5 things to know for July 15: Trump rally shooting, Power outages, Gaza, Small businesses, Postage stamps

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The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump fits into a larger history of political violence in America. A long list of presidents have been shot or shot at, but Trump’s wounding underscores the ever-present threat that hangs over the office — especially for those who claim it. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Former President Donald Trump has reflected on surviving an assassination attempt at his rally in Pennsylvania Saturday, saying in a new interview: “I’m supposed to be dead. By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.” One rally attendee was killed and two others were seriously injured in the shooting, which has completely upended a tense presidential race. President Joe Biden, in a rare address from the Oval Office, condemned the attempted assassination and urged the nation to “lower the temperature” in politics. Trump said he appreciated a call he received from Biden, calling it “fine” and “very nice.” The Republican National Convention kicks off today in Milwaukee, where the GOP will formally nominate Trump as the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Trump, who is expected to announce his running mate this week, said he rewrote his convention speech to address the tragic event. “This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together,” Trump said in an interview. Nearly 300,000 homes and businesses in Texas are still waiting for power to be restored a week after Category 1 Hurricane Beryl made landfall last Monday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to issue an executive order forcing electricity provider CenterPoint Energy to improve the reliability of its equipment to withstand powerful storms. If CenterPoint does not comply with his request or provide a comprehensive plan by July 31, Abbott said he would impose his own set of requirements that are “geared to keep power on through hurricane season.” This comes as meteorologists say the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be abnormally active, with as many as 25 named storms forming from now to November. At least 90 Palestinians have been reported killed in an Israeli strike on a displacement camp in southern Gaza which Israel said targeted Hamas’ military chief, who was an alleged mastermind of the October 7 attacks. The strike left scenes of devastation in Al-Mawasi, which has been designated as a safe zone for Palestinians fleeing the fighting elsewhere. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had given his blessing for the head of Shin Bet — Israel’s security agency — to carry out the operation after being assured there were no hostages in the area. It remains unclear if the Hamas commander died in the strike. Israel has vowed to maintain its campaign in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas and rescuing hostages still being held. A new report shows that many small and mid-sized businesses in the US are struggling to survive. Nearly 350 companies in the US filed to either liquidate or re-organize through bankruptcy in the first six months of 2024, the highest half-year level since 2010, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Most of the impacted businesses are considered “consumer discretionary,” a broad category of firms that sell goods or services that people don’t need every day, such as restaurants, clothing stores and car dealerships. Consumer demand has slowed while interest rates are at their highest level in nearly a quarter century, which is squeezing businesses that rely heavily on borrowing to purchase equipment, replenish inventory, meet payroll and expand operations, to name a few key reasons.