The Bulletin

• NATO summit: President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts are meeting in Washington this week to mark the 75th anniversary of the world's biggest security organization just as Russia presses its advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine.

• Student loan relief impact: Certain student borrowers enrolled in a Biden administration loan relief plan will have their monthly payments cut after an appeals court ruled in the federal government's favor. Find out more.

• Modi's Moscow visit slammed: Ukrainian President Zelensky criticized Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi's visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, as a Russian missile struck a children's hospital in Kyiv.

• Mayor blames Nixon for Chicago violence: Chicago Mayor appeared to suggest President Richard Nixon was to blame for the city's pervasive gun violence problem, with more than 100 people injured in shootings, at least 19 of them fatally, over the Fourth of July weekend. Here's what he said.

• In the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian defense ministry said on Tuesday that over the previous 24 hours, Russian forces had lost 49 pieces of artillery, taking the total losses for the equipment since the start of the war to just over 15,000.

The rundown: President Joe Biden's doctor has clarified the circumstances of a neurologist's visits to the White House as media speculation swirls over the state of the president's neurological health. Here's what he has revealed.

Why it matters: Visitor logs reportedly show that Dr. Kevin Cannard, an expert in Parkinson's disease, has visited the White House eight times over the past eight months, meeting with Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, on at least one occasion. However, according to O'Connor's memo, Cannard's only interactions with Biden have been to conduct "detailed neurological exams" during the president's three annual physicals, in which no major issues have been detected.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Biden Issues Warning to His Democratic Detractors in Congress

TL/DR: Biden's mental fitness has been the subject of wide speculation since his troubling performance in last month's debate with former President Donald Trump.

What happens now? Biden will likely answer media questions about his mental and neurological health this week, with White House national security spokesman John Kirby announcing on Monday that the president would take part in a "big boy press conference" on Thursday.

Deeper reading Joe Biden's Doctor Speaks Out as Parkinson's Rumors Swirl

The rundown: Hurricane Beryl has killed at least seven people and left millions without power, but the misery continues as the storm has whipped up more than 100 tornado warnings in its wake. Learn more about its devastating impact.

Why it matters: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) now refers to the monster weather system as "Tropical Depression Beryl." Officials said the death toll is rising after the hurricane first slammed into Texas on Monday morning. Seven people were killed, with six deaths in the Houston area and one death in neighboring Louisiana. Many of the victims were killed as trees fell on their homes or vehicles. A civilian employee for the Houston Police Department drowned after getting trapped in high water under a Houston underpass. Flooding will remain a risk, with warnings that water could rise to six feet above ground level in some parts of Texas.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Texas Drinking Water at Risk for Millions

TL/DR: Experts fear climate change will worsen extreme weather patterns in the coming years with a series of researchers and scientists telling Newsweek their grim predictions for the future.

What happens now? CenterPoint hopes to restore power to 1 million customers by the end of Wednesday as Texas prepares for more stifling heat. Still, customers in the hardest-hit areas" could experience extended outages and should plan accordingly. The NHC warned that many are still at risk from flooding and tornados across eastern Texas, western Louisiana, and Arkansas. The storm is now moving out of the Lone Star State, with other states in the U.S. bracing as it barrels through the Midwest.

Deeper reading Hurricane Beryl Sparks Huge Tornado Outbreak as 110 Warnings Issued

The rundown: Ukraine attacked six Russian regions overnight with drones, hours after a Russian missile hit the main children's hospital in Kyiv, causing multiple civilian casualties.

Why it matters: Russia's Defense Ministry reported intercepting and destroying drones in several regions: Belgorod (3), Kursk (7), Voronezh (2), Rostov (21), and Astrakhan (5). These strikes followed Russia's deadliest attack on Ukraine this year, including a missile hit on Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv. The Monday attack killed at least 38 and injured 190. Russia denied targeting the hospital, claiming debris from a Ukrainian missile caused the damage.

Read more in-depth coverage:
NATO Ally Scrambles Fighter Jets Amid Russia's Deadliest Attack of 2024

TL/DR: Russia launched a barrage of missiles at Ukraine on Monday, killing at least 38 people.

What happens now? A day of mourning is being observed in the country. Searches were still ongoing on Tuesday for survivors trapped beneath rubble at Ukraine's largest pediatrics facility.

Deeper reading Six Russia Regions Attacked As Ukraine Hits Back After Hospital Bombing

The rundown: Former President Donald Trump spoke over the phone with Fox News's Sean Hannity on Monday for his first interview since participating in the presidential debate against President Joe Biden last month. Here's what he said.

Why it matters: Several prominent conservatives have been floated as potential running mates for the former president in November, including Senators Mark Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, J.D. Vance of Ohio, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, as Hannity listed Monday. Trump gave two criteria for his vice-presidential pick: Someone who "can do a fantastic job as president" and who "helps" him get reelected. Here are the requirements for his vice president pic, as revealed by his advisor.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump Ally Warns, VP Pick Must Be Ready for 'Dramatically Different Race'

TL/DR: Trump told Hannity that the names he listed are "absolutely under consideration," but he has not made a final decision.

What happens now? Trump said his vice-presidential pick will likely be announced in time for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 15. He said, “I'd love to do it during the convention. I think it would be an exciting buildup and important for the convention."

Deeper reading Donald Trump's New Comments on Potential Vice President Choice

The rundown: Nationwide, more than 100,000 people have been removed from SSI in the past year, according to Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Find out which states saw over 10,000 people lose their SSI benefits.

Why it matters: The number of people claiming Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits dropped by 119,395 between May 2023, when 7,380,737 payments were made, and May 2024, when 7,261,342 people received disability checks. SSI supports adults and children with disabilities or blindness and those with low income, comprising 6.1 million of the 7.2 million recipients. While the number of disabled or blind recipients decreased by 140,034, the number of claimants aged 65 and over increased by 20,639.

Read more in-depth coverage: 
Social Security Cuts Red Tape for Disabled Workers

TL/DR: It isn't immediately clear why the number of disabled or blind SSI recipients declined within the time period.

What happens now? Last month, the SSA announced a major change in how it makes decisions regarding claims for SSI and Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The government agency said it would remove several obsolete jobs like reptile farmer and railroad telegrapher, from a list used to determine whether an applicant for disability benefits can perform that job based on their abilities.

Deeper reading Over 100,000 People Removed from Social Security