5 things to know for July 10: Biden, NY floods, Health care ban, Public transit, Israel
Here rae five things you need to know for July 10
1. Biden
President Joe Biden is in London today for meetings aimed at bolstering the US-UK “special relationship.” He arrived at 10 Downing Street to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for discussions on a range of issues, including Ukraine, a topic on which the two leaders have closely coordinated.
The president will then mark his first in-person engagement with King Charles III since he ascended to the throne. Biden’s stop comes on the eve of a high-stakes summit with NATO leaders — and just days after he told CNN that the alliance is not yet ready for Ukraine to join. It also comes after the White House announced that the US is sending Ukraine cluster bombs for the first time, following months of debate within the Biden administration about whether to provide Kyiv with the controversial weapons banned by over 100 countries, including key US allies.
2. New York floods
Heavy rainfall in parts of the Northeast US has forced road closures, water rescues and urgent warnings about life-threatening flash floods. At least one person was killed after being swept away in floodwaters in New York’s Orange County, which is among the areas hit hardest.
In New York City, a flood watch was in effect through this morning as local officials urged residents to move to higher floors due to heavy rain that could rapidly flood basements. Over 25 million people are under flood alerts across the Northeast today, including in parts of New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine — as well as across the country in Washington and Alaska.
3. Health care ban
A federal appeals court has allowed Tennessee to ban certain health care services for transgender minors. The law, which went into effect on Saturday after the court lifted an injunction, prohibits health care providers from performing gender-affirming surgeries and administering hormones or puberty blockers to transgender minors.
Activists slammed the law as dangerous and unconstitutional following its passage. “This ruling is beyond disappointing and a heartbreaking development for thousands of transgender youth, their doctors, and their families,” the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement. The ruling comes after a string of Republican states enacted legislation this year to severely limit or ban gender-affirming care for minors.
4. Public transit
More major cities in the US are letting people ride public transit systems for free. Among the latest cities to drop their fares are Raleigh, Richmond, Olympia, Tucson, Kansas City and Alexandria, Virginia. Denver is also planning to drop fares across its system this summer, while Boston is piloting three zero-fare public bus routes.
Additionally, New York City is expected to test free buses on five lines. Proponents say eliminating fares will give a badly needed boost to ridership and compel more people to get out of their cars for daily commutes and large events. They also say it will remove cost burdens for lower-income riders and reduce boarding times. Free transit experiments began decades ago, but the concept has recently received a push as urban areas look to mass transit to reduce carbon emissions and ease inequality.
5. Israel
Massive protests are erupting across Israel for the 27th consecutive week as people rally against the government’s judicial overhaul plan. Organizers have estimated around 365,000 people have come out in cities around the country, with 180,000 people in the streets of central Tel Aviv alone.
The protests come just before a key vote in the national legislature today on a bill to lessen judicial oversight of the executive and legislative branches. As the protests reached their peak this past Saturday, social media videos and Israeli press reported police using water cannons to clear demonstrators from blocking one of Tel Aviv’s main highways.
