The Bulletin
WORLD IN BRIEF
- Earthquake hits California: According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern California on Tuesday evening. Get the latest.
- UK riots: More than 6,000 police officers are on standby as potential riots loom across England, with reports suggesting at least 30 protests could occur today. Disorder erupted in several cities last week following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport.
- Bangladesh interim government: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has been chosen to head Bangladesh's interim government after the nation's longtime prime minister resigned and fled abroad in the face of a broad uprising against her rule.
- Olympics: American Cole Hocker stunned the athletics world by defeating Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win gold in the Olympic 1500m. Fellow American Yared Nuguse took bronze, making it the first time in 112 years that two Americans medaled in the event. Meanwhile, Gabby Thomas won gold in the 200m race, and Brittany Brown won bronze.
- In the ongoing war in Ukraine, residents are being evacuated from Russia's Kursk region after Ukrainian forces conducted a series of cross-border raids on Tuesday, with videos on social media showing scenes akin to a war zone.
Harris Passes Biden's Peak Election Odds as She Lands Walz as VP Pick
The rundown: Vice President Kamala Harris' chances of winning in November have surpassed President Joe Biden's peak betting odds on the platform Polymarket. Here's what the numbers reveal.
Why it matters: Harris is just two weeks into her presidential campaign. On Tuesday, she made her first major decision as the presumptive Democratic nominee, selecting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Walz addressed a crowd of roaring supporters in Philadelphia in his first speech as the vice-presidential candidate. He wasted no time taking jabs at Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. (See Harris' reaction.)
Read more in-depth coverage:
Tim Walz Fires Up Philly: 'We Have 91 Days. We'll Sleep When We're Dead!'
TL/DR: Harris addressed supporters before Walz took the microphone and described her vice president pick as a role model for his former students and a governor who stands for freedom.
What happens now? Harris and Walz kicked off a seven-state battleground tour yesterday, starting in Philadelphia. They will travel through Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.
Deeper reading Kamala Harris Passes Joe Biden's Peak Election Odds as She Lands a VP
Squad Member Cori Bush Ousted Amid Democrats' Israel Divide
The rundown: Missouri Representative Cori Bush was ousted in her state's Democratic primary on Tuesday, a sign of the continued fractions within the Democratic Party over U.S. policy in Israel. Find out how this result reflects broader party conflicts.
Why it matters: The Associated Press called Missouri's 1st Congressional District primary at 11 p.m. EST for Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney who the established pro-Israel political action committee, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, backed. The race was called with 94 percent of the votes counted. Bell had 51 percent of the vote at the time, while Bush had 45.7 percent. Bush is a part of the progressive group of Democratic House lawmakers known as "the Squad," whose members have been some of the loudest critics of the Biden administration's policies regarding the Israel-Hamas war.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Cori Bush Primary Loss Mocked by MAGA: 'Laughing So Hard'
TL/DR: Democrats have been divided over Washington's handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza up and down the ballot.
What happens now? Bell is expected to go on now to win the safe Democratic congressional seat in November's general election.
Deeper reading Squad Member Cori Bush Ousted Amid Democrats' Israel Divide
Trump Suggests Biden May Try to 'Take Back The Nomination'
The rundown: Former President Donald Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, pondered the possibility that President Joe Biden "crashes" the Democratic National Convention in an attempt to "take back the nomination" from Vice President Kamala Harris. Here's his full statement.
Why it matters: Trump,who continues to use his characteristic rhetoric, suggested Biden might attempt to take back the nomination despite his earlier decision to withdraw from the presidential race and endorse Harris. In a Tuesday post, Trump criticized Biden, Harris and other Democratic figures with his usual inflammatory language, describing Biden's presidency as "stolen" and speculating about a dramatic move at the convention. Trump's campaign also commented on Harris' pick of Tim Walz.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Donald Trump 'Terrified' of Tim Walz, Mary Trump Says
TL/DR: Trump's campaign also commented on Harris' pick of Walz on Tuesday.
What happens now? Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek, "While it's uncertain whether President Biden is reconsidering his nomination, it's important to recognize these statements as part of a broader strategy to energize their respective bases.”
Deeper reading Donald Trump Suggests Biden May Try to 'Take Back The Nomination'
Where in the World Are U.S. and China's Militaries?
The rundown: The United States is a global superpower sustained by hundreds of military sites worldwide. By the end of this decade, China could have a burgeoning network of its own. Here's what the map shows about their military sites.
Why it matters: The United States sustains its influence through hundreds of military sites worldwide, including airfields, seaports, and camps in allied or neutral territories. This extensive network supports American warfighting doctrine, maintaining strategic locations outside the continental U.S. to protect national interests. China could develop a similar network to safeguard its growing economic and security interests by the decade's end. The U.S. military presence includes various facilities, not all military bases, and the Pentagon's annual Base Structure Report details these sites.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Russia, China, and North Korea in Crosshairs of U.S. Air Power Plan
TL/DR: American military sites at key regional hubs like Hawaii or Guam, the U.S.'s westernmost point, were not included in the overseas presence map.
What happens now? Bryce Barros, a former congressional foreign policy adviser based in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek, "For now, the United States should not be concerned about the number of Chinese bases overseas, which pale by comparison to those of the United States. However, the US must continue to support partners and allies concerned about China's designs on Ream Naval Base, which China could use in a South China Sea contingency.”
Deeper reading Where in the World Are U.S. and China's Militaries?
India and Pakistan Brace for Rising ISIS Threat
The rundown: Officials from India and Pakistan have told Newsweek that they are preparing for an uptick in threats posed by one of the most dangerous arms of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), whose resurgent campaign has already brought heightened bloodshed to South Asia and beyond. Learn more about the situation and implications of this rising threat.
Why it matters: As ISIS' self-styled Khorasan province, often referred to as ISIS-K or ISIL-K, looks to entrench and expand by exploiting local grievances and mistrust among governments. Both rival nations also cast blame on one other's country for allegedly having a hand in fostering the conditions that have allowed the militants to take hold in their shared region. Recent ISIS-K publications have targeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party, calling for Muslim revolt while also stepping up attacks and Urdu-language propaganda in Pakistan.
Read more in-depth coverage:
ISIS Attacks on Pace to Double in Iraq and Syria Compared to 2023: Report
TL/DR: While the U.S. effectively severed ties with Kabul after the 2021 military withdrawal, both India and Pakistan have extended varying degrees of diplomatic outreach to the Afghan Taliban in hopes of securing a stake in the nation's future.
What happens now? An Indian Army spokesperson told Newsweek, "A security mechanism supported by invigorated intelligence system has been set up to proactively anticipate, intercept and neutralize terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir." At the same time, Pakistani UN Representative Munir Akram argued for a concerted effort not just to battle militant groups such as ISIS-K but also to resolve the underlying conditions that have allowed them to emerge.
Deeper reading India and Pakistan Brace for Rising ISIS Threat
The Year China Could Start Outliving America
The United Nations has predicted the average Chinese person might expect a longer life span than an American.
The U.N. Population Division's updated projections, released last month, put the median life expectancy in the United States at 79.46 years this year, compared with China's 78.02. But if current trends hold, China will inch past the U.S.'s 82.39-year life span in 2044 and reach 82.4.
Life expectancy in the U.S. has been ticking upward after a dip from 2020 to 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic but remains the lowest in the developed world, despite the fact America spends more on health care than any other country.