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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her first speech as the de facto Democratic nominee in Wisconsin yesterday, just two days after President Biden ended his reelection campaign. Harris delivered a sharp critique of former President Trump, vowing to defeat him by attacking him as a prosecutor would. “In this campaign, I promise you I will proudly put my record against his every day of the week,” Harris said. Reid Epstein and Simon Levien report for The New York Times.
Top Congressional Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) yesterday endorsed Harris for president, officially throwing their support behind her after initially taking a cautious approach. Major Democratic donors Melinda Gates and George Clooney also endorsed Harris yesterday. Catie Edmondson and Maya Miller report for The New York Times; Maya King reports for The New York Times.
Delegates to the Democratic National Convention support the party swiftly nominating Harris as their presidential candidate, rather than going through a prolonged and potentially divisive debate, according to interviews conducted by The New York Times.
Ahead of Biden’s planned prime-time address tonight, Trump and his campaign sent a letter to major broadcasters yesterday demanding that he be given equal airtime. The campaign’s general counsel asserted that Biden would likely address his endorsement of Harris, meaning it was a “campaign speech,” and insisted Trump be given equal time on air under the Federal Communications Commission’s “equal time” rule. Michael Gold and Jim Rutenberg report for The New York Times.
TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned yesterday after bipartisan calls for her to step down over security failures surrounding the assassination attempt on Trump. Ronald Rowe, the agency’s Deputy Director, has been appointed as acting director. Biden said he would appoint a new director soon. Hamed Aleaziz, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, and Kate Kelly report for The New York Times; Avery Lotz reports for Axios.
Secret Service officials encouraged Trump’s campaign to stop scheduling large outdoor rallies and other outdoor events, according to people familiar with the matter. Josh Dawsey reports for The Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – U.S. RESPONSE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives on Capitol Hill today to address a joint session of Congress. Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters will rally in Washington today for a “day of rage” over the war in Gaza, organizers have warned. Brandon Drenon reports for BBC News.
Trump will meet with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, the former president said yesterday on social media. Shortly after, Trump published a letter he received from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and pledged to work for peace in the Middle East. The letter may signal Abbas wants to rebuild relations with Trump after their fallout in 2017 over Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Michael Gold reports for The New York Times; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
Biden will meet with families of American hostages held in Gaza this week, a U.S. official said. It marks Biden’s second such meeting since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Biden will also meet with Netanyahu tomorrow at the White House. Reuters reports.
A group of unions representing millions of workers sent a letter to the White House yesterday demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and that the United States stop sending military aid to Israel. Simon Levein reports for The New York Times.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Starlink satellite internet service has been activated in a hospital in Gaza with the help of the United Arab Emirates and Israel, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said today. Reuters reports.
The Palestinian Authority said the war in Gaza has driven the Palestinian budget deficit up 172%. Reuters reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukraine’s top diplomat told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi today that Kyiv is open to negotiating with Russia if Moscow is ready to do so “in good faith.” According to a poll released yesterday, almost a third of Ukrainians would accept some territorial concessions to Russia for a quick end to the war, a more than three-fold increase over the past year. Reuters reports.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin yesterday reaffirmed the United States’ support for Ukraine during a phone call with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umverov, the Pentagon announced. It marks the first time the defense ministers have spoken since Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 election. Reuters reports.
E.U. member states will today discuss options for extending the renewal period of sanctions on the Russian central bank’s assets to secure a G7 plan to extend a major loan to Ukraine. Reuters reports.
A car bomb injured an officer from Russia’s military intelligence agency in northern Moscow today, Russian media reported. Russia’s interior ministry said two people were injured in a blast and that a criminal case had been opened. Reuters reports.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Sunday was the hottest day ever recorded on Earth, scientists say, with the planet’s average temperature reaching 62.76 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking a record only set last year. Sarah Kaplan reports for The Washington Post.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said he won’t name a new government until after the end of the Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, French authorities are finalizing an unprecedented security operation ahead of the games, which will see up to 75,000 troops on patrol in the city. The operation is the largest peacetime deployment of security forces in French history. Christy Cooney reports for BBC News; Andrew Harding reports for BBC News.
Trash balloons sent by North Korea have landed in South Korea’s presidential compound in the capital city of Seoul, officials say. It is the first time the South Korean leader’s office, which is a designated no-fly zone, has been hit by balloons from Pyongyang. Annabelle Liang reports for BBC News.
More than 200 people have been killed in deadly twin landslides in Ethiopia. Al Jazeera reports.
Dozens of people were detained in Uganda’s Kampala yesterday after joining anti-corruption protests in defiance of an official ban. Lawyers said around 60 people, including a prominent TV presenter and three young protest leaders, remain in custody. Christy Cooney reports for BBC World News.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu urged young people not to join nationwide cost-of-living protests planned for next week. Organizers are said to have been inspired by recent protests in Kenya. Natasha Booty reports for BBC News.
A bodyguard of Sierra Leone’s former president was found guilty of treason and sentenced alongside 10 others over a failed coup last year. Basillioh Rukanga reports for BBC News.
The United States has invited the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for U.S.-mediated ceasefire talks in Switzerland starting Aug. 14, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday. Reuters reports.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) will resign his seat effective Aug. 20, according to a copy of his resignation letter obtained by CNN. Mendez was recently convicted of 16 counts for his role in a yearslong bribery scheme. Laura Dolan, Lauren Fox, and Clare Foran report.