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Friday, July 15, 2022

Wake-Up Call: Biden Commits To 'No Nukes" For Iran

President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint declaration Thursday committing to never allowing Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and affirming that the U.S., quote, "is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome." Biden, who is in Israel as part of his Mideast trip, and Lapid then held a joint press conference, at which Lapid urged Biden to threaten military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He said, "Words will not stop them, Mr. President. Diplomacy will not stop them. The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force. The only way to stop them is to put a credible military threat on the table."

The Biden administration has been trying to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that then-President Donald Trump walked the U.S. away from in 2018, but talks have stalled. Biden said yesterday, "[Iranian officials] have an opportunity to accept this agreement that’s been laid down. If they don’t, we’ve made it absolutely clear: We will not -- let me say it again -- we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon." Biden will meet with Palestinian officials in the West Bank today, and then travel to Saudi Arabia.

 
➤AT LEAST 23 KILLED IN RUSSIAN MISSILE STRIKES IN CENTRAL UKRAINIAN CITY: At least 23 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in Russian missile strikes Thursday on the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia. Officials said four missiles were fired from a ship in Black Sea, and that Ukrainian air defenses downded two of them. Damaged by the strikes were residential buildings, stores, offices and a medical clinic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in locations that don't have military value, and repeated his call for Russia to be declared a state sponsor of terrorism. A member of Russia's permanent U.N. mission claimed the strike targeted an officers' residence.

➤BUFFALO SUPERMARKET REOPENING TWO MONTHS AFTER MASS SHOOTING: The Buffalo, New York, supermarket where 10 Black people were killed by a white gunman in a race-driven mass shooting is re-opening today, two months after the May 14th attack. Ahead of the return of customers today, the victims were remembered yesterday in a ceremony at the shooting site. The names of the 10 people killed were read aloud outside the Tops supermarket, and a bell was rung after each name. Employees, neighbors and elected officials also toured the redesigned store. Near the entrance, there were mirrors reflecting cascading water on both sides of a poem by Buffalo’s poet laureate, Jillian Hanesworth, which begins: "Let the hopeful healing waters flow." The supermarket is the only one in the area. The 19-year-old accused shooter was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday, including on federal hate crime charges that could bring the death penalty. Peyton Gendron has pleaded not guilty in both the state and federal cases.


➤TEXAS SUES U.S. OVER RULES SAYING ABORTIONS MUST BE PROVIDED IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: Three days after the Department of Health and Human Services told doctors and hospitals that they're still required by federal rules to provide abortions in emergency situations if a pregnant woman's life is at risk, even if states have instituted near-total abortion bans in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Texas has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal rules. The Texas lawsuit claims the administration, quote, "seeks to transform every emergency room in the country into a walk-in abortion clinic." The HHS said in its guidance that emergency conditions under which the federal rules would apply include "ectopic pregnancy, complications of pregnancy loss, or emergent hypertensive disorders, such as preeclampsia with severe features."

✞IVANA TRUMP DIES AT 73: Ivana Trump, businesswoman, fashion designer, and first wife to former President Donald J. Trump, passed away on Thursday at the age of 73.

According to New York City officials, police responded to a 911 call at Trump’s Upper East Side home at approximately 12:40pm. Ivana was found alone and unresponsive and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Former President Trump announced the news on his social media site Truth Social, writing that she was a "wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great inspirational life." He and Ivana were married from 1977 to 1992, and together they had three children—Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, and Eric.

"Her pride and joy were her three children. She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest in Peace, Ivana!" the former president wrote. Eric shared old family photos to Instagram shortly after his father announced the news, calling Ivana “an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend.”


➤ALEX RODRIGUEZ COMMENTS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH JENNIFER LOPEZ: On Wednesday’s episode of The Martha Stewart Podcast, Alex Rodriguez shared how he felt about his ex-fiancé Jennifer Lopez, a little more than a year after their breakup. The baseball player said he has “no regrets” about his relationship with Lopez and that they had a “great time.” Rodriguez added, “Here’s what I will tell you about Jennifer, and I was telling some of my colleagues here the other day, she’s the most talented human being I’ve ever been around.”

🎥‘TOP GUN: MAVERICK’ BECOMES PARAMOUNT’S HIGHEST-GROSSING MOVIE: People reports that Top Gun: Maverick has surpassed Titanic to become Paramount’s highest-grossing film at the domestic box office. The movie has pulled in $601.9 million so far, beating out Titanic at $600.8 million.

🏌U.S. ROOKIE CAMERON YOUNG LEADS AT BRITISH OPEN AFTER FIRST ROUND: American rookie Cameron Young is leading at the British Open after the first round at St. Andrews in Scotland Thursday, with a 8-under 64 for a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy. But it wasn't a good opening round at the 150th British Open for Tiger Woods in what could be his last competitive appearance at St. Andrews. He had a 6-over 78, his second-worst score in his Open career.

🏀SUNS MATCH PACERS $133 MILLION OFFER TO KEEP AYTON: The Phoenix Suns matched the Indiana Pacers $133 million, four-year offer to Deandre Ayton yesterday to keep the center, according to media reports. Ayton, who was the Number 1 pick in the 2018 draft, was eligible to get an extension from Phoenix last summer. He didn't get one, and became a restricted free agent this summer, which meant the Suns had the chance to match any offers, which they quickly did after the Pacers' offer.

🏀CHARACTER WITNESSES SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF GRINER IN RUSSIAN TRIAL: Character witnesses spoke in support of Brittney Griner Thursday as the WNBA's star drug possession trial resumed in Russia. Testifying were the head of the Russian basketball club she plays for in the offseason and a teammate from the club, who spoke in support of her character and what Griner has meant for women's basketball in Russia. Griner has been detained in Russia since February.

🏀ACES SCORE WNBA RECORD 71 POINTS IN FIRST HALF OF 108-74 WIN OVER LIBERTY: The Las Vegas Aces scored 71 points in the first half of their 108-74 win over the New York Liberty last night, setting a new WNBA record. The previous record for points in the first half of a game had been 69, scored by the Phoenix Mercury in 2010. Just two days earlier, the Liberty scored 73 points in the second half of a 107-101 loss to the Aces, which set a new WNBA record for any half. It had previously been 72 points scored by the Detroit Shock in the second half of a 2007 game.

 
⚽U.S. WOMEN ADVANCE TO FINALS OF CONCACAF W SOCCER TOURNAMENT: The U.S. women's soccer team beat Costa Rica 3-0 last night in their CONCACAF W semifinal in Mexico to advance to the final match. The U.S. will play Canada in the final after the Canadians beat Jamaica 3-0 in the other semifinal. For finishing among the top four teams in the group stage, the U.S. qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The winner of the W Championship additionally earns one of the region’s spots in the Olympics.

➤JIM THORPE REINSTATED AS SOLE WINNER OF 1912 OLYMPIC DECATHLON, PENTATHLON: The International Olympic Committee yesterday reinstated American Jim Thorpe as the sole winner of the 1912 Stockholm Olympics' decathlon and pentathlon. Thorpe, who was voted the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Associated Press, was stripped of his 1912 gold medals in 1913 for violating the amateur rules because he'd been paid to play minor league baseball in 1909 and 1910. After years of lobbying over the controversial decision, the IOC Executive Committee reinstated Thorpe in 1982, but named him the co-champion with the second place finishers in both events. Yesterday, he was restored as the sole champion. Thorpe, who was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. He died in 1953 at age 65.


➤LAST WORLD WAR TWO MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT LIES IN HONOR AT U.S. CAPITOL: Hershel W. "Woody" Williams, the last remaining World War Two Medal of Honor recipient, who died last month at age 98, was honored by laying in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda yesterday (July 14th). Williams was only the sixth private citizen to receive the honor, after civil rights icon Rosa Parks, the Reverend Billy Graham, and four Capitol police officers. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said Williams wanted the ceremony as a way to recognize every Medal of Honor recipient from World War Two.



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