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Monday, July 24, 2023

7/24 WAKE-UP CALL: Russia Accuses Ukraine Of 'Terrorist' Drone Attack

Russia's defense ministry accused Ukraine of a "terrorist" drone attack on Moscow on Monday, after the city's mayor said that two buildings were hit and media reported that debris was found not far from the defense ministry's buildings. The defense ministry said on its Telegram messaging app that two drones "were suppressed and crashed." 


Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram messaging app that two non-residential buildings were struck at around 4 a.m., adding that there was no "serious damage or casualties." It was unclear whether the drones hit the buildings when they were downed, or whether they deliberately targeted the buildings. Neither the defense ministry nor the mayor said where the drones were intercepted.


➤BLINKEN..RUSSIA HAS ALREADY LOST: Russia has "already lost" the war in Ukraine in terms of the goals Russian President Vladimir Putin had when his tanks rolled across the border 17 months ago, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview released Sunday. Blinken said Ukraine has taken back about half the land seized by Russia. He spoke with confidence about the war's outcome the same day Russian missiles slammed into the historic district of the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and Putin dismissed as a failure Ukraine's much-anticipated counteroffensive.


➤ISRAEL ON THE BRINK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "doing excellently" after an unscheduled pacemaker implant and would on Monday attend a key judicial reform vote that has brought nationwide protests to a boil and stirred calls for compromise. With the country ensnared in its worst domestic crisis in decades, President Isaac Herzog on Sunday met Netanyahu in the hospital treating him in hope of closing the rifts between the religious-nationalist ruling coalition and opposition parties.

"This is an emergency. Agreement must be reached," Herzog, who mediated fruitless March-June talks, said in a statement. The Knesset, where Netanyahu wields a comfortable majority, is due on Monday to hold final readings of a bill limiting Supreme Court powers to overrule some government decisions. It would be the first reform written into law of a package critics fear aims to curb judicial independence, but which Netanyahu - who is on trial on corruption charges he denies - insists are needed for balance among branches of government.

➤CRITICS BLAST FLORIDA HISTORY CURICULUM: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received criticism from members of both parties over his state’s new African-American history curriculum that directs middle-school teachers to highlight useful skills that slaves may have developed while in bondage. The revised curriculum, which was approved last week by Florida’s board of education, features a section that examines the tasks performed by slaves—such as trades like carpentry and blacksmithing in addition to agricultural work. It prescribes teaching middle schoolers “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” The change has sparked an outcry from teachers’ groups and the NAACP, and harsh criticism from Vice President Kamala Harris. Asked by a reporter about the curriculum last week, DeSantis defended it while saying he wasn’t personally involved in the change and directed questions to the state board of education. 

Scott Jennings, a CNN commentator, on Sunday said Harris was 'making something literally out of nothing' when she condemned Florida's new curriculum, which mentions benefits of slavery. The Florida Board of Education's new state academic standards for social studies states that students should be taught 'how slaves developed skills, which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit'. Jennings claimed that the outrage over the curriculum, approved by Florida governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, was unwarranted.

➤TRUMP SAYS BIDEN 'DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S DOING': Former President Donald Trump told Maria Baritromo Sunday (July 23rd) that President Joe Biden “doesn’t understand what he’s doing.” During the interview, which aired on Fox News, Trump said, “this is the most dangerous time in the history of our country because of weaponry. The nuclear power is so enormous.” He added, “And we have a man that doesn’t understand what he’s doing. We have a man that … stood up and told the whole world that we have no ammunition," Trump said of Biden. "Do you know I had every ammunition building full to the brim three years ago. We've given it all away. But if you gave it all away – terrible. The only thing worse than that is to tell the world. … He has told China and these other places that are hostile that we have no ammunition."

➤SPECIAL COUNSEL RUNS-UP SECURITY BILL: Jack Smith was appointed as special counsel on November 18: in the first four months his team cost almost $10 million to run, with $2 million of that on U.S. Marshall protection for him and his team. Trump repeatedly refers to Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, as 'deranged', and has shared on social memes showing him wielding a baseball bat in the direction of the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, who is prosecuting him over the alleged porn star hush money payments. Smith, his family and other prosecutors are being protected. Trump on Sunday said the expenditure was ridiculous. Just think of it! Between Mueller, Deranged Jack Smith, and Congressional Committees, over 100 Million Dollars has been spent investigating me since I came down the escalator in Trump Tower,' he said. 'Biden is a criminal, and almost no money, by comparison, has been spent investigating him.'

➤FORMER HUNTER ASSOCIATE TO TESTIFY: Devon Archer (left), 48, a former business associate of Hunter Biden's, will testify before the House Oversight Committee, according to a report, about Hunter's calls to his father with clients. Archer, 48, will tell the committee - chaired by that Hunter would regularly put his father on speakerphone - one time, while in Dubai, introducing his father to two top Ukrainian businessmen at energy company Burisma. 

Joe Biden at the time was Barack Obama's 'point person' on corruption in Ukraine. Archer will testify before the committee - chaired by James Comer - that Hunter frequently did not tell his father he was on speakerphone, or introduce his colleagues. Joe Biden has always denied knowledge of and involvement in his son's business dealings.

➤VIDEO SHOWS UNAMED BLACK MAN ATTACKED BY K-9: A video released by the Ohio State Highway patrol shows an unarmed Black man was attacked by a police officer’s K-9 as he surrendered to authorities on July 4th. According to a report from the highway patrol, the incident followed a lengthy pursuit as officers tried to pull over a commercial semi-truck that failed to stop for an inspection for missing a left rear mud flap. Video shows that when the 23-year-old driver, Jadarrius Rose, finally pulled over and exited the vehicle, he kept his hands raised. Although a state trooper could be heard saying several times, “Do not release the dog with his hands up,” the K-9 was allowed to attack Rose and pull him to the ground. According to the case report, Rose was treated and released at a local hospital before he was taken to the Ross County Jail.

➤SHOOTINGS IN CHICAGO: Six people died and at least 29 others have been wounded in weekend shootings across Chicago.  The victims were aged between 13 and 64 years old. A shooting early on Saturday in the city's North Lawndale neighborhood killed one man and wounded four others, police said. The shootings are the latest in a series of gun violence that has plagued the Illinois city that has faced a spike in crime in recent months - up 38 percent from last year.

'BARBENHEIMER' BATTLE IGDNITE MOVIE BOX OFFICE: The “Barbenheimer” weekend’s combination of blowouts and blowups helped deliver the strongest domestic box office weekend of the year, giving the theatrical movie business a sorely needed summer jolt. Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” grossed $155 million in the U.S. and Canada between Friday and Sunday, while Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” brought in $81 million domestically, according to the movies’ distributors. Films on big screens in the U.S. collectively grossed $302 million during the three-day period, making it the strongest weekend of 2023 for theaters in North America and fourth-strongest weekend ever in the U.S., according to Comscore. This marked the only weekend in the top 10 that didn’t feature the opening of a movie from the Star Wars, Jurassic Park or Marvel superhero franchises.

⚾MLB ANGELS 7 PIRATES: In what could be his last home game in Anaheim, Shohei Ohtani found a new way to amaze his teammates and coaches on Sunday. Ohtani blasted a first-inning line drive that left his bat at a sizzling 113 mph, but only a 19-degree launch angle. Hugging the ground like an airplane trying to fly below the radar, it streaked all the way over the center-field fence. 'I don't know if I've seen a ball hit like that, except a golf ball, maybe,' Angels manager Phil Nevin said. 'I thought he lined out to center. I did. Every day he does something to impress you.' 

Ohtani blasted a first-inning line drive that left his bat at a sizzling 113 mph, but only a 19-degree launch angle. Hugging the ground like an airplane trying to fly below the radar, it streaked all the way over the center-field fence. 'I don't know if I've seen a ball hit like that, except a golf ball, maybe,' Angels manager Phil Nevin said. 'I thought he lined out to center. I did. Every day he does something to impress you.'

⚾MLB RED SOX 6, METS 1: Rafael Devers homered, Adam Duvall drove in two runs and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Mets 6-1 on Sunday night. Boston opened a four-run third inning with seven straight hits, chasing an ineffective Carlos Carrasco. Connor Wong had three hits for the Red Sox, who finished with 15 and took two of three games in the series. 'We put the ball in play and had some quality at-bats,' manager Alex Cora said. The victory kept Boston (53-47) tied with the rival New York Yankees for last place in the rugged AL East. Both sit two games out of a playoff spot.

⚾MLB YANKESS 8, ROYALS 5 Anthony Rizzo hit his first home run since May 20 and went 4 for 4 as the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Sunday to complete their third series sweep of the season. Gleyber Torres' two-run homer sparked New York's four-run first inning against Jordan Lyles (1-12). Torres extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games but exited in the seventh because of left hip tightness. Luis Severino (2-4) won for the first time in four starts since June 24. Rizzo also hit an RBI double in the first and singled in the fifth before capping a 10-pitch at-bat with a single in the eighth against Scott Barlow. It was Rizzo's 15th career four-hit game and first since August 4, 2019.

Ohtani stays hydrated
⚾MLB SCORES

  • Phillies 8 Guardians 5
  • Orioles 5 Rays 3
  • Tigers 3 Padres 1
  • Nationals 6 Giants 1
  • Reds 7 D-Backs 3
  • Marlins 3 Rockies 2
  • Braves 4 Brewers 2
  • Twins 5 Whites 4
  • Cubs 7 Cardinals 2
  • Rangers 8 Dodgers 4
  • Astros 3 Athletics 2
  • Blue Jays 4 Mariners 3
  • Red Sox 6 Mets 1

Fans and returning greats gathered in Cooperstown, New York, for the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony since 1939. On Sunday, all eyes were on 2023 inductees Scott Rolen and Fred McGriff. Backed up on stage by a large group of former inductees, including David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr., the new Hall of Famers were tasked with giving the customary speech after being honored for their decorated careers. They both offered heartfelt, emotional words detailing the most important lessons they learned from the game.

🏌BRIAN HARMON WINS BRITISH OPEN: Brian Harmon won the British Open Sunday (July 23rd). Despite wet and rainy conditions at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, the 36-year-old American golfer posted a 1-under 70 and got to 13-under on the week. That gave him a six-shot win.



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