Thursday morning news: July 11, 2024

More pressure on Biden to step down » The pressure on President Biden to give up his reelection bid is intensifying.

An eighth Democrat in the U.S. House, Pat Ryan of New York, is now asking Biden to step aside.

And in an appearance on MSNBC, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi didn’t throw the president much of a lifeline.

PELOSI: It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.

The president has also lost a prominent supporter in Hollywood. The actor George Clooney, who just hosted a fundraiser for Biden last month, wrote in a New York Times op-ed Wednesday that the president should not run after all.

Biden’s next big public test is a news conference today as he wraps up hosting world leaders for a NATO summit.

Biden & White House push back, schedule Lester Holt interview » President Biden remains defiant, insisting he’s not going anywhere, and he is getting support from his cabinet.

Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says Biden’s gotten more done than any president he’s ever worked with.

XAVIER BECERRA: Everyone’s always tried to take on what we call Big Pharma. No one succeeded until Joe Biden.

Becerra referring to the president’s push to lower prescription drug costs.

Biden, meantime, will seek to persuade skeptics himself on Monday when he sits down for a primetime interview with NBC anchor Lester Holt.

NATO: China a ‘decisive enabler’ of Russia » A strong rebuke of China from NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg.

STOLTENBERG: China has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

During this week’s summit in Washington, NATO leaders went on to criticize China for what they call its “no-limits partnership” with Russia, including large-scale support for Russia’s defense industry.

NATO ignored Beijing’s denial of direct military aid and urged China to cease all support for Russia.

All NATO allies approved of the condemnation of China. Stoltenberg says it’s the first time they’ve all stated the concern so clearly together.

Israel: Gaza City evac order, ceasefire & hostage talks continue » Israel’s military is urging all Palestinian civilians to leave Gaza City ahead of a broadening Israeli offensive.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer:

MENCER: We want to get civilians out of harm's way. We have no interest in harming civilians in Gaza City or anywhere else. We're trying to get to the terrorists where the terrorists attack from or where they have set up base.

The evacuation order suggests Israel is pressing ahead with a bombardment throughout the territory, which Gaza officials say has left dozens dead over the past few days.

Israel says it’s pursuing Hamas terrorists who are regrouping there.

GALLANT: [Speaking Hebrew]

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying Israel’s military has wounded or killed roughly 60 percent of Hamas’ fighting force and disbanded nearly 24 Hamas battalions.

Meanwhile, international mediators are hoping to forge a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that would secure the release of the remaining hostages.

Among the sticking points: Hamas is demanding any cease-fire be permanent, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he won’t sign any deal that leaves remnants of Hamas still in place.

Beryl latest: Texas still struggling » People in Texas are still dealing with massive power outages days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in that state.

At one point yesterday, more than 1.7 million homes and businesses were still without electricity.

That’s down from a peak of over 2.7 million after the storm made landfall Monday.

With Houston facing a heat wave, that means lots of people are facing 100-plus degree temperatures without air conditioning.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz told reporters he wasn’t immune and neither was Lt. Governor. Dan Patrick.

CRUZ: Right now, Dan and I both. Neither of us have power. So, I slept on the couch of a buddy of mine yesterday who thankfully did have AC.

Leaders say extra crews are working around the clock to get the lights and AC back.

CRUZ: CenterPoint has committed to having 11,500 linemen coming in from all across Texas and from other adjoining states to be out there right now, repairing the work.

But state leaders say it’ll still take days to resolve all of the outages.

HOUSE: On this vote, the yeas are 221, the nays are 198. The bill is passed.

SAVE Act passes U.S. House » And with that, the U.S. House has passed the so-called SAVE Act: a bill requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.

With their convention just days away, Republicans are working to shine the spotlight on election security, one of their key issues.

GOP Representative Elise Stefanik…

STEFANIK: This is a very simple and logical concept rooted in the Constitution. Only American citizens should vote in American elections.

But the bill faces strong opposition in the Democrat-led Senate.

Democrats say there are already safeguards against noncitizen voting. They also warn it could disenfranchise legitimate voters.

I’m Mark Mellinger.

Straight ahead: Technology and theology at the G7 summit. Plus, finding hope for the future at a food pantry.

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