Daily Skimm: All eyes are on Israel ahead of its vote on judicial reform.

Israel

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All eyes are on Israel ahead of its vote on judicial reform.

Catch me up.

Earlier this year, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government introduced a controversial judicial overhaul plan. It would allow Netanyahu and members of parliament to void any Supreme Court decision it deems “unreasonable” — drastically cutting the high court’s power. The legislation would also give the coalition gov greater say over who’s appointed as a judge. For nearly a year, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have protested the upcoming vote in Tel Aviv. This past weekend was no exception, with protesters forming a human chain in Jerusalem's Old City. Now, Israel’s parliament — the Knesset — could ratify the legislation as soon as today.

Then what?

It’s not clear when the bill would go into effect. About 10,000 military reservists have said they’d stop showing up for duty, if the judicial bill is passed. Some high ranking military officials have also voiced opposition — raising fears about the country’s security. Critics have accused Netanyahu, who’s on trial for corruption, and his allies of a power grab that threatens Israel’s democracy. However, Netanyahu said he wants to bring the gov “back into a proper balance.” His supporters say the bill will improve democracy in Israel by giving lawmakers more freedom to put policies into place.

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If this bill passes, it would be one of the starkest changes to Israel’s government since 1948. Now, as PM Netanyahu gets closer to judicial reform, the changes aren’t sitting well with many — including 60% of Americans.

​​What’s getting checked…

AI. Over the weekend, the White House said seven leading AI companies voluntarily agreed to implement safeguards on the tech's development. Tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Meta agreed to test AI systems before their releases, alert users of content that's AI-generated, and research how the tech can contribute to bias and discrimination. The White House called the companies' pledges “real and concrete” commitments. However, critics said the safeguards don’t go far enough to hold companies accountable for the fast-developing tech. It all comes as lawmakers work to get AI regulations in the books.

Where people are fleeing…

Greece. Over the weekend, wildfires forced officials to evacuate about 19,000 tourists and locals from the island of Rhodes. The vacation spot — located near southeastern Greece and off the coast of Turkey — brings in over a million tourists every year. Authorities said over 160 fires broke out on the island in 24 hours amid a record heatwave. Local officials say the evacuation effort in Rhodes could be the largest in Greece’s history. No casualties or injuries have been reported.

Where there was no victory parade…

Spain. Yesterday, the country’s national elections ended with no party winning a majority in parliament. Spain’s conservative Popular Party earned the most votes, but failed to reach the 176 seats needed to govern. Now, the country faces weeks of political limbo as lawmakers bargain with each other on the next steps.

What’s saying “Bye Bye Birdie”…

Twitter. Yesterday, Elon Musk announced that Twitter will no longer use the iconic blue bird logo and has “bid adieu” to the Twitter brand today with a new logo. The domain X.com reportedly redirects users to Twitter. Musk has previously said he wants to create a “super app” that would include instant messaging, social media, and payment methods — similar to China’s popular app WeChat. Now, he could be trying to do just that.

Who’s adding ‘blockbuster movie star’ to their résumé…

“Barbie.”

Who’s going from the spotlight to behind the counter…

Lana Del Rey.