Red lines and high stakes as Biden, Putin meet in Geneva

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Good morning, NBC News readers.     All eyes will be on Geneva today where President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold their highly anticipated summit. Israel launched airstrikes at Gaza in the first violence for weeks. And, you might be able to catch a close-up glimpse of the Sistine Chapel closer to home than Rome.    Here's what we're watching this Wednesday morning. Biden set for long, tense meeting with Putin President Joe Biden will sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva today in what's expected to be an hours-long, contentious meeting — during which Biden says he will lay out where U.S. red lines are, and the consequences for Russia if they're crossed.   The summit is scheduled to last four to five hours and will be broken into two sections: a meeting featuring Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Putin and Russia's foreign minister only, followed by a larger group session with additional participants.   In an unusual move, the leaders will not hold a joint news conference after the meetings. Instead Putin will hold a solo press conference followed by one from Biden, avoiding any reminders of the widely panned event that followed former President Donald Trump's first meeting with Putin in Helsinki.   There are a range of thorny issues Biden has said he plans to raise, including cyberattacks, human rights abuses, aggression towards Ukraine and election interference.   And what does Putin hope to gain from the summit?   Some experts say he'll likely achieve his main aim the minute he and Biden shake hands. For the Russian president, merely being invited to such a high-level summit by the world's most powerful leader gives the air of superpower status to Russia.   White House officials have downplayed expectations ahead of the meeting, but say one outcome could be an announcement by the two presidents to initiate further talks around areas like nuclear security.   Watch NBC, MSNBC, NBC News Now and NBCNews.com for special coverage of the summit, including updates and analysis, throughout the day.  Wednesday's top stories Israeli military launches air strike at Gaza days into new government By Dartunorro Clark | Read more   Israel's new government ordered airstrikes on Tuesday after a day of  escalating tensions — including a far-right Israeli nationalist march through East Jerusalem which Palestinians say was a "provocation" that prompted retaliatory incendiary balloons launched from Gaza. It was the first violence since a cease-fire between the two sides ended 11 days of fighting last month.    Federal judge blocks Biden's ban on leases for drilling on public lands By XYZ | Read more    Despite the setback for the Biden administration's efforts on climate change, the Interior Department said it would "comply with the decision," signaling that lease sales to drill in Alaska and in the Gulf of Mexico will likely resume — at least for now. Exclusive: McAfee finds security vulnerability in Peloton products By Liat Weinstein and Vicky Nguyen | Read more   Software security company McAfee said it exposed a vulnerability in the Peloton Bike+ that allowed attackers to install malware through a USB port and potentially spy on riders.   OPINION Biden's attorney general can't let Trump-era abuses of powers go. Here's what he should do By Michael Conway | Read more    Attorney General Merrick Garland's institutional loyalty cannot justify whitewashing the action of his predecessors in the Trump-era Justice Department or the careerists who carried out their directives, writes a former counsel to the House Judiciary Committee. BETTER 7 tricks that will make 'being healthy' less work By Stephanie Mansour | Read more    We're all busy — these no-brainer habits prioritize your health without taking much time. Want to receive the Morning Rundown in your inbox? Sign up here. Also in the news ... Delta, now a 'variant of concern,' accounts for 10 percent of new U.S. cases, CDC says Southern Baptists elect leader focused on bridging racial divide Senate unanimously passes bill to make Juneteenth a federal Holiday North Korea's Kim warns of 'tense' food situation, longer Covid-19 lockdown 10-year-old South Dakota boy dies saving sister from drowning in river, family says Love, loss, addiction: 'Feel Good' stars Lisa Kudrow, Mae Martin weigh in on the series' 'heavy' themes MacKenzie Scott donates $2.7B, cites fortune 'enabled by systems in need of change' SHOPPING How to choose the best products to help keep your grill clean this summer, from brushes to scrapers.  One fun thing Michelangelo's masterpiece in a Midwest mall?    That's right, thanks to a new exhibition of reproductions from the Sistine Chapel visitors can enjoy stunning sights like "The Creation of Adam" close-up in an Illinois mall.    Watch a video about the innovative program here. Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill Download the NBC News App Follow NBC News Privacy | Unsubscribe | More NBC Newsletters | Contact View in browser