5 things to know for July 8: Presidential race, Hurricane Beryl, France election, Covid-19, Boeing plea deal

By CNN Newsource

Published July 8, 2024 4:48 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — It’s that time of year again: officials in the US are on alert for shark attacks that, while rare, pose a threat to summer beachgoers. Learn how to survive an unwanted shark encounter — or better yet, avoid one entirely.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Presidential race

President Joe Biden remains adamant about staying in the 2024 race despite swelling calls within his party to step down after last month’s dismal debate performance. Several House Democratic ranking members told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday that Biden needs to step down from the race, according to sources familiar with the conversation. Biden held a pair of campaign events in the swing state of Pennsylvania over the weekend to reassure skeptical voters about the viability of his reelection bid, telling reporters “I’m up for the job.” Meanwhile, former President Trump is gearing up to announce his running mate before kicking off a Republican convention in Milwaukee next week where he will officially become the party’s presidential nominee for the third time in eight years.

2. Hurricane Beryl

Beryl made landfall near Matagorda, Texas, today as a Category 1 hurricane. It is the first storm in the Atlantic hurricane season to make landfall in the US. After causing chaos in the Caribbean and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula last week and killing at least nine people, Beryl weakened to a tropical storm but strengthened to become a hurricane overnight. It will continue to bring life-threatening storm surge and flooding to Texas this week, meteorologists say. Power outages are also rapidly climbing across the state as Beryl moves inland with gusty winds downing parts of the electric grid. Experts say this hurricane season will be far from normal, as fossil fuel pollution contributes to warmer water and rapidly intensifying storms.

3. France election

Cheers rang out on the streets of Paris on Sunday after a left-wing alliance won the most seats in the French parliament, thwarting Marine Le Pen’s far-right party. The stunning result from the second-round vote means France will avoid a far-right government but will plunged into political limbo, with no party reaching an absolute majority. The left-wing New Popular Front won 182 seats, while President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance won 163 seats. The far-right National Rally and its allies slumped to third place due to tactical voting, winning 143 seats. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, Macron’s protege, tendered his resignation today — but Macron refused to accept. The president asked him to stay on for now “to ensure the stability of the country.”

4. Covid-19

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday after experiencing mild symptoms, according to a Sunday statement from his office. Vice President Kamala Harris has tested negative for the virus and remains asymptomatic, the statement said. The couple were at an event with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Thursday for an Independence Day celebration. CNN has reached out to the White House to ask whether the president is being tested. The positive case in Biden’s inner circle comes as a summer wave of Covid-19 has already arrived in the US, the CDC says, with infections probably growing in at least 38 states.

5. Boeing plea deal

Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to one charge of conspiracy to defraud the US and potentially pay up to $487 million in fines for repeated safety failures. The plea deal provides a path for Boeing to avoid trial, the Justice Department said in a court filing Sunday. But that fine is a fraction of the $24.8 billion that families of crash victims wanted the aircraft maker to pay. The guilty plea is a severe blow to the reputation of Boeing, a company once known for the quality and safety of its commercial jets. Beyond the two fatal crashes of the 737 Max jets, the company has faced a series of questions about the safety and quality of its planes.

HAPPENING LATER

India’s Modi heads to Moscow
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Moscow today for wide-ranging talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is Modi’s first visit to Russia since the country invaded Ukraine and is widely seen as a dent in efforts by Western leaders to isolate Putin.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Breast cancer survivor wins $5 million lottery
A 75-year-old great-grandmother had recently finished her breast cancer treatment. Then she won a $5 million scratch-off game!

Tearful Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix
The 39-year-old was emotional Sunday after securing another Grand Prix win. Read about his impressive victory on the rain-slicked track at Silverstone.

Paris’ famous Moulin Rouge windmill gets its blades back
Paris’ iconic Moulin Rouge windmill has been fitted with new blades, nearly three months after they fell off the landmark back in April.

When your home becomes a tourist attraction
What happens when a private residence becomes an Instagram hot spot? Some residents told CNN what it’s like to own a home that is rich in history.

Archaeologists find marble god statue in ancient Roman sewer
Bulgarian archaeologists stumbled across this well-preserved marble statue depicting the Greek god Hermes.

TODAY’S NUMBER

129°F
That was the temperature at California’s Death Valley National Park over the weekend, breaking the daily record of 127°F set in July 2007. Tens of millions of people across the US are now under heat alerts as authorities brace for more dangerous heat waves and wildfire conditions in the coming days.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“We are devastated by the recent violence that has left our city in a state of grief.”

— Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, after the city was rocked by gun violence over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. At least 100 people were shot in Chicago since July 3, including 17 fatally. Law enforcement statistics and researchers have continually pointed to summer months as a time of increased gun violence in the US as high temperatures can increase anger, agitation and hostility.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Dog turns on stove and sets house on fire
A Colorado family had a ruff day after their dog accidentally set the house ablaze. See the home security footage here.

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