The Full Belmonte, 7/29/2023
Sen. McConnell plans to serve his full term as Republican leader despite questions about his health
BY MARY CLARE JALONICK
“WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said he is “fine” since he froze up midsentence during a press conference on Wednesday. And now his office is trying to tamp down speculation that he might not fill out his term as leader because of his health.
In a statement, his office said McConnell appreciates the continued support of his colleagues and ‘plans to serve his full term in the job they overwhelmingly elected him to do.’
The statement, first reported by Politico, comes after McConnell, 81, has suffered health problems in recent months. At his weekly press conference this week, he froze and stared vacantly for about 20 seconds before his GOP colleagues standing behind him grabbed his elbows and asked if he wanted to go back to his office. He later returned to the news conference and answered questions as if nothing had happened….” Read more at AP News
Biden signs an order designed to strengthen protections for sexual assault victims in the military
BY TARA COPP
“WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday giving decisions on the prosecution of serious military crimes, including sexual assault, to independent military attorneys, taking that power away from victims’ commanders.
The order formally implements legislation passed by Congress in 2022 aimed at strengthening protections for service members, who were often at the mercy of their commanders to decide whether to take their assault claims seriously.
Members of Congress, frustrated with the growing number of sexual assaults in the military, fought with defense leaders for several years over the issue. They argued that commanders at times were willing to ignore charges or incidents in their units to protect those accused of offenses and that using independent lawyers would beef up prosecutions. Military leaders balked, saying it could erode commanders’ authority….” Read more at AP News
Scott criticizes DeSantis over his support for Florida’s slavery curriculum as they stump in Iowa
BY MEG KINNARD AND HANNAH FINGERHUT
“ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina has criticized fellow Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for supporting new standards that require teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that ‘could be applied for their personal benefit.’
‘What slavery was really about was separating families, about mutilating humans and even raping their wives. It was just devastating,’ Scott, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, told reporters on Thursday after a town hall in Ankeny. ‘So I would hope that every person in our country — and certainly running for president — would appreciate that.’
‘People have bad days,’ Scott added. ‘Sometimes they regret what they say. And we should ask them again to clarify their positions.’
DeSantis has been facing criticism from Florida teachers, civil rights leaders, President Joe Biden’s White House and even Black Republicans on the school standards. Vice President Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black vice president, traveled to Florida last week to condemn the curriculum….” Read more at AP News
Carlee Russell facing criminal charges after faking abduction, causing 'panic and alarm'
“The Alabama woman who went missing for two days and admitted to fabricating a story about seeing a toddler walking on the highway and being abducted is now facing criminal charges, police announced Friday.
The Hoover Police Department said Carlethia ‘Carlee’ Russell has been charged with false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident, both Class A misdemeanors that each carry up to a year in jail and a $6,000 fine if she is convicted.
‘Her decisions that night created panic and alarm for the citizens of our city and even across the nation as the concern grew that a kidnapper was on the loose using a small child as bait,’ Police Chief Nick Derzis said at a news conference….” Read more at USA Today
AIDS Relief Program Under Threat as G.O.P. Insists on Abortion Restriction
A decades-old program created by President George W. Bush to combat AIDS around the world is at risk of being sucked into a partisan dispute over abortion, with some Republicans threatening to block its renewal.
Reporting from Washington
July 28, 2023
“Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic former House speaker, and George W. Bush, the Republican former president, do not agree on much. But earlier this year, they joined a high-powered gathering in Washington — with the Irish rock star Bono on video from Dublin — to mark the 20th anniversary of America’s biggest and, arguably, most successful foreign aid program.
Mr. Bush created that program, the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, in 2003. In the two decades since, PEPFAR, as it is known, has saved 25 million lives and served as a powerful tool for soft diplomacy, a symbol of America’s moral leadership in the world. It has had extraordinary support from a bipartisan coalition of liberals and Christian conservatives.
But now PEPFAR is in danger of becoming a victim of abortion politics — just as the State Department is reorganizing to make the program permanent.
The program is set to expire at the end of September. But House Republicans are not moving forward with a bill to reauthorize it for another five years, because abortion opponents — led by a G.O.P. congressman who has long been a supporter of PEPFAR — are insisting on adding abortion-related restrictions…..” Read more at New York Times
Making Friends
A woman walks past a TV screen showing a news broadcast with an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending a military parade held in Pyongyang to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, at a railway station in Seoul on July 28.Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images
“The Hermit Kingdom may finally be cracking open its doors post-COVID-19. This week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un welcomed Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Politburo member Li Hongzhong to Pyongyang to mark Friday’s 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice. The summit’s message was loud and clear: Russia, China, and North Korea have one another’s backs.
‘In the face of modern threats and challenges, it is especially important to preserve and increase the glorious traditions of friendship, good-neighborliness and mutual assistance,’ Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in a letter to Kim. That includes diplomatic and defense cooperation.
To emphasize that, the dayslong event included meetings among the three officials, weapons exhibitions, and a military parade. On Thursday, Pyongyang highlighted its military prowess by showcasing new drones and short-range missiles. And earlier in the week, Kim impressed Shoigu with North Korea’s accumulation of ballistic missiles banned by the United Nations Security Council, where both China and Russia wield veto power.
‘In effect, China and Russia are sort of enablers for North Korea to go ahead with the nuclear and missile program,’ said Wi Sung-lac, former South Korean ambassador to Russia. That contrasts sharply with a majority of the rest of the world’s view, which has continued to condemn recent North Korean missile tests in Japan’s and South Korea’s territorial waters.
This week’s meetings celebrated a series of firsts for North Korea. The summit was the first time a Russian defense minister has visited Pyongyang since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. Thursday’s military parade was the first such event North Korea invited foreign delegates to since February 2018. And meetings with Shoigu and Li were Kim’s first in-person talks since the kingdom closed its borders in January 2020 to protect against COVID-19.
Pyongyang is hoping this week’s dialogue will bolster ‘militant friendship and cooperation’ among the three nuclear powers as a deterrent against growing Western strength. Next month, the United States, South Korea, and Japan will hold their first independent summit to discuss security cooperation against North Korea.” [Foreign Policy]
“Who’s leading Niger? Meet Gen. Abdourahmane ‘Omar’ Tchiani, the head of the West African nation’s presidential guard. Tchiani announced on Friday that he will lead the country’s transitional government after President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup two days earlier. Bazoum is still being detained in the presidential palace by what were once his guards yet maintains he is still the country’s leader; Bazoum was Niger’s first democratically elected leader since it gained its independence from France in 1960.
Tchiani has been part of the presidential guard since 2011. In 2015, he was linked to a coup attempt on then-President Mahamadou Issoufou but denied involvement before a court. Now, the 62-year-old military leader has helped overthrow Niger’s most recent president, citing economic insecurity and government corruption as his rationale.” [Foreign Policy]
“Burgeoning allies. Critical technology is the phrase of the day for India-Japan collaboration. The two nations agreed to explore new efforts to cooperate on critical technologies, including semiconductors and supply chain resilience, on Friday. The agreement comes a day after Japan’s and India’s foreign ministers agreed to discuss new strategies to advance their defense equipment and military collaboration.
By strengthening their bilateral partnership, both countries hope to increase their influence in the Indo-Pacific as well as within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a four-nation bloc that includes the United States and Australia. The collaboration is also part of Japan’s efforts to reach $35.9 billion in critical technology investment by 2027.” [Foreign Policy]
“Shuttle diplomacy. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss improving U.S.-Saudi relations and explore the possibility of a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, perhaps backed by U.S. security and other guarantees for Riyadh.
Although such a deal would likely be unpopular with many progressive Democrats in Congress, who continue to criticize Washington’s lack of action against Saudi human rights abuses, U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly hopes such a diplomatic breakthrough could spur greater peace in the Middle East.” [Foreign Policy]
GAME OF THE WEEKEND
The Brazilian forward Bia Zaneratto.Matt Turner/EPA, via Shutterstock
“Brazil vs. France, Women’s World Cup: Brazil is desperate to win a trophy for Marta, one of the game’s great stars, who at age 37 is playing in probably her final World Cup. And the team looks sharp. (Watch this incredible goal against Panama.) France’s squad is talented, but has had a bumpy path. The team recently replaced its head coach to appease players who had threatened to sit out the World Cup, then lost a veteran midfielder to injury. ‘France’s hopes, now, rest on the new coach’s being able to get the best out of a team he has only just encountered,’ The Times’s Rory Smith wrote.” [New York Times]
THE WEEK IN CULTURE
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
“The death this week of Sinead O’Connor prompted collective grief across Ireland, where she was a symbol of both hope and defiance, Una Mullally writes.” [New York Times]
“When O’Connor ripped up a photo of the pope as a criticism of priest abuse and the complicity of the church, many in the U.S. were not ready to hear her.” [New York Times]
“Listen to 10 essential songs by O’Connor, and see her life in photos.” [New York Times]
“A Taylor Swift concert in Seattle shook the ground so hard that it registered as roughly equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake.” [New York Times]
'“The Emmy Awards, which had been scheduled for September, will be postponed because of the strikes in Hollywood.” [New York Times]
“Influencers are rejecting deals to promote movies or TV shows for fear of someday being barred from the striking actors’ union.” [New York Times]
“Venice Film Festival organizers said the Hollywood strikes would have little effect and that they expect to premiere films including “Maestro,” a drama about the composer Leonard Bernstein, starring Bradley Cooper.” [New York Times]
“Kevin Spacey was cleared of sexual assault charges. A return to major Hollywood roles may not be likely anytime soon.” [New York Times]
“The dance of the Kens in “Barbie” recalls the vitality and grace of Gene Kelly, Gia Kourlas writes.” [New York Times]
“Some of Britain’s biggest ’90s bands, like Blur and Pulp, are playing major gigs again. (There was even talk, albeit misplaced, of an Oasis reunion.)” [New York Times]
““Oppenheimer” fans are rediscovering a 40-year-old documentary about him.” [New York Times]
Boots and dog tags Alan Alda wore on ‘M-A-S-H’ sell at auction for $125,000 that will go to charity
DALLAS (AP) — The combat boots and dog tags Alan Alda wore while playing the wisecracking surgeon Hawkeye on the beloved television series “M-A-S-H” sold at auction Friday for $125,000.
Alda held onto the boots and dog tags for more than 40 years after the show ended but decided to sell them through Heritage Auctions in Dallas to raise money for his center dedicated to helping scientists and doctors communicate better.
The buyer’s name wasn’t released.