By The Associated Press

After dropping out of the presidential race, Joe Biden will address the nation on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted Biden’s endorsement and is building momentum ahead of the DNC in Chicago.

On the campaign trail, Harris will head to the solidly Republican state of Indiana, and Donald Trump is holding his first public campaign rally since Biden’s exit from the 2024 race.

The same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza.

Follow the AP’s Election-2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Here’s the Latest:

Protestors demand Netanyahu’s arrest

Zeina Hutchinson, director of development for the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, on Wednesday read off the names of several Palestinian journalists killed by the Israeli military.

“We protest this homicidal maniac, his supporters and his enablers,” she shouted from the stage, referencing Netanyahu. “And we demand his arrest.”

She was among hundreds who gathered to protest near the U.S. Capitol.

More than 1,000

protestors line Pennsylvania Avenue

More than 1,000 people gathered Wednesday morning on Pennsylvania Avenue within sight of the U.S. Capitol building, with more streaming in from multiple directions.

Protesters carried signs branding Netanyahu a “war criminal” and several erected a large effigy of him with blood dripping from its mouth and devil horns.

The crowd chanted: “Biden Biden, you can’t hide/We charge you with genocide.”

Netanyahu focuses on Iran in remarks at memorial for Joe Lieberman

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday pointed to Iran as the force “behind an entire axis of terror” threatening the United States and Israel.

Netanyahu used brief remarks at a memorial for the late lawmaker Joe Lieberman to focus on what the Israeli leader portrayed as danger from Iran and its nuclear program.

Netanyahu long has sought to rally support for more aggressive U.S. and Israeli action against Iran, its militia allies around the Middle East and its nuclear program. His comments at the memorial are likely to foreshadow the theme of the Israeli leader’s remarks to a joint meeting of Congress later Wednesday.

Lieberman, who died in March, “knew how dangerous our world would become if Iran were ever to develop and acquire nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said. The two men often discussed “how Iran was behind the entire axis of terror that threatened both our countries.”

Protestors: ‘As American Jews, we don’t support this war’

Across the street from Union Station in Washington, D.C., Jewish Americans gathered Wednesday morning for a prayer service led by T’ruah, an organization of rabbis calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Rabbi Bill Plevan, of New York, said he believed prayer could be a catalyst for peace.

“We’re here to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in Congress,” he said. “We’re here to say we don’t stand by his policies. As American Jews, we don’t support this war.”

The scene near the Capitol

Workers erected a black metal fence around the White House as Washington braced for protests ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress.

Multiple protests were planned for Wednesday over Israel’s war in Gaza.

There was a heavy police presence, but the streets were relatively quiet in Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning. A small group of protesters walked down a street carrying Palestinian flags and signs with messages such as “anti-Israel is not anti-semitism.”

Within view of the Capitol, orthodox Jews lined the streets protesting Netanyahu and the war.

As police sirens sounded in the distance, protesters carried signs that included “Jews Worldwide Condemn Israeli Bloody Brutality” and “Free Palestine.” Another called for Netanyahu’s arrest.

Senators re-up calls for Biden and US negotiators to close cease-fire deal

Hours before Netanyahu was set to arrive, the Senate chairmen of the national security committees sent a letter to President Joe Biden, reupping calls for him and U.S. negotiators to quickly close the cease-fire deal that would end the conflict in Gaza and force the release of the hostages.

“We are under no illusion that this will be easy and we fully understand that diplomacy requires compromise. But the pre-October 7 status quo is not sustainable,” Sens. Ben Cardin, Jack Reed and Mark Warner wrote Wednesday.

Marianne Williamson seeks Democratic delegate support for open convention

Author Marianne Williamson has sent a letter to Democratic delegates seeking their support ahead of their formal presidential nominating process.

Williamson asks delegates to sign her petition and “consider taking a stand for an open convention,” according to a copy of the missive shared with The Associated Press. The note also includes a link for anyone wishing to submit Williamson’s name for nomination.

Democrats have indicated that they will hold a virtual roll call vote by Aug. 7 to name their chosen nominee, ahead of the convention that begins 12 days later in Chicago.

That process will be open to any candidate who musters 300 signatures from delegates elected to the convention.

An AP survey of Democratic delegates indicates that Harris has secured commitments from enough of them to become her party’s nominee.

Williamson challenged Biden for the nomination and suspended her campaign, but reversed herself earlier this year.

Biden’s speech tonight hopes to make a case for his legacy — and for Harris to continue it

Biden will have an opportunity to make a case for his legacy — sweeping domestic legislation, renewal of alliances abroad, defense of democracy — tonight at 8 p.m. ET. when he delivers an Oval Office address about his decision to bow out of the race and “what lies ahead.”

Even though the president won’t be on the ballot this November, voters still will be weighing his legacy. As Vice President Kamala Harris moves to take his place as the Democratic standard-bearer, Biden’s accomplishments remain very much at risk should Republican Donald Trump prevail.

How Biden’s single term — and his decision to step aside — are remembered will be intertwined with Harris’ electoral success in November, particularly as the vice president runs tightly on the achievements of the Biden administration.

And no matter how frustrated Biden is at being pushed aside by his party — and he’s plenty upset — he has too much at stake simply to wash his hands of this election.

▶ Read more on what to expect ahead of the address

Protests planned around Capitol Hill

Multiple protests are planned outside the Capitol, with some condemning the Israeli military campaign overall, and others expressing support for Israel but pressing Netanyahu to strike a cease-fire deal and bring home hostages.

The largest protest is set for this morning, with organizers planning to march around the Capitol building demanding Netanyahu’s arrest on war crimes charges. A permit application submitted to the National Park Service estimated at least 5,000 participants.

▶ What to know about Netanyahu’s visit

GOP leaders urge colleagues to steer clear of racist and sexist attacks on Harris

Republican leaders are warning party members against using overtly racist and sexist attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris, as they and former President Donald Trump ’s campaign scramble to adjust to the reality of a new Democratic rival less than four months before Election Day.

At a closed-door meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday, National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., urged lawmakers to stick to criticizing Harris for her role in Biden-Harris administration policies.

“This election will be about policies and not personalities,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters after the meeting.

“This is not personal with regard to Kamala Harris,” he added, “and her ethnicity or her gender have nothing to do with this whatsoever.”

Trump expected to turn his full focus on Harris at first rally since Biden’s exit

Donald Trump is holding his first public campaign rally since President Joe Biden dropped out of a 2024 matchup that both major parties had spent months preparing for, leaving the former president to direct his ire toward his likely new opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris spoke to

a roaring crowd of battleground state voters in Wisconsin yesterday

A roaring crowd of battleground state voters greeted Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday as she opened her public case against Republican former President Donald Trump by declaring November’s election will be “a choice between freedom and chaos.”

Harris arrived in the Milwaukee area having locked up nomination support from Democratic delegates after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid on Sunday. It was her first campaign rally since she jumped into the race just two days ago with Biden’s endorsement.

The event reflected a vibrancy that had been lacking among Democrats in recent weeks, and Harris was intent on projecting a sense of steady confidence about the November election.

▶ Read more about why the event in Wisconsin matters for Harris’ campaign

Harris campaign sees multiple ways for her to win, ahead of vice president speaking in Indiana

Just three full days since entering the race after President Joe Biden’s departure, Kamala Harris will address the annual gathering of the historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta in Indianapolis.

It’s a moment for Harris, a woman of Black and South Asian descent, to speak to a group already excited by her historic status as the likely Democratic nominee and one that her campaign believes can help to expand its coalition.

Harris, Trump are on the campaign trail as Biden prepares to address the nation

Vice President Kamala Harris goes to the solidly Republican state of Indiana later today, but she plans to speak there to a key Democratic constituency as her campaign sees advantages with women, Black, Latino, Asian and younger voters.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office tonight on his decision to drop his 2024 Democratic reelection bid.

Democrats release more proposals for how they will formally choose a presidential nominee

The Democratic National Committee has released proposed rules that would give candidates until next week to vie for the party’s nomination. But the process will almost certainly end with Vice President Harris replacing President Biden at the top of the party’s ticket.

Candidates will have to qualify by the evening of July 30, according to draft rules released Tuesday.

The party previously announced proposed rules requiring that candidates submit electronic signatures of support from at least 300 delegates to its national convention, no more than 50 of which can be from a single state.

If multiple candidates qualify, it could spark multiple rounds of voting over several days. But, if Harris is the only candidate, voting would be set to begin Aug. 1. The party said last week that it would not hold voting prior to the start of next month and that the process would be completed by Aug. 7.

Biden endorsed Harris when he left the race Sunday and no other major Democrat has announced plans to challenge her. An AP survey of delegates from states across the country found that she had already exceeded the threshold of support needed to secure the nomination.

Families of Israeli hostages gather for a vigil on the National Mall

Families of some of the remaining hostages held a protest vigil Tuesday evening on the National Mall, demanding that Netanyahu come to terms with Hamas and bring home the approximately 120 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza.

About 150 people wearing yellow shirts that read “Seal the Deal NOW!” chanted “Bring Them Home” and listened to testimonials from relatives and former hostages. The demonstrators applauded when Biden’s name was mentioned, but several criticized Netanyahu — known by his nickname “Bibi” — on the belief that he has been dragging his feet or playing hardball on a proposed cease-fire deal that would return all of the hostages.

“I’m begging Bibi. There’s a deal on the table and you have to take it,” said Aviva Siegel, 63, who spent 51 days in captivity and whose husband Keith remains a hostage. “I want Bibi to look in my eyes and tell me one thing: that Keith is coming home.”

Paying for healthcare in America is a complicated business. In recent years, the government has taken valuable steps to reduce the harm that unexpected medical bills and unscrupulous debt collectors inflict on consumers. But a newly proposed rule, which would strip all healthcare bills from credit reports, is a step backward.

Research by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has shown that medical debts aren’t reliable indicators of a borrower’s creditworthiness. Still, in 2022 the agency estimated that medical bills amounted to $88 billion of the debt on credit reports. That same year, the three biggest credit-reporting companies and two main credit-scoring companies voluntarily reduced their use of healthcare debt.

That made a real difference. Within 15 months, the share of consumers with a credit record that included a medical collection fell to 5% from 14%. The remaining 15 million Americans, with a total of $49 billion in outstanding healthcare bills on credit reports, were disproportionately in low-income areas.

The CFPB’s new proposal would ban lenders from using information about medical debt to inform their credit decisions and prohibit credit-reporting companies from providing such data to lenders. By wiping away any record of these debts, the CFPB estimates that credit scores for those affected would rise by an average of 20 points, enabling lenders to approve about 22,000 additional mortgages every year.

Is that really a good thing? Should thousands of people take out home loans each year without giving their lenders a full picture of their financial condition? Transparency is typically the friend of financial regulators, so it’s odd to see a federal agency proposing less of it.

It’s true that too many medical debts on credit reports are placed there by collection agencies trying to extract money from the wrong people or for bills that were already paid. But in those cases, the CFPB should use its enforcement powers to punish bad actors, as they’ve already done in a couple of recent cases.

More to the point, a significant portion of that $49 billion in debt undoubtedly reflects legitimate unpaid bills from doctors, hospitals, clinics or other healthcare businesses. Stripping those from patients’ credit reports and scores risks taking away an incentive for them to pay what they owe, or to even sign up for insurance plans.

If healthcare providers can’t count on getting paid for their services — a process already complicated by the U.S.’s tangled insurance industry — they could opt to raise prices or enact more administrative barriers to receiving care. That’s only going to make the accessibility problem worse.

Incurring medical expenses and debt always feels unfair; no one chooses to become sick or injured. But removing any record of these costs doesn’t solve the underlying problem: Too many Americans lack adequate health insurance. In fact, the lack of disclosure could make lenders warier of some of the very borrowers the CFPB is trying to help.

Fixing the costly American healthcare system should of course be an urgent priority. But it isn’t the job of the CFPB. The agency should focus on doing the important work of protecting consumers, not on rewriting their credit histories.

— The Bloomberg Opinion Editorial Board

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As Metro Transit approaches August, typically among its highest and most event-driven ridership months, the Green Line and Blue Line will resume their more-frequent schedules, with trains running every 12 minutes for much of the day.

Metro Transit announced Tuesday that the more frequent light rail service will start Aug. 17. Several bus routes will get more runs too, including the Orange Line from Burnsville to Minneapolis and the Route 80 between the Sun Ray and Maplewood Mall transit centers. The new schedule “will remain in effect for the foreseeable future,” said Drew Kerr, a spokesperson for Metro Transit, who noted route schedules are adjusted quarterly.

More than 200 bus and train operators have been hired so far this year, which the transit authority said is on pace to reach last year’s hiring record. Also helping matters is ridership, which is up 9% for the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. Light rail and bus rapid transit services are leading the way, with Green Line ridership up 17% and BRT up 21% collectively. Average weekday ridership this year exceeds 143,500 passenger trips.

Starting Aug. 17, light rail trains will run every 12 minutes between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Currently, trains run every 15 minutes.

Weekday midday trips on Route 80, operating along White Bear Avenue between the Sun Ray and Maplewood Mall, will run every 30 minutes rather than hourly.

On weekdays, Orange Line buses servicing Burnsville, Bloomington, Richfield and downtown Minneapolis will run every 10 minutes between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. northbound and 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. southbound, up from service on the 15-minute marks. On Sundays, trips will run on a 15-minute schedule.

More services to roll out

Other changes are intended to improve the speed and reliability of Route 4, which connects Bloomington and South Minneapolis to the Silver Lake Shopping Center in St. Anthony, largely along Lyndale Avenue. Buses on that corridor will serve fewer stops and benefit from bus lanes and traffic signal technology, according to Metro Transit.

Pending approval from the Metropolitan Council, Metro Transit this fall will begin taking feedback on a service improvement plan, Network Now, outlining changes that could be made through 2027. Three new bus rapid transit lines will open next year, including the B Line between Uptown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul, and the Gold Line between downtown St. Paul and Woodbury.

State Fair Express Bus Service also will be expanded this year, with Metro Transit driving fairgoers to and from six park & rides across the metro. Fairgoers are also encouraged to use the Metro A Line and Routes 3 and 61 to access the fairgrounds. For more information, visit metrotransit.org/state-fair.

The transit authority still is recruiting frontline workers, including transit operators, bus, rail and facilities technicians, police officers and community service officers. Wages for all positions represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) will increase 4.5% on Aug. 1. After that date, starting wages for transit operators will be nearly $29 an hour while starting wages for technicians will start at more than $39 an hour.

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He sat at the podium Tuesday and lauded the strength of this week’s 3M Open field while generally pumping up the tournament.

“I feel like each year we’ve gotten a better field,” he said. “This year maybe is our best, and if that trend continues, this is going to be a premier tournament for a lot of years on the PGA Tour.”

No, that was not executive director Hollis Cavner, or even tournament director Mike Welch — the men whose job description revolves around organizing and selling Minnesota’s lone PGA Tour event.

It was Tony Finau, the No. 19-ranked player in the world who won the 2023 3M Open and has played in the event each year since its inception in 2019. And, somewhere along the way in those five years, Finau became the face of the tournament.

It’s not like a Genesis Invitational, which Tiger Woods officially hosts, but it almost feels that way. Finau is an unofficial spokesman of sorts who consistently speaks highly of the golf course and the way the tournament is run. It’s well known by now that Finau’s wife and family children travel with him each year to Blaine. They all stay together in a house on a pond and fish after Finau is done practicing or playing for the day.

Finau has been heavily featured across the tournament’s promotional materials in the past. That such a popular, accomplished player is so committed to the event that possesses such an undesirable spot on the PGA Tour calendar — smack dab in the middle of The Open and the Olympics this year — has been a Godsend for the event.

Finau’s win here two years ago was heavily featured in the popular Netflix series Full Swing, which only added notoriety for the still-young tournament.

The 34-year-old’s efforts, whether intentional or not, to raise the tournament’s profile have not gone unappreciated by the local fan base. Through his commitment to the 3M Open, Finau has become a fan favorite around these parts.

“I feel the support. The fan base here, I feel like my fan base has really grown,” Finau said. “This is a very special tournament to me and to our family. I think our series on Netflix had a lot to do with it as well and maybe the growth of the tournament. Hopefully it continues to grow.”

You can tell Finau is rooting for the 3M Open, because he feels a part of it. That was evident in the “we” he would occasionally use Tuesday to describe the event. That cannot be something he often says about the tournaments in which he plays.

“Yeah, not a lot, not a lot,” Finau admitted with a smile. “3M has been great to me. It’s really a staple tournament for me. I think I’ve played just a small part in helping this tournament grow, so I do feel like a little bit of a ‘we’ when I talk about this tournament, because I do feel connected in a way to Blaine, to Minnesota and to this golf tournament. I just think I always will. It’s a special tournament for me. It is my third victory on the PGA Tour, but it almost seems like it was my first, you know? I don’t know why, but it’s just a special place for me to be a part of.”

That win in 2022 was the first of consecutive victories for Finau. It was a springboard that seemed to shoot him up into another stratosphere of players. He hasn’t forgotten it. Finau said it’s “all good vibes” every time he’s back in Blaine.

His family members, he noted, “just expect that we’re going to be here.”

“I don’t know that we even had a conversation,” Finau said. “We know pretty much every year this is probably going to be on the calendar. Just one of those premier tournaments that we enjoy as a family.”

The more he uses words like “premier” to describe the tournament and treats it as a must-stop event, the more other high-end players may raise their eyebrows and wonder what all the fuss is about in Minnesota and, in the process, raise the image of the tournament as a whole.

“I hope that’s the case,” Finau said. “Being a PGA Tour member for 10 years, I know how important every golf tournament is. To help this tournament kind of grow in just a little way that I have, it’s been an incredible thing for me.”

Regardless of the stature of the 3M Open, fans attending this week, and in years to come, can count on Finau teeing it up at TPC Twin Cities.

“It’s a golf course that I enjoy, it’s an area that I really like, and a tournament that I just love playing every year,” Finau said. “So I see myself being here many years to come no matter my results and my outcome. It’s just a place that I love to come to and my family loves to come to, and we enjoy being here. … I’ll be here to support it no matter what.”

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