TOMMASO BARONIO, HOST:
And now, back to the news.
CLAIRE DAVENPORT, NEWSCASTER: Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to send Israeli negotiators to Paris to discuss a temporary halt in fighting. They will be joined by CIA Director Bill Burns, along with Qatari officials to discuss the release of hostages in return for a temporary halt in fighting.
In Gaza, Israeli air strikes have flattened a mosque and killed yet another civilian in Rafah, where more than half of the civilian population is sheltering. Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that 99 people were killed across the strip overnight, most of them women and children. Israeli Defense forces are now threatening a ground invasion during the Holy Month of Ramadan, and it’s unclear where else the civilian population can go.
Alexei Navalny’s mother says she’s resisting pressure for a secret burial for her son. In a video released today, Ludmila Navalnaya blamed Russian officials for her son’s death and says she’s being blackmailed. She said she was told if she doesn’t agree to a secret burial, something might happen to her son’s body. And today, President Biden met with Navalny’s widow, Yulia, and his daughter Dasha.
Two more of Alabama’s major IVF providers have suspended service because of a recent ruling that designates unborn children as children. “Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, said court chief justice Tom Parker. The 8-to-1 decision could have wide implications for access to reproductive care such as IVF.
Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley walked back comments she made in support of the ruling this morning.
(SOUNDBITE OF NIKKI HALEY)
DAVENPORT: And in more health news, it seems Viagra, the drug popular for men managing erectile dysfunction is boosting more than just libidos. An unexpected side effect of Viagra might be decreased risk for memory loss. Researchers at University College London tracked the health of nearly 300,000 middle-aged men and found that there was lower risk among 18 percent of participants for developing Alzheimer’s disease.
One step, once again, for mankind. The robot lander Odysseus just touched down by the moon’s south pole about ten minutes ago. The probe is the first US vehicle to land on the moon since Apollo 17.
And it seems these days, even dogs are lying about their age. The Guinness World Records board has stripped Bobi, a Portugeuse mastiff of his title of “oldest dog in the world.” Bobi’s owner claimed he was the ripe old age of 31 years and five month old when he died last October. But many veterinary skeptics noted that the dog had no registration to confirm his date of birth.
It’s 42 degrees, and currently cloudy, with light showers expected later tonight and tomorrow. Six trains are running with delays in both directions due to a rail repair. And you can expect traffic delays and emergency personnel near East 47th Street and 1st Ave in Manhattan due to a protest.
Claire Davenport. Columbia Radio News.