☕️ Harris won't run for governor

Good morning!

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is back in the headlines, and not for the reason you’d think. First, Trudeau was snapped having dinner with singer Katy Perry. Then, he was pictured standing front row at her concert.

Could he be the One That Got Away?

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Some headlines from this morning:

• President Trump will reduce the threatened 25% tariffs on South Korea to 15% as part of a new trade deal announced on Wednesday. In return for the tariff reduction, South Korea will invest $350 billion in the U.S. and purchase $100 billion in U.S. liquified gas. The U.S. will also lower universal 25% tariffs on car imports to 15% for South Korea. President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will meet at the White House to announce further details during the South Korean president’s visit in two weeks. The announcement comes as the U.S. has begun rapidly closing trade deals with major trade partners ahead of “Liberation Day” tariff suspensions ending in August.

• A Delta Airlines flight was diverted on Wednesday after severe turbulence left 25 people injured. The nearly 300 people on board the Salt Lake City flight were destined for Amsterdam, but landed in Minneapolis shortly after takeoff. The diverted flight was met by medical staff who treated the injured before taking them to local hospitals. The New York Times reports that Delta Airlines did not answer questions about the nature or cause of the turbulence.

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Former Vice President and 2024 Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris has confirmed she will not run for Governor of California in 2026.

Harris had been rumored to be interested in running to lead the U.S.'s biggest state, which would have disqualified her from a third presidential run in 2028.

Harris’ decision leaves open speculation that the 60-year-old will run for president.

Harris statement

Harris previously worked as the Attorney General for California, her home state, and was favored to win the gubernatorial election after reports emerged she was exploring running.

Yesterday, Harris excluded herself from the race, saying: “After deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for governor in this election.”

She added: “For now, my leadership—and public service—will not be in elected office.”

Harris said she was excited to continue “listening to the American people” and “helping elect Democrats across the nation”.

California election

Term-limited California Governor Gavin Newsom will step down to make room for a new governor in November 2026.

California is the U.S’s biggest state economically, ranking 4th overall in world economies.

Harris's bowing out of the race creates space for a heated race with Xavier Becerra, the former attorney general of California, and Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, among many democrats vying for the nomination.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada would recognise Palestinian state sovereignty in September.

Canada’s announcement follows similar pledges by France and the United Kingdom, which noted their longtime commitment to a two-state solution.

Fourteen countries have also recently signed a declaration pledging greater recognition of Palestinian statehood.

State recognition

State recognition is a formal acknowledgment by one country that another entity constitutes a sovereign state. Over 140 UN members recognize Palestine, but not major powers like the US and the EU.

The two-state solution proposes negotiating treaties that allow for independent Israeli and Palestinian states to coexist peacefully. Historically, it has been the approach endorsed by the world’s major democracies.

Carney’s statement

Carney said he will formally recognize Palestine at an upcoming UN General Assembly meeting. Canada’s move is predicated on democratic reforms occurring, including fully democratic elections being held next year by the Palestinian Authority without the involvement of Hamas.

Carney explained the move is intended to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, saying they had hoped to achieve it through negotiation, but Israel’s war in Gaza was “eroding” the possibility of a Palestinian state.

Why now?

The changes in Canadian, UK, and French policy come after pressure has been mounting on Israel to end a nearly two-year campaign.

International pressure has been mounting in the wake of reports of starvation in Gaza. Carney cited this human suffering in his Wednesday statement, saying: "The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable and it is rapidly deteriorating."

Response

Israel and the U.S. have condemned the move, saying it rewards Hamas’ actions and its October 7 attack that began the war, killing over 1,200 Israelis.

Responding to international moves to recognize a Palestinian state, President Trump said: “You could make the case that you’re rewarding people, that you’re rewarding Hamas if you do that.”

Israel’s Canadian Ambassador said: “We will not sacrifice our very existence by permitting the imposition of a jihadist state on our ancestral homeland”, referring to Hamas.

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