Greetings! Happy National Coffee Day to those celebrating.

Let’s get into today’s top stories.

🇺🇸 Trump, Netanyahu meet at the White House as ceasefire pressure mounts. President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid rising international calls to end the war on Gaza, now approaching its two-year mark. The White House touted a framework seeking a ceasefire, staged Israeli withdrawal, hostage releases, and measures to constrain Hamas, while Israeli officials signaled red lines on disarmament and future operations. Gaza’s Health Ministry places the death toll above 66,000, with more than 168,000 wounded. Notably, independent studies and casualty reviews cite up to or above 186,000 (Lancet), 400,000 (Nader), and 680,000 (Arena) based on conservative estimates of four indirect deaths per one direct death (The Guardian). Humanitarian assessments continue to warn of famine conditions in multiple districts, following declarations of genocide by the United Nations (UN), International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), and academic nonprofit media outlet network The Conversation. Public opinion and allied governments have hardened in recent weeks as recognition of Palestinian statehood has expanded across several Western capitals. The meeting followed Netanyahu’s defiant UN General Assembly (UNGA) address and a high-visibility walkout by diplomats, underscoring Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation. Trump said he was “very confident” a deal is reachable, a position critics see as optimistic given coalition politics in Tel Aviv and Likudnik demands. Talks now hinge on sequencing, verification, and security guarantees acceptable to both sides.

🇲🇩 Moldova election hands pro-EU party a clear parliamentary majority. President Maia Sandu’s allies secured a decisive victory over pro-Russian blocs, strengthening Chisinau’s bid for deeper integration with the European Union (EU). Preliminary results show a comfortable majority sufficient to pass reforms tied to rule-of-law and energy diversification benchmarks. Opposition groups protested in the capital, alleging irregularities; international observers plan to release their assessments after compiling precinct data. The outcome reduces near-term risk of policy whiplash on EU alignment but may sharpen Moscow’s efforts to exploit economic vulnerabilities. Remittances and energy prices remain pressure points as the new parliament confronts inflation that has tested household budgets. Brussels is expected to respond with a roadmap of funding tranches conditioned on anti-corruption milestones. Regional analysts view the vote as a bellwether for Eastern Partnership states navigating Russia-EU fault lines.

🎟️ FTC and states sue Ticketmaster, alleging anti-competitive tactics. A federal lawsuit backed by a bipartisan group of attorneys general accuses Ticketmaster and parent Live Nation of using exclusive venue deals, deceptive fee displays, and other practices to entrench market power. The complaint seeks structural remedies alongside changes to contracting and pricing disclosures that could reshape both primary and resale markets. Live Nation said it complies with the law and blamed scalpers and venues for consumer frustration, setting up a protracted fight over causality and market definition. Allegations include advertising “list” prices that diverge from checkout totals once mandatory fees appear, a pattern regulators say misleads fans. Attorneys general argue increased competition would reduce average all-in costs and improve service. A scheduling order will set discovery and expert deadlines, with trial timing likely stretching into 2026. Investors and artists are watching closely given the sector’s fee-driven margins.

🏞️ Ex-park superintendents urge closures in case of shutdown. Forty former National Park Service leaders asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to close national parks to visitors in the event of a federal funding lapse. The group points to prior shutdowns in which open-but-unstaffed sites saw vandalism, sanitation problems, and preventable injuries. Their letter argues reduced staffing, combined with a 24% budget cut under discussion, cannot support basic protective services, rescue operations, or waste management. Some states have previously paid to keep parks open, but the signatories say patchwork funding can’t replace trained NPS personnel at scale. Local economies are sensitive to fall visitation patterns, yet the coalition frames short-term closures as less costly than unmanaged access. Interior and NPS declined comment on the recommendations. The request arrives as Congress negotiates stopgap funding with little time to spare.

🗽 NYC Mayor Eric Adams ends reelection bid. New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he is ending his campaign for another term, acknowledging in a video that a now-dismissed federal corruption case, persistent media scrutiny, and weak fundraising made a viable run unlikely. He did not endorse a successor but urged voters to judge candidates by results rather than rhetoric. The withdrawal reshapes the race’s dynamics a little over a month before Election Day. Political analysts say the move could benefit former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has positioned himself as a centrist alternative to Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. Republican Curtis Sliwa remains in the contest, keeping a three-way general election in play. Adams emphasized achievements during his tenure while conceding the political headwinds had become insurmountable.

🛩️ FAA restores limited certification authority to Boeing for inspections. More than six years after grounding and crash-related reforms, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Boeing can again issue airworthiness certificates for certain Max and Dreamliner jets under an alternating-weeks arrangement with agency inspectors. The restoration follows a review of production quality controls, though the FAA left in place a cap on monthly Max output and proposed $3.1 million in fines over recent violations. The step aims to free FAA resources for broader oversight while holding Boeing to detailed audit and reporting requirements. Airlines have pressed for faster deliveries as backlogs lengthen; suppliers likewise face cash-flow and staffing constraints tied to delivery timing. Safety advocates will scrutinize how the mixed-certification model handles anomaly detection and rework. Boeing shares ticked higher on the announcement, while labor groups called for continued on-site federal presence. The agency plans periodic reviews to assess whether delegation should expand, remain limited, or be rescinded.

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That’s all for today!

Much obliged and many thanks for reading and sharing today’s newsletter.

See you tomorrow!