Bros. Discovery's statement highlighted its determination to maintain its four-decade partnership with the NBA, emphasizing the value of its coverage and studio productions. The company has officially matched an offer, laying down a challenge not just to Amazon but to the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting.

But here's where things get tricky.

• The big question is whether Warner’s rights can stretch to cover an all-streaming package, something new for everyone involved.

• With Amazon boasting a massive global reach and Warner facing a shaky market stance, the implications are huge not just for them but for how we all might watch basketball in the future.

What comes next? The NBA is now in a tough spot, needing to review Warner's move amid deals with other media giants like Disney and Comcast’s NBCUniversal. How they respond could set new precedents for sports broadcasting, particularly in how streaming fits into the picture.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• After years of delay, Google announced it will no longer cancel and replace third-party cookies for its Chrome browser, a practice long used by advertisers.

• Since President Joe Biden announced the end of his reelection campaign, Harris and the Democratic party have raised approximately $250 million in online donations and major donor commitments.

• CrowdStrike shares dropped 13% on Monday as the cybersecurity company assisted clients in recovering from an outage that affected millions of Microsoft Windows devices last week.

• Ukraine reached a deal with creditors to save over $11 billion in the next three years, providing financial relief as it continues to fund the war with Russia.

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