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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the weekend. Here’s today’s news:
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
President Biden abandoned his reelection bid yesterday after weeks of relentless pressure from Democrats. “It is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down,” Biden said in a statement. Biden backed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him in a social media post, giving her his “full support and endorsement.” Harris said she would seek the party’s nomination, and many democrats have quickly lined up behind her after Biden’s endorsement. Michael Shear reports for the New York Times; Michael Williams reports for CNN.
Shortly after Biden revealed his decision, some top Republicans called on him to immediately resign. “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a statement. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and former President Trumps’ running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) have also made similar calls for Biden to resign. Sahil Kapur reports for NBC News.
Democratic billionaires and donors have immediately mobilized around Kamala Harris after Biden’s exit. Democrats donated more than $50 million online on Sunday, making it the single biggest day for online Democratic contributions since the 2020 election. Meanwhile, Biden donors and their advisers said they were hearing from previously despondent donors who were ready to support Harris. Shane Goldmacher reports for the New York Times; Theodore Schleifer and Kenneth Vogel report for the New York Times.
World leaders have reacted carefully to Biden’s decision not to seek reelection, with many opting for congratulations and statements of empathy that praised his record, and others, including Japan and South Korea, saying they would not comment on U.S. domestic politics. Sarah Maslin Nir reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING
The Secret Service acknowledged Saturday that it had turned down requests for additional security by the Trump campaign in the past two years, a reversal from earlier statements denying it had rejected such requests. The denied requests were not specifically for the recent Pennsylvania rally where Trump survived an assassination attempt, an agency spokesperson said. Kristen Holmes and Holmes Lybrand report for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
The Israeli military has ordered civilians to temporarily evacuate from part of its designated humanitarian zone in Khan Younis, ahead of what it called a “forceful operation” against Palestinian armed groups. The Hamas-run health ministry said at least 14 people have been killed in heavy Israeli strikes following the order. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it will start offering polio vaccines to soldiers serving in Gaza after traces of the virus were found in test samples in the enclave. David Gritten reports for BBC News; Reuters reports.
Israel struck the Houthi-controlled port city of Hudaydah in Yemen on Saturday, killing three and injuring over 80, according to Houthi-linked news outlets. It came in response to a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv Friday that struck near the U.S. embassy. On Sunday, Israel said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, suggesting the Houthi militia would keep up its attacks. Tom Spender and Paul Adams report for BBC News; Gabby Sobelman and Matthew Mpoke Bigg report for the New York Times.
Netanyahu left for Washington today, where he is set to meet with Biden and make a speech before Congress. Before departing, Netanyahu said his speech would emphasize the theme of Israel’s bipartisanship and that Israel would remain a key U.S. ally in the Middle East “regardless who the American people choose as their next president.” Aamer Madhani and Tia Goldenberg report for AP News.
Netanyahu ordered a delegation charged with negotiating a hostage deal with Hamas to be dispatched on Thursday, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement yesterday. The statement did not specify where the delegation was bound. Reuters reports.
Israel today declared dead two more hostages being held in Gaza, aged 35 and 76. The Israeli military said it was still investigating the circumstances of their deaths in captivity. Reuters reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday they were close to reaching a ceasefire and hostage release deal. It comes as administration officials prepare for what they expect to be a tense visit to Washington this week by Netanyahu. David Sanger and Julian Barnes report for the New York Times.
Britain said on Friday that it would restore funding to the U.N. agency for Palestinians, a major vote of confidence in the embattled aid group. British foreign secretary David Lammy told Parliament that UNRWA had taken steps to ensure it meets “the highest standards of neutrality,” and confirmed that Britain would transfer 21 million pounds, or $27 million, to the agency. Mark Landler reports for the New York Times.
The European Commission said on Friday it would provide the Palestinian Authority with 400 million euros, or $435.5 million, in emergency financial support in the coming months. The move comes amid concerns within the E.U. the authority could collapse. Reuters reports.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The International Court of Justice issued an 83-page advisory opinion on Friday declaring that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem violated international law. While non-binding, the decision carries authority and legal weight, and could shape international opinion and support efforts to recognize a Palestinian state. Mike Corder reports for AP News.
Microsoft says it estimates that around 8.5 million computers around the world were disabled by Friday’s global IT outage, suggesting it could be the worst cyber outage in history. The glitch came after the security company CrowdStrike sent out a corrupted software update to its huge number of customers. Joe Tidy reports for BBC News.
A Russian court on Friday convicted U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony, according to Russian state media. The U.S. government and Gershkovich’s employer, the Wall Street Journal, maintain he was falsely accused. The trial proceeded unusually quickly, suggesting potential developments in negotiations for a prisoner exchange. Robyn Dixon reports for the Washington Post.
Bangladesh’s top court has scrapped most of the quotas on government jobs that had sparked deadly protests across the country. A third of public sector jobs had been reserved for the relatives of veterans from the country’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971, but the court ruled that only 5% of the roles can be reserved for veterans’ relatives. Julhas Alam and Sheikh Saaliq report for AP News.
Blinken announced Friday that Iran has moved forward with the development of fissile material that could potentially fuel a nuclear weapon. He said the United States was closely watching for signs that Iran had decided to actually produce such a weapon, but that there had been no such indication yet. Ellen Knickmeyer reports for AP News.
Vietnam’s long-serving leader Nguyen Phu Trong died on Friday, days after the government said he was stepping back to focus on his health. Tessa Wong reports for BBC News.
Kenya’s embattled president announced on Friday a plan to form a new “broad-based government.” The move follows weeks of deadly anti-government protests sparked by an unpopular tax bill. Wedaeli Chibelushi and Ian Wafula report for BBC News.
Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Friday he will run for another presidential term in the country’s upcoming elections. The same day, a Tunisian court sentenced opposition party leader Lotfi Mraihi, a potential presidential election candidate, to eight months in prison on a charge of vote buying, his lawyer said. Reuters reports.
At least 40 migrants died after the boat they were traveling in caught fire off the northern coast of Haiti, the U.N. says. According to the International Organisation for Migration, the Haitian Coast Guard rescued 41 others. George Wright reports for BBC News.
A former Ukrainian nationalist MP, Iryna Farion, has died after being shot on the street in the western city of Lviv. Her attacker has not been identified. Lipika Pelham reports for BBC News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke over the phone last week amid mounting concern in Kyiv about U.S. support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Trump said in a post on Truth Social he had a “very good call” with Zelenskyy and pledged to end the war through negotiations. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times; Reuters reports.
Zelenskyy on Friday became the first foreign leader to attend Britain’s cabinet meeting in person since Bill Clinton in 1997, in a public display of Britain’s staunch support for Ukraine. Stephen Castle reports for the New York Times.
Russian state media reported Sunday that Russia had taken control of two villages along the front line in the east, one in the Kharkiv region and one in the Luhansk region. Samya Kullab reports for AP News.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg has been released from jail in New York City. Weisselberg was sentenced in April to five months in Rikers Island after pleading guilty to perjury in Trump’s 2023 civil fraud trial, and was released after serving 100 days for good behavior. Graham Kates reports for CBS News.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
U.S. government officials and academics on Friday opened what will be an extensive examination of the United States’ 20-year foray in Afghanistan. The 16-member bipartisan panel “has been tasked by Congress with determining what went wrong and what U.S. leaders could do differently the next time the United States goes to war.” Abigail Hauslohner reports for the Washington Post.
After over a year-long pause, the Pentagon has resumed its purchases of F-35s from defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Brad Dress reports for The Hill.