News Wrap: Netanyahu claims U.S. seeking to lift restrictions on arms deliveries to Israel

Geoff Bennett:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims he was told that the U.S. is seeking to lift its restrictions on certain arms deliveries to Israel.

In a video statement, the prime minister said the U.S. has been withholding weapons shipments for months, but he said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured him last week that the Biden administration is working to remove what he called bottlenecks in the deliveries.

During a press conference with the NATO secretary-general today, Blinken would not confirm whether he made those remarks and he said that only one shipment has been withheld.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State: We, as you know, are continuing to review one shipment that President Biden has talked about with regard to 2,000-pound bombs. But everything else is moving as it normally would move, and, again, with the perspective of making sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against this multiplicity of challenges.

Geoff Bennett:

The shipment in question was held back in May amid concerns that large bombs would be used on densely populated areas in Gaza.

At that same press conference, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern over growing military ties between Russia and North Korea. He pointed to Moscow's support for North Korea's missile and nuclear programs.

That unfolded as Russian President Vladimir Putin crossed into North Korea, where he was greeted at the airport in Pyongyang by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The two leaders are set to hold a round of talks on Wednesday.

Muslims from around the world have been wrapping up the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, which was marked this year by deadly heat. Saudi officials say temperatures in Mecca today hit 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Dozens have reportedly died of sunstroke during the pilgrimage, including at least 41 people from Jordan. Still, throngs of people gathered today to participate in closing rituals. More than 1.8 million people performed Hajj this year, according to Saudi officials.

Meantime, tens of millions of people across the U.S. are under extreme heat alerts. The National Weather Service says the conditions will affect areas from Iowa to Maine until at least Friday. Chicago broke a heat record dating from the 1950s to start the week. Temperatures there will stay close to 100 degrees in the days ahead.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul has activated the National Guard.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY):

This is going to be one for the ages, when you think about the fact that places normally very pleasant this time of year like Syracuse and Ithaca are going to have an excess of 106 reel-feel degrees on their skin and how it feels to your body today.

Geoff Bennett:

In the West, firefighters are battling multiple blazes including this one in Colusa County, California, while, in New Mexico, thousands of residents fled from wildfires. The governor there declared a state of emergency after more than 500 structures were damaged.

That's as the first potential tropical storm of the season is expected to make landfall near Texas by Wednesday with heavy rain and potential flooding.

Former President Donald Trump will stay under a gag order in his criminal hush money case following his felony conviction last month. The New York Court of Appeals declined to hear an appeal, saying — quote — "No substantial constitutional question is directly involved." The judge in the case imposed the gag order in March before the trial started. Mr. Trump was found in contempt of court for violating that order and was threatened with jail time.

A Trump campaign spokesperson said today that his legal team will continue to fight the order, calling it unconstitutional.

Los Angeles schools will ban smartphones in a push to remove distractions and limit the negative impact of social media. With 429,000 students, L.A. is the second largest public school system in the country and the biggest to take such a step. Officials now have 120 days to work out the details, including whether phones can be kept in lockers and whether exemptions will be made for certain students or age groups. The policy is set to take effect in January 2025.

And on Wall Street today, stocks inched higher as A.I. giant Nvidia became the world's most valuable public company, topping Microsoft. The Dow Jones industrial average added 56 points, creeping closer toward the 39000 level. The Nasdaq notched another new record, adding five points. The S&P 500 also ended at a new high.