Today’s edition of quick hits.
* In Israel: “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he intends to press ahead with an invasion of the city of Rafah on the southern border of the Gaza Strip in defiance of United States President Joe Biden, who has warned such an offensive would be a ‘red line.’ Amid signs of increasing frustration with Netanyahu, the U.S. president told MSNBC on Saturday that he opposed an escalation of the conflict into Rafah, and that he could not accept ‘30,000 more Palestinians dead.’”
* Deteriorating conditions in Haiti: “The U.S. military said Sunday that it had flown in forces to beef up security at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and allow nonessential personnel to leave.”
* A rare departure from the Biden White House Cabinet: “Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge will step down from her top post in the Biden administration this month, she announced Monday, saying that after decades of public service, she’s retiring and returning to Ohio.”
* A fascinating behind-the-scenes report: “It was Oct. 6, 2022, but what they heard instead that evening was a disturbing message that — though Mr. Biden didn’t say so — came straight from highly classified intercepted communications he had recently been briefed about, suggesting that President Vladimir V. Putin’s threats to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine might be turning into an operational plan.”
* Elon Musk runs a charity with billions of dollars, but his philanthropy “has been haphazard and largely self-serving — making him eligible for enormous tax breaks and helping his businesses.”
* Don’t be surprised if the list of states doing this grows longer: “Virginia will end legacy admissions at public universities after Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill on Friday banning the practice that gives applicants with family ties to alumni a boost.”
* Hmm: “The threat of a last-minute obstacle to the merger of former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company and a cash-rich shell company appears to have subsided. Two early founders of Trump Media & Technology Group reached a temporary truce with Mr. Trump’s company at a hearing on Saturday morning in Delaware Court of Chancery.”
* Inflation-related news: “Berries, batteries, and reading glasses are among the items that cost less at Costco now thanks to a slowing rate of inflation.”
* I can imagine this bill passing: “A House Democrat is introducing a proposed rule change to bar expelled former lawmakers from going onto the House floor uninvited. It’s a response to expelled former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) attending the State of the Union uninvited on Thursday — shortly before announcing his long-shot bid to return to Congress.”
See you tomorrow.
