News Wrap: Biden closes in on Democratic presidential nomination

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: President Biden moved closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination overnight. He won the Hawaii caucuses with 66 percent of the vote, but the choice of uncommitted received 29 percent. The president still needs a little over 400 delegates to wrap up the nomination.

A move to bar access to TikTok headed to the House floor today after a strong show of support in committee. The vote was 50-0 to make the Chinese firm ByteDance sell off the video sharing app or see it banned. The bill also allows for denying access to a foreign-owned app that is deemed a danger to national security. TikTok denies that it poses any danger to U.S. users.

In the Middle East, cease-fire talks in Cairo are now on hold with little chance of a deal before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts. Hamas blamed Israel today for refusing to accept a permanent cease-fire and withdrawal from Gaza. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a military graduation ceremony today that the offensive will not stop.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

Today, I want to tell you in clear words the IDF will continue to operate against all Hamas battalions all over the Gaza Strip. And this includes Rafah, the last stronghold of Hamas. Whoever tells us not to operate in Rafah tells us to lose the war, and that will not happen.

Geoff Bennett:

Meantime, Jordan, the U.S. and other countries airdropped more humanitarian supplies into Northern Gaza. But relief workers said it's still only a fraction of what's actually needed.

Sweden officially became the 32nd member of NATO today. The Swedes and Finland moved to join the alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine. Today, the Swedish prime minister handed over final documents to Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington. The papers were officially deposited into a special vault.

Here at home, a jury in Michigan heard opening statements in the involuntary manslaughter trial of James Crumbley. His teenage son killed four high school classmates in 2021. Today, the father listened as prosecutors noted he bought the handgun used in the shootings. The defense argued he had no way of knowing his son's intent.

Marc Keast, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Oakland County, Michigan:

James Crumbley bought that gun that his son used to kill as a gift for his son four days before the attack. James Crumbley failed to secure that gun in a way to prevent his son from accessing it.

Mariell Lehman, Attorney For James Crumbley:

The prosecution alleges that James Crumbley had knowledge that his son could and would hurt other people and that he failed to protect those people, that he failed to take steps to protect others. And, ladies and gentlemen, that simply is not true.

Geoff Bennett:

The shooter's mother, Jennifer Crumbley, was found guilty of the same charges last month.

Xcel Energy acknowledged today that its equipment apparently ignited a giant wildfire in the Texas Panhandle. But the utility also disputed any claim of negligence. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze that's become the largest in state history. It burned nearly 1,700 square miles in hundreds of buildings, but is now nearly half-contained.

And, on Wall Street, stocks rallied as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Central Bank is not far from cutting interest rates. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 130 points to close at 38791. The Nasdaq rose 241 points. The S&P 500 added 52.

And 29-year-old sailor Cole Brauer has become the first American woman to complete a solo race around the world. She stood on her 40-foot-long sailboat gliding into a Spanish port early today after setting sail from the same spot 130 days ago. Once on land, the champagne flowed as she celebrated.

Congratulations to her.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": the Biden administration's efforts to restore America's global influence after Trump left office; and the challenges that tribal communities face accessing the Internet.