The World at a Glance
Updated 3:11pm EDT
1
Russia hiked its key interest rate to the highest level in more than two years, as the country braces for rising inflation for as long as the war continues.
2Obama endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee, saying 'she gives us all reason to hope.'
3Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday for a high-stakes election marred by doubts over whether President Nicolás Maduro will accept its results.
4The UK government dropped its opposition to the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
5The arrests of the Sinaloa drug cartel leaders is a "major coup" for the US, but will do little to stop the flow of drugs across the border.
6North Korean hackers were accused of targeting military secrets from the US and its allies to advance Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions.
Barack Obama endorses Kamala Harris for president
Obama said he and his wife Michelle would “do everything we can” to see Harris elected.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesVenezuelans prepare for one of their most consequential elections
The opposition leader is expected to win in a landslide, but concerns remain as to whether incumbent President Nicolás Maduro will allow for a free election.
Enea Lebrun/ReutersRussia’s central bank hikes interest rates as inflation continues to spiral
The central bank has so far failed to cool the economy, which analysts say will face inflationary woes for as long as the war continues.
Maxim Shemetov/ReutersHarris said she would ‘not be silent’ on Palestinian suffering in Gaza after talks with Netanyahu
The Democratic presidential hopeful adopted a tougher tone on the war in Gaza than US President Joe Biden.
Nathan Howard/ReutersAD
US Secretary of State Blinken begins longest Asia tour to reassure allies
The trip aims to signal that Washington is “all in” on Indo-Pacific security concerns, a State Department official said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh. Michael McCoy/Reuters‘The most exciting group of white men’: Kamala Harris considers a running mate
The leading candidates have one thing in common.
Kevin Mohatt/ReutersUS debates future relationship with China
From swing-state senate races to the presidential campaigns, China is under increased scrutiny in the US, particularly over economic issues.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
politics
HBONathan Howard/Reuters 
Adam Schultz/Wikimedia Commons
‘Veep’ showrunner David Mandel has seen your Kamala jokes
As real life starts to mirror the HBO comedy, Mandel talks to David Weigel about his take on the political moment.
HBOHarris said she would ‘not be silent’ on Palestinian suffering in Gaza after talks with Netanyahu
The Democratic presidential hopeful adopted a tougher tone on the war in Gaza than US President Joe Biden.
Nathan Howard/ReutersAmericana’s Dave Weigel answers your questions about the election
It’s a reader mailbag edition!
Adam Schultz/Wikimedia Commons ‘The most exciting group of white men’: Sizing up the Kamala Harris veepstakes
Semafor checks in with both parties on the early favorites to join a Harris ticket.
The 2024 election is shaping up to be a partisan ‘weird-off’
Republicans and Democrats have hit on the same new line to attack one another.
Netanyahu to meet with Biden, Trump
Biden is expected to take a more forceful approach in pushing the Israeli prime minister for a ceasefire deal.
Why age carries so much weight in US politics
US President Joe Biden said it was time to ‘pass the torch to the next generation’ in his first speech to the public after dropping out of the election race.
Young voters are moving toward Harris and feeling less ‘meh’ about voting
A new poll shows Harris outperforming Trump in swing states among registered voters 30 years old and younger.
What JD Vance told me about his ‘childless cat ladies’ attack line
David Weigel talked to Vance in 2022 about his recurring riff about Democrats, including stepmom Kamala Harris, who had not had children themselves.
Biden on ending his reelection campaign: ‘I love my country’
In an address to the country, US President Joe Biden touted his achievements during his presidency, and signaled his intention to work for the remainder of his term.
Trump shooter looked up JFK assassination, flew drone at rally, FBI reveals
Director Christopher Wray’s testimony revealed more damning evidence of majority security flaws at the Trump rally.
business
Richard Brian/Reuters
Ackman’s IPO push: A downsized goal, a big ask, and some typos
The billionaire asked big investors to put in stock orders “sooner rather than later” for an investment fund he plans to take public next week, with its target cut from $25 billion to $10 billion.
Richard Brian/ReutersPrivate credit shops put themselves up for sale as smaller players get squeezed
A handful of lenders are finding that even billions of dollars can’t compete with Wall Street giants like Blue Owl and HPS.
Tesla’s profits dropped for second time this year
Consumers are opting for different automakers, and Tesla’s big bet on AI could take years to pay off.
Wall Street money machine whirs back to life for Harris
Democratic donors who had curbed giving as Biden struggled are getting ready to back Harris.
Why the London v. New York IPO battle is a distraction
Britain sees the trans-Atlantic rivalry as merely one facet of a much broader, multidimensional competition.
technology
Courtesy of Flock Safety
Anthony Collins/Toast
San Francisco arrives on the “late freight” to surveillance tech
After residents became angry about crime and homelessness, the city is growing more comfortable with controversial policing tools.
Courtesy of Flock SafetyToast CEO on the AI-enabled restaurants of the future
The technology won’t automate everything, but it could help restaurants figure out the best menus and pricing to attract diners.
Anthony Collins/ToastGoogle DeepMind AI system reaches milestone in global math contest
The firm’s technology reached a silver-medal score, the first time AI has achieved that level in the International Mathematical Olympiad.
AI models could collapse if trained on their own materials, study shows
If AI is trained on information it generates itself, it could run into a feedback loop, researchers say.
CrowdStrike’s IT outage costs companies over $5B
The world’s biggest IT outage last week crashed millions of computers running on Microsoft Windows.
Off the sidelines: Silicon Valley rushes to raise funds for Harris
The vice president’s roots in the Bay Area, where she was known as a moderate, are fueling support for her candidacy.
net zero
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters
Nathan Howard/Reuters
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Dropping out may be the best thing Biden ever did on climate
Climate donors — an increasingly powerful lobby group in US politics — are flinging open their wallets for Harris.
Kevin Mohatt/ReutersKamala Harris can’t afford to return to her attacks on Big Oil
Will she be willing to set the Justice Department against oil companies?
Nathan Howard/ReutersThis US election is an EV referendum
Musk’s decision to fund Trump’s reelection campaign serves to undermine his Detroit rivals on EVs.
Jonathan Ernst/Reutersafrica
Reuters/Marvellous Durowaiye
Shirleen Kay/Wikimedia Commons
Africa’s richest man scrambles to calm crisis around $20 billion refinery
Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote is battling to get his $20 billion refinery in Nigeria fully functional amid a row with local regulators.
Reuters/Marvellous DurowaiyeAfrica’s food crisis needs innovative funding — UN official
The United Nations now says innovative funding models are needed to spur investment and prevent food shortages across Africa that are predicted to grip countries in the coming years.
Shirleen Kay/Wikimedia CommonsKenya’s Ruto ropes opposition into his cabinet amid protests
Kenyan President William Ruto nominates allies of the main opposition leader to key ministries in a bid to quell mass protests that have rocked his government.
Big Pharma pushes early detection in Africa cancer battle
Global pharmaceutical companies and the WHO are ramping up a push for early cancer detection to enhance treatment of the disease across Africa.
Nigeria’s $220 million fine against Meta previews a clash over market power
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp and Facebook, is preparing to appeal a decision by Nigerian regulators to impose a $220 million fine against it for alleged market power abuse.
How Bright Stars’ big night gave South Sudan hope
South Sudan’s “Bright Stars” national basketball team came within eight seconds of one of the greatest upsets in their short history on Saturday night in London.
media
HBO/Reuters/Hanna Beier
Mixed Signals: Can Kamala hold on? With ‘Veep’ EP Frank Rich
We debate whether the VP can surf memes all the way to election day.
HBO/Reuters/Hanna BeierMixed Signals: Trump, the man’s man at the RNC, AKA the happiest place on Earth
How Trump’s embrace of masculinity is defining his campaign in the media.
The only place Biden is winning: 538’s election model
ABC News’s high profile model is out on a limb.
News organizations undermine journalist groups, caving to Chinese pressure
At least two other news organizations have discouraged their reporters from taking leadership positions in Hong Kong and China’s press organizations.
Wall Street Journal fires reporter who led Hong Kong Journalist Association
The reporter claims the Journal told her she had to step down from her leadership role at the trade association.
security
REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
REUTERS/Stringer
REUTERS/Erik De Castro
Brussel strips Hungary of key EU defense meeting over Ukraine stance
The pushback came after Orbán met with Russian President Vladamir Putin earlier this month to discuss Ukraine without the EU’s approval.
REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoIsrael strikes Yemeni ports as tensions flare with Iran-backed Houthis and Hezbollah
The retaliatory strikes come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to travel to the US.
REUTERS/StringerChina, Philippines reach ‘provisional’ agreement in South China Sea
The deal could pave way for other countries to try and solve their own South China Sea disputes with Beijing.
REUTERS/Erik De CastroAD