By Dan Donahue, NBC Nightly News |
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Good Wednesday afternoon. President Biden is on his way home after his highly-anticipated summit with Vladimir Putin, the CDC director is urging vaccinations as concerns grow over the Delta variant, and scorching heat is impacting over 100 million Americans. |
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Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Biden and Putin hold historic summit in Geneva |
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President Biden described his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “good” and “positive,” and told reporters he “did what I came to do,” after emerging from the high-stakes meeting in Geneva today. |
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“The bottom line is I told President Putin that we need to have some basic rules of the road that we can all abide by,” Biden said, at his post-summit news conference. |
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Biden emphasized the importance of face-to-face diplomacy, saying there had been no threats or scare tactics during the meeting. |
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Putin, in his own separate news conference, also said there had been “no hostility” in the room, and described the talks as “constructive.” |
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The Russian leader described Biden is an “experienced statesman,” who is “very different” from his predecessor, former President Trump. |
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Cyberattacks: Biden said he told Putin the U.S. has “significant cyber capability,” and gave him a list of certain critical infrastructures that “should be off limits to attack.” Putin denied Russia was behind recent cyberattacks on the U.S., but said the two countries would begin “consultations” on cybersecurity.Nuclear talks & ambassadors: The U.S. and Russia agreed to talks on updating the nuclear treaty between the two countries, and will return ambassadors to their foreign posts, after diplomatic relations were suspended in April.Alexei Navalny: Biden said the consequences for Russia would be “devastating” if Navalny dies while imprisoned. Putin — refusing to say Navalny’s name — said the Kremlin critic knew he had broken Russian law and “wanted to be arrested” when he returned to the country after surviving an assassination attempt.Bearing gifts: Biden gave Putin several gifts, including a pair of custom Aviators sunglasses made by Randolph USA, and a crystal sculpture of an American bison by Steuben Glass of New York, according to a White House official. |
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CDC Director urges vaccinations amid Delta variant concerns |
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The head of the CDC is urging Americans to get the Covid vaccine, as concerns rise over the highly contagious Delta variant. |
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“Vaccination is our ticket OUT of this pandemic,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky tweeted, with a link to the new CDC alert on the Delta variant, first identified in India, which now accounts for 10 percent of new cases in the United States. |
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“To anyone eligible, but not yet vaccinated, know that getting vaccinated is the key tool to stopping the spread of #COVID19,” Walensky added. |
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On Wednesday, the CDC officially classified Delta as a “variant of concern,” citing “mounting evidence” that it “spreads more easily and causes more severe cases when compared to other variants.” |
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The Delta variant now accounts for nearly 10 percent of new Covid cases in the U.S. |
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The CDC says that two doses of Pfizer’s or Moderna’s mRNA vaccine are effective against the Delta variant, and the agency is further investigating the variant’s “potential effect on current vaccines and treatment.” |
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More than 64 percent of American adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, but the pace is likely to fall short of President Biden’s 70 percent goal by July 4. |
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E.U. members have agreed to lift travel restrictions on tourists from the United States.The Phoenix Suns may have to start the Western Conference Finals without point guard Chris Paul, who is reportedly out indefinitely after entering the NBA’s Covid protocols.Kim Jong Un warned the people of North Korea of “tense” food shortages, and has told them to brace for extended Covid restrictions. Kim’s thinner appearance is also raising questions about his own health.The U.S. has agreed to purchase another 200 million doses of Moderna’s Covid vaccine, the company announced today.Royal Caribbean International is delaying the inaugural voyage of its Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship after eight crew members tested positive.With less than 40 days to go until the Summer Olympics, Japan is expected to ease its Covid state of emergency in Tokyo this weekend.Yankee Stadium will return to 100 percent capacity on Friday, after most of New York’s remaining Covid restrictions were lifted. |
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Historic heat wave impacting more than 100 million |
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A scorching heat wave continues to grip the western part of the country, with some 110 million Americans expected to face highs above 90 —and more than 20 million expecting highs over 100 degrees. |
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Nearly 40 million people are under heat advisories, watches, and warnings, after days of record-shattering temperatures. |
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Dozens of records were broken Tuesday across Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota, Nevada, Arizona and Southern California. |
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Death Valley, California, soared to 124 degrees on Wednesday, making it potentially the hottest place on Earth. And it’s only getting hotter, with a high of 128 expected today. |
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Education Department to say Title IX extends to transgender students |
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The Education Department said discrimination against gay and transgender students is prohibited under Title IX, The New York Times first reported. |
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The 1972 law prohibits federally-funded schools and universities discrimination on the basis of sex. |
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“Today, the Department makes clear that all students — including LGBTQ+ students —deserve the opportunity to learn and thrive in schools that are free from discrimination,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. |
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It’s a major reversal from the Trump administration, which took aim at the rights and protections of transgender Americans. |
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On tonight’s broadcast, we’ll have a preview of Joe Fryer’s “Transamerica,” a one-hour special examining issues facing the transgender community. |
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What else we’re watching: |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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