Biden Oval Office speech; Harris’ stance on Israel : NPR

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Right this moment’s prime tales

President Biden made a uncommon Oval Workplace handle final evening to debate his choice to finish his bid for reelection. He additionally laid out plans for the following six months of his presidency. Biden mentioned he didn’t wish to drop out of the presidential race, however the stakes have been simply too excessive to danger. Listed here are 4 takeaways from his speech.

• 🎧This can be a monumental second for Biden because it marks the start of the tip of his lengthy profession in public life, NPR’s Tamara Keith tells Up First. In his remaining time, Biden plans to proceed preventing for reproductive and civil rights, attempting to decrease prices and talking out towards extremism and political violence. As his time winds down, Keith says he will likely be remembered for what occurs within the November election. If Vice President Kamala Harris wins, he’ll be remembered as “the uncommon president who put his social gathering and nation above his personal ego.” If she loses, he’ll be the one that eliminated former President Donald Trump from workplace after which ushered him again in.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his administration’s warfare efforts yesterday in his first handle to the U.S. Congress because the Oct. 7 Hamas assaults. He referred to as on the U.S. to face with Israel, urged Congress to fast-track further army support and vowed that his nation would do “no matter it should” to defeat Hamas. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers boycotted the speech, and 1000’s of protesters marched exterior the Capitol. Netanyahu is predicted to fulfill individually with Biden and Harris immediately and with former President Donald Trump tomorrow. The Israeli prime minister’s go to comes at a vital time in American politics, as Harris appears to be like to strike a fragile steadiness on Israel forward of the 2024 election.

• 🎧 NPR’s Asma Khalid says that a number of individuals have informed her that Harris reveals a better diploma of empathy for Palestinian civilians than Biden. She was additionally one of many earlier individuals within the administration to indicate a much less dismissive response to the pro-Palestinian protests within the U.S. Some Democrats who voted uncommitted in the course of the primaries are actually keen to provide Harris an opportunity. However that doesn’t imply they’ll definitely vote for her. Khalid says that as Harris runs for president, she might want to keep away from alienating Israel supporters whereas successful again among the younger, progressive brown and Black voters that Biden alienated together with his actions.

Within the upcoming election, Harris faces the elemental problem of holding collectively the broad coalition that Biden gained in 2020. The issue: They’ve very completely different views on some points. Facets of her report, particularly her time as a prosecutor in California, are below scrutiny. Here is what one Democrat and one Republican in Pittsburgh need to say concerning the difficulty.

• 🎧 Morning Version host Steve Inskeep has been talking with voters within the swing state of Pennsylvania. Quite a lot of individuals shared with him their break up views on Harris’ prosecution report. A Democratic activist says many individuals who stay in suburbs like her admire Harris’ emphasis on public security. In a traditionally Black neighborhood, one other particular person tells Inskeep they’ve combined emotions about who Harris has incarcerated up to now. Typically civil rights teams and activists have clashed over her choices. To carry collectively the Democratic coalition, she wants individuals who help regulation and order and those that are skeptical of it.

Right this moment’s hear

This 12 months, the annual Tiny Desk Contest obtained practically 7,000 entries. Regardless that there may solely be one winner, there was no scarcity of expertise displayed. NPR Music’s Bobby Carter, who has produced Tiny Desks for some legendary hip-hop artists corresponding to Mac Miller and Noname, breaks down a few of his favourite entries. Carter talks about how hip-hop acts stepped up their submissions this 12 months and the flexibility of the entries.

Life Recommendation

Tweens may not be getting sufficient sleep because of how they use their digital gadgets earlier than bedtime. Scientists checked out practically 9,400 11- and 12-year-olds for the Adolescent Mind Cognitive Improvement Examine, a long-term research of mind improvement and youngster well being within the U.S. Researchers requested tweens and their dad and mom detailed questions on how they used screens round bedtime and the way effectively they slept. Then a follow-up was carried out a 12 months later. Right here’s how dad and mom will help their children have higher high quality sleep.

• 💤 No screens for an hour earlier than bedtime.
• 💤 Flip telephones all the best way off at evening. Don’t simply put it on vibrate.
• 💤 Resist the urge to verify your cellphone in case you get up in the course of the evening.
• 💤 Hold telephones in one other room at bedtime.

3 issues to know earlier than you go

1. The Worldwide Olympic Committee selected Salt Lake Metropolis for the 2034 Winter Olympics, but it surely could possibly be too quickly to rejoice. The IOC threatened to reject town’s bid yesterday in an try to crush U.S. inquiries into Chinese language sports activities doping.
2. Chipotle’s CEO is reminding employees to provide clients massive scoops after TikTokers advised their servings have shrunk.
3. Researchers consider they’ve found “darkish oxygen,” or oxygen not made via photosynthesis, being created on the Pacific Ocean flooring. The invention probably challenges generally held beliefs about how oxygen is produced on Earth.

This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.