Skip to main content

Biden to leave Middle East, 988 hotline, Uvalde findings: 5 things to know this weekend

Editors  |  Paste BN

📰 Did you follow the news this week? Take our quiz to test your memory. 

Biden to return from Middle East trip

President Joe Biden wraps up his 4-day trip to the Middle East Saturday with meetings in Saudi Arabia — the country he previously vowed to shun because of its human rights abuses. Biden plans to discuss America’s historic role in the region and his approach going forward at a summit of Middle Eastern leaders representing the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, a group known as the GCC+3. He will also meet one-on-one with the leaders of Iraq, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Biden is expected to touch on economics, security and human rights issues in his meetings. 

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast: 

988 becomes the new 3-digit suicide prevention hotline

On Saturday, states will roll out 988 as the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, a 3-digit hotline similar to 911 for emergencies. All phone service providers will be required to connect callers who dial 988 to the lifeline. The existing lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 1-800-273-8255. Many mental health professionals say the line will help expand much-needed services and make them more accessible to people seeking help. After dialing or texting 988, users will be connected with a trained mental health professional at a local or regional crisis center. If your local center cannot connect to a counselor, national backup centers will pick up the call or text. In the first year of 988's implementation, the number of contacts for the lifeline is expected to increase to 7.6 million. 

Investigative committee expected to release findings about slow response to Uvalde school shooting 

An investigative committee led by Texas lawmakers is expected to release findings Sunday about the slow law enforcement response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, after interviewing more than 40 witnesses over the past several weeks. Nineteen fourth graders and their two teachers were killed in the massacre on May 24. A 77-minute video from a ceiling-mounted camera at the school, published Tuesday, shows the 18-year-old gunman enter the school unimpeded and fire his way into a classroom and fire more than 100 rounds before a dozen local police officers arrive. Those officers initially approach a classroom door, but are fired upon and run back down the hallway. More than an hour passes as local, state and federal officers gather in the hallway but do not attempt to enter the classroom even after hearing more gunshots.

British Open continues without Tiger Woods 

The third round of the 150th British Open starts Saturday, with Australian Cameron Smith (13 under) and American Cameron Young (11 under) atop the leaderboard. Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland, both 10-under-par, are tied for third. Notably absent is Tiger Woods, who missed the cut at the Open Championship Friday, marking an emotional departure for the 15-time major champion. The third round will air on USA Network from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. ET. Coverage will pick back up on NBC from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET. 

First rounds of the MLB draft begin

The Major League Baseball draft starts today, running through July 19, in Los Angeles — marking the second consecutive year the draft is in the same city as Tuesday’s All-Star Game. The Baltimore Orioles will pick first after finishing a major league-worst 52-110 last season. The draft will be 20 rounds under the new collective bargaining agreement between MLB ad the players' association, matching the total last year. The first two rounds, compensatory rounds and competitive balance rounds are held Sunday. Rounds three through 10 will be on Monday, and the final 10 rounds will happen on Tuesday, the day of the All-Star Game. 

Contributing: Associated Press

Facebook Twitter Email