Biden asserts Putin has ‘already lost’ the war in Ukraine

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Friday 07.14.23

Tens of thousands of Hollywood actors are officially on strike today, creating tremendous uncertainty for the entertainment industry. While some films are already complete and set to hit theaters soon — like "Barbie" — many other movies and TV shows in the production stage will come to a screeching halt. That means there will likely be a shortage of blockbusters in theaters next summer unless a solution can be reached in the near term. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.

By Alexandra Meeks

President Joe Biden attends a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday.

Ukraine

President Joe Biden wrapped up his trip to Europe this week by asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "already lost" the war in Ukraine. "There is no possibility of him winning the war," Biden said at a news conference Thursday, emphasizing the strength of the NATO alliance. He predicted that the war will not go on "for years," saying Putin will ultimately decide "it's not in the interest of Russia" to continue due to limited resources. Separately, the US military confirmed that American cluster munitions have arrived in Ukraine. This comes after Biden raised eyebrows last week when he said he made the "difficult decision" to approve their transfer, despite being banned in more than 100 nations. Cluster munitions are canisters that disperse bomblets over a wide area and can fail to explode on impact, posing a risk to civilians.

Secret Service

The US Secret Service has concluded its investigation into the small bag of cocaine found at the White House earlier this month and has been unable to identify a suspect, the agency said in a statement. FBI lab results from the packaging found "insufficient DNA" and could not retrieve any fingerprints, according to the statement. The investigation was closed after Secret Service officials combed through "security systems" and indexed "several hundred individuals" who entered the West Wing before the discovery. Investigators were also unable to find surveillance footage to identify the particular moment or day when the baggie was left inside the West Wing. A source familiar with the investigation told CNN that the leading theory remains that it was left by one of the hundreds of visitors who entered the area that weekend for tours.

Abortion

The House voted Thursday to adopt several controversial amendments pushed by conservative hardliners to a critical national defense bill as the fate of the must-pass legislation hangs in the balance. Passage of the amendments — which touch on hot-button issues like abortion policy — is expected to cost Democratic votes and could prevent the final passage of the legislation unless House Republicans are able to largely unite behind the measure. One of the most high-profile amendments would prohibit the secretary of defense from paying for or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services. Many Democrats made it clear ahead of the vote that if the amendment was included as part of the defense bill, they would be unlikely to support it. Meanwhile, as Republican lawmakers have pushed restrictions on abortions in recent months, Democratic-led states have responded by passing so-called shield laws to protect people who undergo the procedure against the possibility they could one day face prosecution.

Synagogue shooter

A jury has found that the Pittsburgh synagogue mass shooter is eligible to face the death penalty. The 50-year-old gunman was found guilty on June 16 of all 63 charges against him for killing 11 worshippers and wounding six others at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the US. Twenty-two of those counts were capital offenses. This week, the shooter's defense team said his mental illnesses and delusions "took over his thinking." The prosecution called in their doctors who disputed the gunman's diagnoses. In the next phase of the trial, the jury will hear from survivors and loved ones of the victims, who will speak to the lasting impact of the shooting. Then, next week, the jury will move into the final phase to decide whether to recommend death for the capital offenses.

Target

Republicans are escalating their legal threats against retailer Target, pressuring the company to remove merchandise for transgender customers and backtrack on its diversity initiatives. Last week, Republican attorneys general in seven states wrote to Target warning that merchandise in its Pride month product collection could violate their states' child protection laws. The letter followed an anti-LGBTQ campaign against Target that went viral on social media. A separate letter was sent to Target last week by Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton, who said the company's diversity pledge in 2020 to increase Black employees by 20% and invest more than $2 billion in Black-owned businesses was racially discriminatory. Target did not respond to comment on Sen. Cotton or the attorneys general letter.

Kremlin says Wagner private mercenary group was never a legal entity
The Kremlin says that the Wagner private mercenary group, which led a failed insurrection against Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, was never a legal entity and its legal status needs further consideration. "Such a legal entity as PMC Wagner does not exist and never existed. This is a legal issue that needs to be explored," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said today. Peskov refused to disclose any further details on the meeting between Wagner head Yengeny Prigozhin and Putin, which reportedly took place several days after the aborted rebellion in June.

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