Ukrainian Children’s Hospital: A Russian missile struck Kiev during rush hour on July 8, killing at least 20 people and wounding 50. Among the buildings hit was the Okhmadit Children’s Hospital, the largest in the country. Residential buildings were also hit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that civilians, from residents of the buildings hit to doctors, stopped all work to treat the injured.
Gaza death toll: The Lancet Medical Journal published an article highlighting the difficulty and need to fully determine how many people have died in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s operations against Hamas in retaliation for the October 7 terrorist attacks. The journal noted that credible reports have confirmed that 37,396 people have been killed, including tens of thousands of women and children, but that many bodies are likely hidden because many buildings have been destroyed. In addition, many deaths are likely due to strained health systems, leading the authors to estimate the upper limit of the total death toll at 186,000.
Beryl hits Texas: After causing devastation in the Caribbean, Hurricane Beryl has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane and made landfall in Texas early this morning. The fastest Category 5 storm ever recorded in the Atlantic, the storm has already knocked out power to over one million Texans and caused widespread flooding in Galveston with a storm surge of up to five feet.
Biden Stays: President Joe Biden sent a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday morning, announcing his intention to remain in the presidential race. “Despite reports and other speculation, I want you to know that I am firmly committed to remaining in this race, fighting to the end, and defeating Donald Trump,” the letter read. After a lackluster performance in a debate with Republican candidate Donald Trump, several members of Biden’s party have questioned his fitness to run for president or publicly called for him to step down to support another candidate.
Surprise victory for the French left: On Sunday night, the New Popular Front, a left-wing coalition formed to counter Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, won a surprise victory over current President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble, preventing the National Rally from gaining national power. Macron called the elections after the right’s surprising gains in the European Parliament. Despite leading in the first round of voting, the New Popular Front won 182 seats in the National Assembly, the Ensemble won 163 seats, and the Rally won 143 seats.
