Monday Briefing: At NATO, Biden says defence of Europe a "sacred obligation"

The Reuters Daily Briefing Monday, June 14, 2021 by Linda Noakes Hello Here's what you need to know. Democrats battle Republican-led voting curbs in Georgia, the Netanyahu era ends in Israel, and Philips recalls ventilators due to health risks Today's biggest stories Robin Donaldson holds a banner with a quote and photo of John Lewis during a rally against the state's new voting restrictions outside the Georgia State Capitol, June 8, 2021. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage U.S. Democrats and their allies are mounting a major effort to educate Georgia voters on sweeping new voting restrictions passed by the state’s Republican-led legislature ahead of next year’s crucial U.S. Senate and congressional races. We explain the big changes under Georgia’s new election law. The top two Democrats in Congress vowed to probe the "rogue" actions of the Justice Department during former President Donald Trump's term, including its move to seize the communications records of Democratic lawmakers. Democrats will not back down on President Joe Biden's sweeping infrastructure goals, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, signaling turbulence ahead for a scaled-back bipartisan proposal unveiled in the Senate. Novavax reported late-stage data from its U.S.-based clinical trial showing its vaccine is more than 90% effective against COVID-19 across a variety of variants of the virus. A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by 117 workers at a Texas hospital over its requirement that they be vaccinated against COVID-19. People walk in front of a picture of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel's parliament voted in a new coalition government, in Tel Aviv, June 13, 2021. REUTERS/Corinna Kern WORLD The first Israeli government in 12 years not led by Benjamin Netanyahu got down to business, with the former prime minister shying away from a handover ceremony with successor Naftali Bennett. So who's who in Israel's new patchwork coalition government? Biden told fellow NATO leaders the defence of Europe, Turkey and Canada was a "sacred obligation" for the United States, a marked shift from Trump's threats to withdraw from the military alliance. As Biden prepares to meet Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan, we look at the rifts that divide the two NATO allies. The trial of Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to start, as the junta that overthrew her elected government rejects criticism by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights over its use of deadly force against protesters. A U.S. Special Forces veteran and his son pleaded guilty in Tokyo to charges that they illegally helped former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn flee Japan hidden in a box aboard a private jet in December 2019. BUSINESS Dutch medical equipment company Philips has recalled some breathing devices and ventilators because of a foam part that might degrade and become toxic, potentially causing cancer. Toshiba's chairman of the board pushed back against investor calls for him to resign, blaming its former chief executive for a "confrontational stance" towards shareholders that helped pitch the Japanese company into crisis. Royal Dutch Shell is reviewing its holdings in the largest U.S. oil field for a potential sale, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, marking a key moment in its shift away from fossil fuels as it faces growing pressure to slash carbon emissions. Bitcoin hit a two-week peak just shy of $40,000, after another weekend reacting to tweets from Tesla boss Elon Musk, who fended off criticism over his market influence and said Tesla sold bitcoin but may resume transactions using it. Quote of the day "I don't think she’d be insulted but she reminded me of my mother, the look of her and just the generosity" Biden says Queen Elizabeth asked about Putin and Xi Video of the day Reef sharks stricken with skin disease Marine biologists are investigating a mystery skin disease afflicting whitetip reef sharks in Malaysia, with some early reports suggesting rising sea temperatures could be to blame. And finally… Ferrari fashion - high-performance fabric, couture touch The launch of the fashion collection marks a major step in Ferrari's new brand strategy and is one of its biggest investments outside the car business. More from Reuters COVID-19 Investigations Breakingviews Legal News Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Share your thoughts You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing. Terms, conditions, and privacy statement © 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036