Trump’s vice-presidential contenders battle for attention and become the first non-binary Eurovision winner: Weekend Rundown

Does the United States have a “red line” for aid to Israel?

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated to Rafah. fearing an imminent Israeli invasion as fighting rages across Gaza. Israel has already sent a few tanks to Rafah and has warned for months that it would launch a large-scale ground attack on the city. But despite President Joe Biden’s comments about withdrawing U.S. military assistance if Israel continues the offensive, Secretary of State Antony Blinken refused to identify the administration’s “red line.”

Blinken appeared on “Meet the Press” after a State Department report to Congress concluded that it was “reasonable to assess” that Israel violated international law in Gaza but did not violate the terms of American arms agreements. He defended the report’s ambiguity, saying it “clearly shows that this is an incredibly complex military environment.”

In the USA, demonstrations continued and new camps were erected at universities across the country this weekend after weeks of pro-Palestinian protests that led to nearly 3,000 arrests, according to an NBC News tally. Commencement of Duke University Students was released just before Jerry Seinfeld’s keynote speech.

How Trump’s vice presidential contenders are fighting for his attention

As former President Donald Trump weighs who his vice presidential nominee should be, leading congressional candidates are honing their credentials to appeal to him, from their committee seats to the TV spots in which they can address a single audience.

For Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, weekly news conferences are opportunities to go in front of the cameras and praise Trump.

Sen. JD Vance, Republican of Ohio, traveled the Sunday show circuit to align with a central theme of Trump’s campaign: Congress should not have certified Biden’s 2020 election, even if he won.

“The way to impress (Trump) is not to be a dedicated soldier who just keeps your head down and works,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, who was Hillary Clinton’s pick for vice president. -presidency in 2016. Impressing him is really flattering and sucking him in.”

Amid controversies, Eurovision crowns first non-binary winner

Nemo from Switzerland became the first non-binary person to win the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, beating competition from Croatia in Malmö, Sweden, as well as Israel, whose participation had sparked protests and calls for a boycott.

Nemo’s Eurovision winning track, “The Code”, was inspired by their journey to discover life outside the gender binary, the artist told NBC News before the finale, explaining that it “definitely stems from a lot of non-binary joy” and that it’s “a very empowering song to sing on stage.”

At the winner’s press conference, Nemo said Eurovision “needs a bit of repair” after days of behind-the-scenes drama, during which Dutch artist Joost Klein was disqualified following an incident, while other artists filed public complaints with the organizers.

Nature’s light show could go on for days

Auroras light up the U.S. night sky thanks to an ongoing solar storm, federal forecasters say. The latest forecasts have Geomagnetic storage affecting the Earthactivity will take place Monday and possibly Tuesday.

This free-for-the-eyes, multi-day music festival lights up the skies from the northern hemisphere around the world, all the way to northern Europe and China. According to experts, it’s generally best to look either side of midnight, which is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Meet the press

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sunday compared Israel’s war against Hamas to the U.S. decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan during World War II, in an interview with “Meet the Press.”

Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel, condemned Biden for threatening to take away some weapons from Israel if he launches a military operation in Rafah.

“When we faced destruction as a nation after Pearl Harbor, fighting the Germans and the Japanese, we decided to end the war by bombing Hiroshima (and) Nagasaki with nuclear weapons,” he said. -he declares. “It was the right decision.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., argued that Israel “should not receive an additional penny of U.S. military aid.”

“Hamas is a terrible, disgusting terrorist organization that started this war,” Sanders said. “But what Israel has done over the past seven months is not only a war against Hamas, it has also gone to war against the entire Palestinian people.”

Politics in brief

• A star-studded fundraiser: Biden campaign plans to host a major fundraiser in Los Angeles in June with George Clooney, Julia Roberts and former President Barack Obama.
• Tough on crime? Samuel Alito has a reputation as the Supreme Court justice most hostile to criminal defendants, but he has shown signs of empathy toward criminal defendants. in recent cases involving gun owners, January 6 rioters and Trump.
• Silicon Valley push: Biden crossed the wealthy enclaves of Northern California on Friday, where some tech industry Democrats are putting aside their misgivings instead focus on stopping Trump.
• Backtracking on abortion: Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has once again changed its position on abortionsaying he supports it up to a point rather than all the way through.

What’s going on at Miss USA?

The sudden resignations of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA sparked a new wave of control over the Miss Universe organizationwhich has been rocked by years of leadership turmoil and organizational upheaval.

In her Miss USA resignation letter, Noelia Voigt highlighted the cultural challenges facing the organization and accused the pageant’s CEO and president of unprofessional and toxic conduct.

In light of the controversies, Dani Walker, a former Miss Montana, encouraged her supporters in the pageant community not to compete in Miss USA. She said it was “heartbreaking” advice to give.

Celebrating Aunts on Mother’s Day

In many communities, the titles aunt, aunt, titi or tía are often given to women who connect us to our roots, serve as confidants or take on maternal roles for those who are grieving or have strained relationships with their own. mother.

Labels are often signs of respect and affection, and are not always indicators of a biological bond.

This Mother’s Day, NBC News asked people across the country to share how having an aunt – or being one – shaped their lives.

In case you missed it

• At least seven people were killed a wave of deaths weekend shootings across the country, including Georgia, Florida and Ohio.
• Remains discovered in a shallow grave in Florida in 1985 were eventually identified as those of Mary Alice Pultz, a woman who disappeared in 1968.
• A Georgia women was fatally mauled by dogs who attacked her and her children on Thursday, just days before Mother’s Day.
• An Idaho doctor who linked the search for adventure to acts of altruism died Friday in an avalanche which he allegedly triggered while he was skiing.
• Oprah Winfrey said she regretted having been a “major contributor” to promoting diet culture, stating: “I own what I’ve done and now I want to do better.” »
• As U.S. business declines due to geopolitical tensions, financial professionals in China learn a local card game known as “egg tossing” to build relationships with local partners.
• A mysterious illness has caused fish in the Florida Keys to go haywire. Scientists believe they have found the main suspect.