5 things to know for July 9: Severe weather, NATO summit, Ukraine, Mass tourism, Airbnb hidden cameras
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Severe weather
Beryl has weakened to a tropical depression but still threatens to produce catastrophic flooding and tornadoes in the US as it moves inland. Millions of Texans slammed by the deadly and destructive storm are expected to be without power for days or weeks, posing a dangerous scenario for residents who will not have air conditioning as sweltering heat settles over the state. Forecasts show the center of the storm will arrive in Arkansas early today and continue through southern Missouri and Illinois. It is then expected to blow into Indiana on Wednesday and race through Ohio and Michigan and into Canada by the end of the week.
2. NATO summit
President Joe Biden is set to host a crucial NATO summit in Washington today where new announcements over the alliance’s military, political and financial support for Ukraine are expected. The meetings will also serve as a public test of Biden’s health and cognitive capacity as the president seeks to quell concerns following his dismal debate performance late last month. Biden is scheduled to hold a solo news conference on Thursday where he can expect a volley of questions about his mental fitness for office. Records show that a top Parkinson’s disease specialist visited the White House eight times over the past year and met with the president’s physician, though the circumstances of the meeting are unclear.
3. Ukraine
Russia launched a series of rare daylight strikes on Ukraine Monday that partially flattened the country’s largest children’s hospital. The attacks killed at least 39 people and injured nearly 200 others, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Local officials said the medical center has been vital in caring for some of the sickest children from across the country. Every year, around 7,000 surgeries — including treatments for cancer and hematological diseases — are conducted at the hospital. The UN Security Council will hold a special meeting today to discuss Russia’s deadly strikes after Zelensky called for an emergency assembly while vowing retaliation.
4. Mass tourism
Dozens of protesters in Barcelona recently sprayed visitors with water as part of a demonstration against mass tourism. The demonstrators were seen chanting “tourists go home” and squirting them with water pistols, while others carried signs with slogans including “Barcelona is not for sale.” Almost 26 million visitors made an overnight stay in the Barcelona region in 2023, spending around $13.8 billion, according to official figures. However, the Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic said overwhelming crowds are driving up prices and increasing social inequality. Complaints about mass tourism are also being raised at other popular destinations around the world, which have experienced record visitor numbers as the travel industry roars back from a pandemic-induced downturn.
5. Airbnb hidden cameras
A CNN investigation has found that Airbnb, one of the world’s largest short-term rental companies, consistently fails to protect its guests despite knowing that hidden cameras are a persistent concern within its industry. Thousands of images have been recovered from rental hosts by law enforcement. Hidden cameras placed in bedrooms and bathrooms show guests during their most private moments — changing clothes, being with their children, even having sex — according to CNN’s review of court and police records as well as interviews with guests who found surveillance devices in rental properties or were told by police they had been secretly recorded. In a statement to CNN, an Airbnb spokesperson said hidden camera complaints are rare, but when they do occur “we take appropriate, swift action, which can include removing hosts and listings that violate the policy.”
BREAKFAST BROWSE
The billionaire heiress emerging as the next US tennis starDespite being set to inherit a fortune, this 23-year-old athlete is determined to make her own name in professional tennis.
Season 21 of ‘The Bachelorette’ premiered MondayThe first Asian American woman to lead on the ABC show “The Bachelorette” said she is “very happy” with how her season will unfold.
Streaming’s ‘great re-bundling’ has begunStreaming services appear to be merging, combining or forming alliances that could reconstruct the cable “bundle” that consumers relied upon for decades. Here’s what subscribers should know.
John Cena announces retirement from wrestlingThe 16-time WWE world champion is ready to say goodbye to the sport that made him a star.
Nearby exoplanet reeks of rotten eggsAn exoplanet with sideways rain made of glass has revealed another intriguing feature: It has a smelly atmosphere.
TODAY’S NUMBER
36%That’s the percentage of Americans who said they have confidence in higher education, according to a new poll by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. Data shows that young adults are increasingly skeptical about the value of college for numerous reasons, including the high cost of tuition and the ongoing student debt crisis.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“Joe has made it clear that he’s all in.”
— First lady Jill Biden, sharing a public message of support for her husband, President Biden, on Monday as he faces calls to drop out of the 2024 race. Biden added, “That’s the decision that he’s made. And just as he’s always supported my career, I am all in, too.”
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY ...
Caesar salad is celebrating its 100th anniversaryDid you know that Caesar salad was invented in Mexico in 1924? Meet the man who has preserved the original recipe.
The storm affecting the US is expected to leave millions of people without power for days or weeks, posing a dangerous situation for residents without air conditioning as temperatures rise.The NATO summit in Washington is set to be a crucial event for President Biden, serving as a public test of his health and cognitive capacity.
