Today’s Big Story

A Civil VP Debate

Vance and Walz establish themselves and find surprising common ground

The lone vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz was substantive and unusually civil, with the candidates exchanging policy proposals and clashing on immigration, abortion and gun violence, but not wading too deeply into personal attacks.

In an event that is unlikely to change the trajectory of the presidential race, the two running mates were cordial with each other, training their attacks instead on the tops of the opposing tickets and focusing largely on policy differences. Vance was the Republican ticket’s younger face and more polite voice. Unlike Trump, he pronounced Vice President Kamala Harris’ first name correctly, but attacked her on border security. Walz—who was noticeably less comfortable onstage than Vance—settled in after a nervous start and lambasted former President Donald Trump on abortion rights, casting Trump as a liar who ignores experts and rejects truths he finds unfavorable.

Vance and Walz had something approaching a constructive conversation about gun violence in America, agreeing that it is bad, getting worse and needs to be addressed—especially in schools. “I unfortunately think we have to increase security in our schools,” Vance said, acknowledging that it was not a pleasant prospect. “We have to make the doors lock better. We’ve got to make the windows stronger.” Walz agreed, in part, but, in urging tighter restrictions, asked viewers, “Do you want your schools hardened to look like a fort?”

But, the New York Times points out, no issue made clearer the size and stakes of the country’s current political divide than the final topic of the night, when Vance refused to concede that Trump had lost the 2020 election. “Tim, I’m focused on the future,” Vance said, trying to move on. “That is a damning nonanswer,” Walz replied. By the end of the evening, the Harris campaign said it was making an ad off the Jan. 6 moment.

However, toward the end of the debate, the candidates agreed they would shake hands after the election and offer the other their support, no matter who won. Given the tenor of this election cycle—and the last one—that moment was perhaps as significant as anything else either candidate said.

The Middle East on Edge

Iran fires at least 180 missiles into Israel as regionwide conflict grows

Iran fired roughly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel—an escalation that risks a wider war in the Middle East—days after Israel killed the leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah and sent troops into Lebanon. Israeli officials, staring down an all-out regional war, tell Axios that Israel will launch a “significant retaliation” to Tuesday's massive missile attack within days that could target oil production facilities inside Iran and other strategic sites.

Iran threatened on Tuesday that if Israel responds with force, it will attack again. If that happens, Israeli officials say all options will be on the table—including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire pounded southern Lebanese villages on Tuesday, and Hezbollah responded with a barrage of rockets into Israel. There was no immediate word on casualties.

“This evening, Iran made a big mistake—and it will pay for it,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday. “The regime in Tehran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and to exact a price from our enemies.” It was unclear how many missiles landed in Israel, but videos shared on social media (some of which were geolocated by the Washington Post) showed direct impacts in Tel Aviv and the Nevatim Airbase in the Negev desert.

The Smart Ring Race Heats Up

There are now six on the wearable market, but only one ring can rule them all

Have you noticed that smart rings are (finally) having a moment? I’m all for it. I have an Apple Watch, but would much rather wear my vintage Rolex Air-King that I invested in years ago and track my activity and sleep via a discreet and subtle ring. Plus, they often have multi-day battery life, and your finger can be a more accurate place to gather heart rate data.

Oura has long been the leader in this category and the brand is releasing a new smart ring this month, Bloomberg reported. The Finnish company's fourth generation of fitness-tracking rings will feature a slimmer design, improved battery life, and more accurate activity tracking. Sources told Bloomberg that this marks the company's most significant product update in three years. But the company faces increasing competition from products like Samsung’s latest Galaxy Ring and the Amazfit Helio Ring.

The Verge just called in six smart rings currently on the market: the Oura Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air, Circular Slim, Samsung Galaxy Ring, RingConn, and Evie Ring. They had their writer put them through the gauntlet. “For months, I slept with these rings. Showered with them. Exercised with them. Compared a crapton of health data until my eyes bled. For a while, I wore all six simultaneously like a mafia don wearing two pairs of smart ring brass knuckles. All so I could definitively tell you which is the one smart ring to rule them all.” Her pick: The Oura.

Mount Everest Just Got Taller

River ‘piracy’ gave the towering mountain a growth spurt, scientists say

Mount Everest is astoundingly tall at 29,032 feet above sea level, besting its Himalayan neighbors by hundreds of feet. But the world’s tallest peak is still growing, scientists say, thanks in part to the merger of two nearby river systems tens of thousands of years ago. Everest has gained about 50 to 160 feet as a result of that merger, researchers revealed in a study published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Scientists believe the growth happened over the past 89,000 years—the Kosi River in the Himalayas captured part of a tributary: the Arun River. This process, known as river piracy, set in motion a chain of geological events that reshaped the landscape. That puzzle piece highlights a mechanism of mountain formation that has long been overlooked. As the river system eroded rock, “the surrounding peaks were actually rising due to the elastic rebound of the Earth’s crust,” one geologist told CNN.

Matthew Fox, study co-author and geologist at University College London, expects this spurt of Everest and its surrounding peaks to continue for millions of years. He added that “the biggest impact is probably on the climbers that have to climb another 20 meters or so to the top.” The additional height may also lead to the growth of more ice at the higher elevations.

The Huckberry Team’s Picks

Solid choices, all under $400

We asked the Huckberry crew for their favorite blazers and jackets for Fall 2024. They pulled some well-made pieces from a range of brands. From travel-ready stretch wool and breathable chore versions to a modern take on a classic tweed, there're all solid choices. And best of all, none of them cost more than $400.

Shut it down for a bit.