Hamas leader reportedly killed in Iran amid rising tensions in Middle East

[KARAH RUCKER]

MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST — WITH REPORTS OF A TOP HAMAS LEADER BEING KILLED IN IRAN — ON THE SAME DAY ISRAEL STRUCK LEBANON’S CAPITOL AND KILLED A HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER. 

IRAN’S PRESIDENT – NOW RESPONDING. 

AND — THE U.S. CARRYING OUT A STRIKE IN IRAQ IN WHAT U.S. OFFICIALS IS CALLING A MOVE OF SELF DEFENSE AS REGIONAL TENSIONS ARE RISING RAPIDLY THIS WEEK. 

IRAN AND HAMAS ARE BOTH REPORTING HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER “ISMAIL HANIYEH” WAS ASSASSINATED IN IRAN’S CAPITOL OF TEHRAN. 

HAMAS ALSO CLAIMS ISRAEL WAS BEHIND THE ASSASSINATION ON THE SAME DAY ISRAEL KILLED HEZBOLLAH’S “TOP SENIOR COMMANDER” IN LEBANON. 

ACCORDING TO STATE MEDIA — IRAN’S PRESIDENT SAYS THE COUNTRY “WILL DEFEND ITS TERRITORY AND MAKE THOSE RESPONSIBLE “REGRET” THEIR ACTIONS — 

STRIKING FEARS OF AN ALL-OUT REGIONAL CONFLICT WITH THE HAMAS LEADER’S DEATH HAPPENING ON IRANIAN SOIL. 

AND IN IRAQ — MORE TENSIONS GROW — 

AS THE U.S. SAYS IN A MOVE OF SELF DEFENSE — 

IT CARRIED OUT A STRIKE AGAINST A BASE IN BAGHDAD USED BY IRAQI FORCES — KILLING FOUR OF THEIR FIGHTERS. 

U.S. OFFICIALS TOLD REUTERS THOSE MILITANTS WERE LOOKING TO LAUNCH DRONES AND POSED A THREAT TO THE U.S. 

SOME ARE ALSO REPORTING HOPES OF ANY CEASEFIRE HOSTAGE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS IS LOOKING SLIM TO NONE GIVEN THE ESCALATIONS HAPPENING WITHIN THE PAST 24 HOURS. 

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IS EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE HER VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK ON MONDAY 

AND THEN HOLD A RALLY IN PHILADELPHIA THE NEXT DAY WITH HER NEW RUNNING MATE JOINING HER ON STAGE. 

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IS HEATING UP — 

WITH HARRIS HOLDING HER LARGEST RALLY YET IN ATLANTA GEORGIA ON TUESDAY. 

BOTH THE HARRIS AND TRUMP CAMPAIGNS RELEASING NEW POLITICAL ADS ATTACKING THE RECORDS OF THEIR OPPONENT. 

AND — BOTH ARE ON THE ROAD TO MORE EVENTS TO RALLY UP THEIR SUPPORTERS. 

WEDNESDAY HARRIS WILL SPEAK AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK SORORITY EVENT IN TEXAS. 

TRUMP WILL ATTEND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO…AND THEN HOLD A CAMPAIGN RALLY IN PENNSYLVANIA — 

WHILE HIS V-P PICK “SENATOR JD VANCE” IS ALSO ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TOMORROW IN CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA. 

MEANWHILE — WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION HAPPENING NEXT MONTH. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN IS EXPECTED TO GIVE A PRIMETIME ADDRESS ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE DNC — 

AND MEDIA OUTLETS ARE REPORTING THERE’S A BIG TRIBUTE FOR THE PRESIDENT ALSO PLANNED FOR THAT NIGHT. 

MULTIPLE PROJECTIONS SHOW KARI LAKE WON THE REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY IN ARIZONA — OFFICIALLY SETTING UP A MATCHUP AGAINST DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE RUBEN GALLEGO — WHO RAN UNOPPOSED. 

THIS RACE WILL BE AMONG A HANDFUL THAT DETERMINE WHO CONTROLS THE SENATE THIS FALL. 

CURRENTLY, THE SENATE IS CONTROLLED BY DEMOCRATS WHILE THE HOUSE IS CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS.

AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND HUNDREDS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AS PROTESTS OVER VENEZUELA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CONTINUE. 

AUTHORITARIAN PRESIDENT NICOLÁS MADURO ACCUSED OPPOSITION LEADER MARÍA CORINA MACHADO AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ OF “CRIMINAL VIOLENCE” — AND A CLOSE ALLY IS CALLING FOR THEIR ARRESTS. 

PROTESTERS ARE DEMANDING MADURO MAKE VOTING DATA FROM SUNDAY’S ELECTION PUBLIC. 

VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION AND MULTIPLE LATIN AMERICAN LEADERS ARE REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE MADURO’S VICTORY. 

MACHADO SAID ON MONDAY THE COUNTRY’S OPPOSITION HAD ABOUT 73 PERCENT OF THE VOTING TALLIES FROM SUNDAY’S ELECTION — PROVING MADURO DID *NOT* WIN. 

THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL AUTHORITY HAS PROCLAIMED MADURO THE WINNER — GIVING HIM A THIRD TERM IN OFFICE AND EXTENDING 25 YEARS OF SOCIALIST PARTY RULE.

BOAR’S HEAD, A COMPANY KNOWN FOR DELI MEATS, IS RECALLING AN EXTRA 7 MILLION POUNDS OF THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS IS BECAUSE THERE’S AN OUTBREAK OF LISTERIA, A DANGEROUS BACTERIA, THAT HAS MADE DOZENS OF PEOPLE VERY SICK IN 13 STATES AND THERE HAVE BEEN TWO DEATHS LINKED TO THE PRODUCTS. 

THE RECALL INCLUDES VARIOUS TYPES OF MEATS LIKE LIVERWURST, HAM, AND SALAMI, MADE AT THEIR VIRGINIA PLANT AND HAVE SELL-BY DATES RANGING FROM JULY 29TH TO OCTOBER 17TH. THIS RECALL ADDS TO AN EARLIER ONE OF OVER 200,000 POUNDS OF SIMILAR PRODUCTS. 

THE ISSUE WAS FIRST NOTICED WHEN A LIVERWURST SAMPLE FROM MARYLAND TESTED POSITIVE FOR LISTERIA. FURTHER TESTS CONFIRMED THAT THIS SAME LISTERIA STRAIN WAS MAKING PEOPLE SICK.

YESTERDAY ON THE MORNING RUNDOWN WE TOLD YOU ABOUT SALES AT MCDONALDS SLIPPING. 

AND ITS A SIMILAR STORY OVER AT STARBUCKS. 

FOR THE SECOND QUARTER IN A ROW — STARBUCKS’ SALES HAVE SLUMPED AS PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE. 

IN ITS LATEST EARNINGS REPORT — STARBUCKS’ SALES DROPPED 3 PERCENT GLOBALLY… AND 2 PERCENT IN NORTH AMERICA. 

HOWEVER — TOTAL **TRANSACTIONS AT NORTH AMERICAN STORES FELL BY 6 PERCENT… BUT HIGHER PRICES SHORTEN THE GAP BETWEEN SALES AND REVENUE — 

AS COFFEE CHAINS AND RESTAURANTS ALIKE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH BRINGING CUSTOMERS IN AMID HIGH PRICES.

AFTER DROPPING OUT OF THE WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS TEAM EVENT IN TOKYO THREE YEARS AGO AND TAKING TIME TO FOCUS ON HER MENTAL HEALTH – SIMONE BILES RETURNED TO THE SAME EVENT ON TUESDAY IN PARIS – AND THIS TIME – SHE LED TEAM USA TO THE GOLD. 

BILES ALONG WITH SUNI LEE, JORDAN CHILES AND JADE CAREY —  WINNING BY MORE THAN 5 POINTS. ITALY TAKING HOME THE SILVER – BRAZIL WINNING BRONZE. 

WITH THE VICTORY – BILES BECOMES THE MOST DECORATED US GYMNAST IN HISTORY – WITH EIGHT MEDALS. 

AND SHE’S NOT DONE YET – BILES WILL COMPETE IN FOUR MORE INDIVIDUAL EVENTS INCLUDING THE ALL-AROUND FINAL ON THURSDAY – WHERE SHE’LL HAVE A CHANCE TO ADD MORE GOLD TO HER HISTORIC RECORD.