5 things to know for July 23: Lawmaker security, Gaza, Texas floods, Columbia University, Japan trade deal
Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
The House of Representatives is increasing funding and resources for lawmakers to provide them with additional security options. The 'pilot program,' which is meant to assist lawmakers returning to their districts for the five-week recess, was created following the deadly attack on Minnesota state lawmakers in June. According to a release from the Committee on House Administration, House members will receive $20,000 to increase the security of their homes. An additional $5,000 per month will be disbursed to each lawmaker to pay for personal security through the end of the year. In 2024, the US Capitol Police investigated more than 9,000 threats against lawmakers, marking an 83% increase from the previous year. During that same period, Trump was targeted in two apparent assassination attempts.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has only worsened since Israel launched its blockade of aid last March, leaving millions of Palestinians facing starvation. Now, a coalition of international organizations says the blockade is also endangering the lives of doctors and aid workers. In a joint statement, more than 100 humanitarian groups called on Israel to restore the full flow of food, clean water and medical supplies to Gaza and agree to a ceasefire. The coalition warned that supplies were 'totally depleted' and that their organizations were 'witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes.' International news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP), also announced plans to try and evacuate its remaining freelance staff from Gaza because they are starving and too weak to work. 'Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die,' AFP's main journalist union said in a statement.
Texas lawmakers will hold a special hearing today to investigate the state's response to the deadly flash floods that hit over the July 4th weekend. At least 135 people were killed in central Texas, including more than 100 in Kerr County, where children's camps and RV parks sat on the banks of the Guadalupe River. The joint select committee's inquiry will include testimony from officials in charge of managing the rivers in the area as well as the head of the Division of Emergency Management and members of the state police. The lawmakers are expected to seek details about flood planning, disaster preparedness and response and communications. 'We need to find out what happened. We need to know for us to go forward and make sure that we prevent the loss of life on the scale,' said José Menéndez, a Democratic state senator who will be on the joint select committee.
Columbia University has sanctioned more than 70 students for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. According to a source familiar with the disciplinary action, around 80% of those students received suspensions, expulsions or degree revocation. The punishments were announced as the school works behind the scenes to get the Trump administration to restore its federal funding. Earlier this month, CNN reported that Columbia was on the verge of striking a deal that would require it to pay a multimillion-dollar settlement, implement changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, boost transparency in hiring and admissions efforts, and take other steps to improve security for Jewish students. In return, the university would regain access to over $400 million in federal funding the Trump administration stripped away earlier this year.
After months of negotiation, President Trump announced a trade agreement with Japan on Tuesday night. The deal will see US importers pay 15% 'reciprocal' tariffs on Japanese goods exported to the states. The 15% rate will also extend to Japanese autos and car parts, putting the country at an advantage over other major vehicle exporters, which have faced a 25% levy on automotive sector exports since April. Additionally, Japan will invest $550 billion in the US, Trump said. 'This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it,' he posted on his social media site. In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hailed the deal as 'the lowest figure to date for a country that has a trade surplus with the United States.'
GET '5 THINGS' IN YOUR INBOX If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter.
The decade-old policy helped customers save some extra cash. Not anymore.
The beverage company hopes its new soda will appeal to consumers who buy sparkling waters and hydration drinks.
The onstage fight that ended last year's tour has taken a new turn.
The stars reveal why fans have had to wait for more than 20 years for another movie.
The Black Sabbath frontman, who died on Tuesday at 76, was remembered as a 'pioneer' and 'dear friend.'
74That's how many counts of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon Fernando Ramirez is facing in connection with a car crash outside a Hollywood nightclub over the weekend that injured at least 37 people.
'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.'
— Patrick Rodenbush, spokesman for former President Barack Obama, after President Trump made allegations of treason and sedition during an Oval Office meeting.
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
In case you've always wanted to take a closer look at our host star without going blind.
Today's edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN's Andrew Torgan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tsunami waves hit Kamchatka and Japan after massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia
A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's eastern coast on Wednesday triggered tsunami warnings and advisories across the Pacific, affecting regions from Hawaii and California to Japan and Russia. Tsunami waves struck parts of Japan's Hokkaido and Russia's Kuril Islands and a tidal surge of 1ft was recorded near Alaska's volcanic island of Amchitka at about 5.14pm Pacific Time, the highest water level above the normal tide reported so far from the tsunami, meteorologists said. Follow our live coverage of the aftermath of the earthquake here. The entire west coast of the US as well as Guam, the Philippines and the Northern Mariana Islands were alerted to watch for signs of dangerous waves, and parts of Canada, Russia, Indonesia, and Japan were also under tsunami alerts. The National Tsunami Warning Center upgraded the tsunami advisory to a tsunami warning for Northern California's coast from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border, including Crescent City, where waves of 2 to 5ft could arrive around 11.50 pm PT on Tuesday. The rest of the California coast remained under a lower-level advisory, with smaller waves expected but still dangerous conditions. Crescent City was especially at risk, having suffered deadly tsunami damage in 1964. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquake hit just before 1.30 pm Hawaii Standard Time around 78 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia. Tsunami warning sirens sounded in Honolulu after Hawaii was upgraded from a tsunami watch to a tsunami warning, the Associated Press reported. Governor Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation, activating response centres across California and urging residents to take the situation seriously. Commercial flights at the Hilo international airport were suspended to aid emergency evacuations in nearby areas like Keaukaha as Hawaii prepared for a potential tsunami, the Hawaii Department of Transportation said. According to emergency officials, the first wave was expected at 7.17pm local time. On Kauai, authorities were urging residents to stay out of Hanalei to keep evacuation routes clear. President Donald Trump acknowledged the tsunami alerts in a post on Truth Social. 'Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States,' he said. 'Japan is also in the way. Please visit for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!' The earthquake was initially reported as a magnitude 8 but the US Geological Survey upgraded it to an 8.7 and later 8.8. A tsunami watch is issued when there's a potential for a tsunami to develop. That alert can be upgraded to an advisory if monitors find reason to believe the waves generated by a potential tsunami are likely to be dangerous. A tsunami warning is issued when widespread water inundation or significant coastal flooding is expected from a confirmed tsunami. The National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area also published a post telling anyone in the area to keep up with developing news as waves from a potential tsunami could arrive just after midnight local time. 'TSUNAMI WATCH in effect for the California coast. Estimated time of arrival as early as 12:15 AM on July 30. People along the coast: Stand by for further updates,' the post read. Rising waters and strong currents could affect southern California, although widespread flooding was unlikely, the National Weather Service said. It warned that tsunamis often came in a series of waves over several hours, with the first not necessarily being the largest. Canadian officials issued a tsunami watch for parts of coastal British Columbia. Several people were injured in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka peninsula and much of Japan's eastern coastline was placed under evacuation orders. 'Today's earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,' Kamchatka governor Vladimir Solodov said. Tsunami waves reaching 3-4m were reported in parts of Kamchatka, Sergei Lebedev, the region's emergency minister, said. Japan issued a tsunami advisory following the earthquake. Japanese meteorologists said a potential tsunami could inundate parts of the coastline up to a yard, according to CBS News. More than 1.9 million people across 21 prefectures had been asked to evacuate though the waves were currently far smaller than initially feared, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. The largest evacuations were ordered in Hokkaido, Kanagawa, and Wakayama. Japanese authorities said tsunami waves of only 30-50 cm had been recorded thus far, far below the 3m forecast, but cautioned that larger waves could still arrive. As a precaution, the airport in the northern Japanese city of Sendai was closed. Its runway, located near the coast, was inundated during the devastating 2011 tsunami. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said parts of three expressways had been shut and train services on 41 lines suspended. 'We ask that everyone in areas where an alert has been issued immediately evacuate to a safe place such as high ground or an evacuation building,' Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a statement. 'Even if a tsunami arrives, there is a chance that second and third waves will arrive, which will be even larger, so I ask that you pay close attention to information regarding tsunamis and do not leave safe locations until the warning is lifted.' The Philippines and Indonesia also issued tsunami warnings. Tsunami waves under 1m were expected to reach parts of the Philippines and Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said. The Kamchatka earthquake is the sixth strongest ever recorded. It shares this rank with the deadly 2010 quake in Chile, which left over 500 people dead and caused widespread destruction and the 1906 earthquake off Ecuador and Colombia that triggered a tsunami, killing up to 1,500 people.
CNBC
17 minutes ago
- CNBC
Oil steady after big gains on Trump's Russia ultimatum
Oil prices ticked up in early trading on Wednesday after rising more than 3% in the previous session as potential supply shortages came into focus after U.S. President Donald Trump gave Moscow an abbreviated deadline toward ending the war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures rose 14 cents, or 0.19%, to $72.65 a barrel by 0048 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 2 cents, or 0.03%, to $69.23 a barrel. Both contracts had settled at their highest since June 20 on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Trump said he would start imposing measures on Russia, including 100% secondary tariffs on its trading partners, if it did not make progress on ending the war within 10-12 days, moving up an earlier 50-day deadline. "Effective secondary 100% tariffs would lead to a dramatic shift in the oil market. A number of key buyers of Russian oil would likely be reluctant to continue purchases, particularly large U.S. trading partners," ING analysts said in a note. "While this gives OPEC+ room to start unwinding additional tranches of supply cuts, it would still leave the market in deficit under a worst-case scenario." The U.S. had warned China, the largest buyer of Russian oil, that it could face huge tariffs if it continues buying, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a news conference in Stockholm where the U.S. was holding trade talks with the EU. JP Morgan analysts said in a note that while China was not likely to comply with U.S. sanctions, India has signaled it would do so, potentially putting 2.3 million barrels per day of Russian oil exports at risk. The U.S. and EU averted a trade war with a deal that included 15% U.S. tariffs on European imports, easing concerns about the impact of trade tensions on economic growth and offering further support to oil prices. In Venezuela, foreign partners of state oil company PDVSA are still waiting for authorizations from the U.S. to operate in the sanctioned country after talks on the subject last week, which could return some supply to the market, potentially easing pressure for prices to rise.
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
Why the U.S.-EU trade agreement is unlikely to derail Europe's defense boom
Europe's defense stocks wobbled at the start of the week, as investors pored over the details — still lacking in some areas — of the framework trade agreement struck by the U.S. and European Union on Sunday. An initial concern was that a commitment by the EU to increase its purchases of U.S. goods, in particular military equipment, could come at the cost of the European defense firms that have staged a massive rally this year on expectations of a regional spending spree . Those include France's Thales , which fell 4.3% on Monday; Germany's Renk and Rheinmetall , which were down 5.1% and 3.3%, respectively, and Italy's Leonardo , which dipped 0.74%. Analysts told CNBC such fears were unfounded, and that European defense firms were set to remain the primary beneficiary of bigger national budgets in the coming years — particuarly since they lack the output capacity to meet all the region's needs themselves. According to a White House summary of the deal, the EU would make $600 billion in new investments in the U.S. by the end of President Donald Trump's term in 2028, in addition to the $100 billion that EU firms currently invest annually. It adds that the bloc "agreed to purchase significant amounts of U.S. military equipment," with Trump telling reporters that it would make "hundreds of billions of dollars" of arms purchases. In its own read-out, the EU said only that companies in the bloc "have expressed interest in investing at least $600 billion" in "various sectors" in the U.S. by 2029, specifying instead its intention to buy 700 billion euros ($810 billion) worth of U.S. liquified natural gas, oil and nuclear energy products, and 40 billion euros worth of AI chips. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen did not mention U.S. military purchases in her own statement on the deal , which comes two weeks after she put forward a proposed 2 trillion euro, seven-year budget including a fivefold increase from current spending on defense and space. Overall, the EU has this year outlined plans to mobilize around 800 million euros in new defense spending as part of a major rearmament push, including via loans and the relaxation of fiscal spending constraints. Lack of capacity The numbers mentioned in the trade agreement are a source of uncertainty, Peter Schaffrik, global macro strategist at RBC Capital Markets, told CNBC. "For defense in particular, this is relevant as we know that not all of the European spending can be done with European firms. Therefore, it is unclear whether the sums mentioned are in addition to what was planned, and whether the spending takes place over a short or long time frame (i.e. 10 years) is also highly uncertain." U.S. military suppliers such as Lockheed Martin , Northrop Grumman and Raytheon were already expected to significantly benefit from higher EU spending as they extend existing contracts and win new ones, despite calls by European bosses and leaders to keep as much funding as possible in the region. Dmitrii Ponomarev, exchange traded fund product manager at investment management firm VanEck, noted that Europe accounted for approximately 35% of all U.S. arms exports between 2020 and 2024, and that the U.S. supplied about 64% of arms imported by European NATO states. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has "raised concerns about the EU's ambitions for domestic defense manufacturers, citing historical difficulties in scaling up production, cost inflation from protectionist policies, and a persistent mismatch between supply and demand within the bloc," Ponomarev said. "U.S. defense contractors are likely to be the primary beneficiaries of this deal. While European defense firms initially reacted negatively to the news, they could still benefit in the long term, assuming the overall size of the European defense market grows faster than local companies can absorb." Push to spend local Capital will flow from private sector companies to where it's seeking the highest return if the U.S. makes its economy, markets and regulation more attractive than Europe, said Dean Turner, chief euro zone and U.K. economist at UBS Global Wealth Management's investment office. But from the current announcement, it remains hard to know what is new and additional or was going to happen anyway, he said. "In my mind, timing is the issue. If countries wish to invest in defense equipment, their procurement options at this stage are somewhat limited. In Europe we have lots of defende manufacturers, but probably not enough with capacity to deliver that kind of boost to output," he said. "Of course some money will flow to the U.S., it has to as it's the only provider of a number of key NATO-compliant defense systems. A lot will flow to the U.K. I'd still be of the view that it's Europe's intention, which [French President Emmanuel] Macron and others have been clear about, that much more of this spending has to be done locally." "So just because of a trade agreement — I'd hesitate to even call it a deal at this point — it won't be transformational in terms of U.S. defence." 'Smoke and mirrors' Simon Evenett, professor of geopolitics and strategy at IMD business school and co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Trade and Investment, said the word "investment" is used "very loosely in all of the Trump trade deals," including the recent announcement of a $600 billion U.S. investment commitment by Saudi Arabia . "You unpack it and it involves spending on defense, investments by the private sector, it involves a wide range of things. What does this mean in the context of the EU-US deal? At this stage, who knows," Evenett said. The European Commission has signaled that the $600 billion refers to private sector investment, implying no additional spending by European governments beyond energy purchases, he said. "In short, this agreement involves a lot of smoke and mirrors ... this deal just buys time for further specifics to be articulated."
