Plus: Israeli Ground Offensive Begins In Gaza City & Remembering Robert Redford

Good evening,

Legendary actor, director, and activist Robert Redford died today in his Utah home at age 89.

Redford’s breakthrough role was in the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, where he starred alongside Paul Newman as a pair of Wild West outlaws.
- He went on to become Hollywood’s go-to leading man in the 70s and 80s. In All The President’s Men (1976), he played the real-life reporter who broke the Watergate Scandal, and in The Sting (1975), his performance as conman Johnny Hooker earned him an Oscar nomination.
- Over the years, he performed alongside stars like Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda, and Meryl Streep.
- Redford eventually won an Oscar for his directorial debut, 1981 Ordinary People, about a Chicago family grappling with the death of their eldest son.
In 1981, Redford founded the Sundance Institute, which hosts the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
When not making movie magic, Redford was a passionate advocate for the environment, civil rights, and other social issues.
- In 2005, Redford co-founded the Redford Center, which sponsors films that raise awareness about climate change and ecological issues.

When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Redford told Esquire in 2017: “For the work… What really matters is the work. And what matters to me is doing the work.”

For me, I will always remember Redford most for his iconic role as Jay Gatsby in the 1974 Great Gatsby film adaptation. His performance was suave, magnetic, and unparalleled. Rest easy, Old Sport! 🍸

Sam
Associate Producer

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Tyler Robinson Appears Before A Judge; Prosecutors Lay Out Evidence Against Him, Including His Own Text Message Confession

A chilling new indictment reveals how 22-year-old Tyler Robinson allegedly carried out a politically-motivated assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk — and left a trail of confessions behind.

Robinson will face aggravated murder and six other charges related to Kirk’s death, which happened last Wednesday while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Robinson had his first court appearance virtually Tuesday, wearing a suicide-prevention vest. He showed little emotion as a judge read the charges, including the prosecution’s intention to seek the death penalty. Judge Tony Graf granted a protective order for Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, that prohibits Robinson from contacting her. Robinson will be appointed an attorney and

Judge Tony Graf granted a protective order for Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, that prohibits Robinson from contacting her.
He also found that Robinson is unable to afford a lawyer on his own, and he will get a court-appointed attorney.

INSIDE LATEST COURT FILINGS
Prosecutors say Robinson left a note under his keyboard for his roommate/transgender partner, stating: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

In text messages after the shooting, Robinson confessed to his roommate, who asked him why he did it. Robinson referred to Kirk’s “hatred,” saying: “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
- When the roommate asked Robinson if he was joking, Robinson responded, “I am still okay, my love, but I’m stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest, I’d hope to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
He claimed he hoped to retrieve the rifle from a hidden drop point and escape, but got stuck in Orem, Utah when the city locked down.
- He also texted about engraving his bullets, saying, “The fuckin messages are mostly a big meme, if I see “notices bulge uwu” on fox new(s) I might have a stroke”

Police later recovered the rifle — wrapped in a towel — with Robinson’s DNA on it.

Robinson told his roommate/partner to delete the text messages and avoid media. One of the charges Robinson now faces is witness tampering for these interactions.

MORE FROM THE INDICTMENT
After recognizing his son in surveillance footage, Robinson’s father asked him to send a photo of the rifle gifted to him by a family member, but got no response. When they spoke by phone, Robinson implied he planned to take his own life.

His parents persuaded him to come to their home, where he confessed to the shooting — saying he couldn’t go to jail and that Kirk spreads too much hate, according to prosecutors. Soon thereafter, he surrendered peacefully.
In the indictment, Robinson’s mother told investigators that over the past year, her son had grown increasingly political — leaning toward progressive, pro-LGBTQ+ views that clashed with his family’s more conservative stance.

WHAT’S NEXT
Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray said Tuesday that Robinson is believed to have targeted Kirk for his "political expression," and opened fire "knowing that children were present and would witness the homicide." Prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

The next hearing for Robinson will be on Sept. 29.

🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING

International Outrage Grows As Israeli Ground Offensive Begins In Gaza City

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a long-expected and controversial ground offensive in densely populated Gaza City Tuesday, escalating its military campaign against Hamas amid growing global backlash and concern for Israeli hostages still being held in the area.

The IDF said it had “begun destroying Hamas infrastructure” in the city, following a wave of overnight airstrikes.
It comes as a U.N. commission of independent experts on Tuesday said the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza, which Israel strongly rejected.

The offensive to take Gaza’s largest city marks one of the most intense Israeli operations in the nearly two year-long war, and is a gamble that increased military pressure on Hamas will force the terror group to make concessions in hostage negotiations and ceasefire talks.

INSIDE THE OPERATION
The IDF said more than 40% of Gaza City’s one million residents (half of the enclave) had evacuated in recent weeks, after warnings to flee to Israeli-designated “safe zones.” But many Palestinians say they cannot leave, citing exhaustion from the nearly 23-month war, lack of transport, or concern about how overcrowded southern Gaza has become. Hamas has also been threatening residents not to evacuate.

Israeli officials claim there are up to 3,000 Hamas fighters in the city and a vast network of tunnels used by the militant group. They have not provided a timeline for the operation.
Hospitals in Gaza City reported at least 69 deaths following the bombing. Former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said last week that over 10% of Gaza’s population — more than 200,000 — have been killed or injured since the war began.

PRESSURE IN ISRAEL
The offensive comes amid large protests by Israelis and some of the families of the 48 remaining hostages, who fear the military operation could put their loved ones at even greater risk as they are believed to be held in the Gaza City area.

The European Union warned the assault “will lead to more destruction, more death and more displacement,” and “aggravate the already catastrophic humanitarian situation and also endangers the lives of hostages.”
The UK’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, called the new IDF assault “utterly reckless and appalling.”

Separately on Tuesday, a UN-appointed Commission of Inquiry issued a 72-page report accusing the Israeli government of committing genocide in Gaza, saying its actions are intended to “destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a group.” The commission is not a legal body, though its findings could be used in other international proceedings.

Israel rejected the findings as “distorted and false,” calling the three panel members “Hamas proxies” and accusing them of anti-Israel bias.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

Homeless man found hanging from tree in Vicksburg, Mississippi, raising fears after earlier DSU hanging (MISSISSIPPI FREE PRESS) Mississippi Police Say Two Separate Cases Of Men Found Dead, Hanging In Trees. (MO NEWS )
Luigi Mangione terror charges dropped, murder charges still stand (MO NEWS)
Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times (CNN)
Pam Bondi faces criticism for saying DOJ will ‘target’ anyone who engages in hate speech (MO NEWS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

Russia has network of 200 camps for ‘brainwashing’ Ukrainian children, report finds (GUARDIAN)
Denmark leads drills in Greenland at time of tensions over Trump takeover threats (EURO NEWS)
China says it fired water cannon at Philippine ships in South China Sea (NBC)
Taliban leader bans Wi-Fi in an Afghan province to ‘prevent immorality’ (AL ARABIYA)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

OpenAI will apply new restrictions to ChatGPT users under 18 (TECH CRUNCH)
Retail sales up 0.6% in August from July even as tariffs hurt jobs and lead to price hikes (AP)
Grocery inflation the highest since 2022 as Trump tariffs pile up (AXIOS)
Eli Lilly to build $5 billion Virginia facility to boost production of targeted cancer drugs, other treatments (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G to headline 2026 Coachella Festival (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
As Bad Bunny residency ends, young concertgoers praise its massive boost to Puerto Rico (NBC)
Joy Reid and Percival Everett are among winners of the 46th annual American Book Awards (AP)
Ed Giacomin, Rangers legend and Hall of Fame goaltender, dies at 86 (CBS SPORTS)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… Prices for matcha have reached an all-time high as global demand has outpaced supply.

Matcha has been around since the 12th century, but its popularity soared in recent years when it developed a reputation on social media for being an uber-healthy “superfood.” 😌
- Japan exported $247 million in green tea last year, four times more than a decade ago.
But production has stalled in recent years amid changing economic patterns.
- In Japan, poor weather has reduced the crop of tencha, the tea from which matcha powder is made. The crop is also grown in China, but labor shortages there have also raised prices. 📈
- Trump’s tariffs on Japan may also driven up the price.

Experts say matcha powder might soon be costing between 30-75% more. Somewhere out there, a moustachioed hipster in a Brooklyn café just shed a single tear. 😢