News Wrap: Israel’s Naftali Bennett officially unseats Benjamin Netanyahu

Judy Woodruff:

In the day's other news: The United States neared a total of 600,000 deaths from COVID-19. The milestone came even as daily deaths have fallen sharply.

Meanwhile, Novavax reported that its new vaccine is 90 percent effective. The Maryland-based company said that it will seek emergency approval in the U.S. before October.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland promised tighter rules today for obtaining information on members of Congress. It's been revealed that the Trump Justice Department gathered phone records on congressional Democrats and journalists. John Demers was the department's top national security official during that time. Today came word that he's resigning, as planned, at month's end.

In Israel, a new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, formally took office, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year rule. Bennett met with his new staff. But Netanyahu refused to join in public ceremonies. Instead, he vowed that his right-wing bloc will oust Bennett's fragile coalition.

Benjamin Netanyahu:

We have a strong opposition, united and strong to topple this dangerous left-wing government. It will fall quickly, and I will tell you why. It is impossible to hold a government that has so many contradictions. With such things, one can't keep a government.

Judy Woodruff:

Under the coalition agreement, Bennett will serve as prime minister for two years. Then he will hand power to Yair Lapid, who will serve as foreign minister for the time being.

A Chinese utility and its French partners say that a nuclear power plant in Southeastern China is operating safely. CNN and others had reported that the Taishan plant in Guangdong province might have a radiation leak. The French co-owners said today that there's been what they call a performance issue, but they said the plant remains within safety limits.

Back in this country, a chemical plant exploded in Northern Illinois and touched off a spectacular fire. Heavy black smoke and fireballs erupted throughout the day and consumed the plant near Rockton. Fire crews pulled back to prevent polluting a nearby river.

Kirk Wilson, Chief, Rockton Fire Protection District:

We don't want an environmental nightmare to occur. And the reason that we can — that we would cause that is by the use of water streams. So, we stopped water operations at this point. We stopped suppression. We felt it was in our best interest to let this product burn off.

Judy Woodruff:

Officials estimated it could take several days for the fire to burn itself out. There's no word on the cause.

The U.S. Supreme Court has narrowly confirmed federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the federal appeals court for Washington, D.C. The vote this evening was mostly down party lines. President Biden has promised to name a Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Jackson has been mentioned as a leading contender.

Police in Minneapolis — or, rather, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously today against reduced prison terms for low-level crack cocaine offenses. The justices said that convictions for very small amounts of crack do not qualify under a 2018 law. It was aimed at disparities that saw tougher jail terms for crack possession than for powder cocaine and disproportionately affected Black defendants.

Police in Minneapolis say drugs or alcohol may have been involved in what drove a man — or involved when a man drove into protesters last night, killing a woman. Officers say demonstrators restrained the driver after pulling him from his SUV. They'd been protesting the killing of a Black man by U.S. Marshals.

On Wall Street, stocks started the week with a choppy day of trading. The Dow Jones industrial average ended up, losing 85 points to close at 34393. The Nasdaq rose 104 points. And the S&P 500 added seven for another record close.

And veteran character actor Ned Beatty died of natural causes on Sunday in Los Angeles. His career spanned more than 150 movies, including his debut role in "Deliverance" in 1972. Four years later, in "Network," he earned an Oscar nomination playing a TV executive.

Ned Beatty was 83 years old.

Still to come on the "NewsHour," an Afghan pilot finally emigrates to the U.S. as his country's stability deteriorates; the G7 ends with overtures toward reducing climate change, but few concrete plans; our Politics Monday team looks at the Biden trip overseas and whether it could affect his domestic agenda; plus much more.