Alliance secretary general says Turkey agrees to back Sweden’s NATO bid

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that after a year of opposition, Turkey has agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance, calling the moment a “historic step.”

Stoltenberg said that Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to send the accession protocol to the Turkish parliament for approval as soon as possible, noting that Erdogan would “ensure ratification …Sweden will become a full member of the alliance.”

Most alliance members have supported Sweden’s efforts to join the defense organization in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkey, however, has maintained its opposition to Sweden’s bid for more than a year. Sweden is one of several countries in Europe that has welcomed the Kurdish diaspora and Stockholm has been host to several protests in support of the Kurdish Worker’s Party — that is officially considered a terrorist group by Sweden and Turkey.

The news comes after Stoltenberg held talks between Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson the evening before the NATO summit was slated to begin in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday. President Biden also spoke with Erdogan on Monday over the phone, and the two discussed Sweden’s membership bid. On the call, they decided to meet in person in Vilnius on Tuesday.

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Ex-Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times at Florida federal prison

Disgraced former Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another inmate at a federal prison in Florida. The 59-year-old Nassar was stabbed twice in the neck, twice in the back and six times in the chest, and also suffered a collapsed lung in the Sunday attack, said Joe Rojas, president of Local 506, which represents employees at the Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Central Florida. Nassar was listed in stable condition.

The federal Bureau of Prisons said an inmate was assaulted at Coleman at 2:35 p.m. Sunday, but declined to identify the prisoners involved. Officials said staff provided life-saving measures and the inmate was taken to a local hospital for treatment:  “No staff or other inmates were injured and at no time was the public in danger. An internal investigation is ongoing,”adding that the FBI was also notified.

Nassar worked at Michigan State University and at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics, traveling the world with elites of the sport. He was sentenced to decades in prison for sexually assaulting gymnasts, including Olympic medalists. He is serving time behind bars for convictions in both state and federal courts. He pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment for hip and leg injuries. At his trial, more than 150 accusers spoke out or submitted statements detailing his abuse. The sports doctor also separately pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

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Ex-Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times at Florida federal prison

Disgraced former Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another inmate at a federal prison in Florida. The 59-year-old Nassar was stabbed twice in the neck, twice in the back and six times in the chest, and also suffered a collapsed lung in the Sunday attack, said Joe Rojas, president of Local 506, which represents employees at the Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Central Florida. Nassar was listed in stable condition.

The federal Bureau of Prisons said an inmate was assaulted at Coleman at 2:35 p.m. Sunday, but declined to identify the prisoners involved. Officials said staff provided life-saving measures and the inmate was taken to a local hospital for treatment:  “No staff or other inmates were injured and at no time was the public in danger. An internal investigation is ongoing,”adding that the FBI was also notified.

Nassar worked at Michigan State University and at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics, traveling the world with elites of the sport. He was sentenced to decades in prison for sexually assaulting gymnasts, including Olympic medalists. He is serving time behind bars for convictions in both state and federal courts. He pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment for hip and leg injuries. At his trial, more than 150 accusers spoke out or submitted statements detailing his abuse. The sports doctor also separately pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

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Christopher Eubanks upsets Stefanos Tsitsipas to advance to Wimbledon quarterfinals

American Chris Eubanks defeated Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in a 3-hour, 4-minute, fourth-round match at Wimbledon on Monday in London, advancing to his first major quarterfinal.

Eubanks, the No. 43 player in the ATP Tour rankings, totaled 13 aces, converted 3 of 7 break point chances and logged 53 winners in the 3-6, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory. He overcame 56 unforced errors, compared to just 17 from his No. 5 ranked counterpart. Tsitsipas logged 11 aces and 37 winners in the loss.

Eubanks said of the win: “I feel like I’m living a dream right now. This is absolutely insane. … It’s surreal. I can’t believe this.” Eubanks will face No. 3 Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the quarterfinals. Medvedev advanced Monday after No. 37 Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic retired because of injury after two sets of their fourth-round meeting.

Wimbledon quarterfinal coverage will start at 8 a.m. EDT Tuesday on ESPN and ESPN2. The women’s final will air at 9 a.m. Saturday on ESPN. The men’s singles finale will air at 9 a.m. Sunday on ESPN.

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Miranda Lambert and Leon Bridges drop the video for “If You Were Mine”

Miranda Lambert and Leon Bridges have dropped the music video for their duet, “If You Were Mine.” The duo delivered a “huge thanks” to director Reid Long and to the lead actors in the video, Cece Barnes and Dylan Greene. Said Lambert on Instagram: ““If You Were Mine” music video is here! Huge thanks to Reid Long for directing and to the lead actors Cece Barnes & Dylan Greene for bringing the story to life 🪩”

Lambert wrote “If You Were Mine” with songwriters Jesse Frasure and Ashley Monroe, and had Bridges in mind to record it with. Lambert previously said of the duet: “If (Bridges) hadn’t wanted to cut it, I wouldn’t have released it. So glad he said yes and that it’s here.”

Watch the music video for “If You Were Mine” – here.

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Ashley McBryde shares new song ‘Made For This’

Ashley McBryde has released “Made For This,” the opening track for her highly-anticipated new album, The Devil I Know. To stream Made For This, head here.

Written by McBryde and Travis Meadows, McBryde shares of the song: “Travis Meadows and I wrote ‘Made For This,’ and at the time, I was still touring in a van and he was using his truck, so we definitely had touring and the life of musicians top of mind. But this song reaches beyond that. It’s not just touring musicians and bands and crews who are on the road 200+ days a year who are ‘calling home for a telephone goodnight kiss.’ It’s also members of our military, our truck drivers and those that work long or odd hours sacrificing time with their family. We’re lucky we’re made for this.”

In addition to releasing “Made For This,” McBryde kicked-off Season 2 of her Made For This web series on Monday (July 10).  The show chronicles the journey of McBryde, her band, and crew as they embark on a global tour, taking viewers behind the scenes, on the tour bus, and into their off days. Each episode of Made For This provides an exclusive, insider’s view into the world of a touring musician.

McBryde’s new LP, The Devil I Know, arrives on September 8 and will feature 11 tracks, including the previously released tunes “Light On In The Kitchen,” “Learned To Lie,” “The Devil I Know,” and “Made For This.” To pre-order The Devil I Know, head here.

Ashley McBryde Releases “Made For This” Off Of Upcoming Album, “The Devil I Know”

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‘Vanderpump Rules’ Ariana Madix first contestant revealed for Season 32 of “Dancing With The Stars”

ABC’s Dancing with the Stars returns to network television this fall, and ‘Vanderpump Rules’ star Ariana Madix was revealed on Good Morning America and via Instagram as the first competitor for Season 32. Madix and DWTS judge Derek Hough appeared in the video announcement; the rest of the cast will not be named until the fall.

The news comes more than four months after Madix split from her boyfriend Tom Sandoval, when she discovered he was having an affair with Vanderpump Rules co-star Raquel Leviss. In addition to DWTS, Madix will star in the upcoming Lifetime movie, Buying Back My Daughter, said to be “inspired by actual events of mothers who fight back when their teenage daughters go missing and are sex trafficked online.” Ariana will star along with Meagan Good who serves as the EP of the movie.

This season of DWTS will air live on ABC, and also concurrently stream on Disney+, which was the series exclusive home last season.

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Madonna gives health update, announces rescheduled tour dates

Madonna has shared an update on her ‘Celebration Tour,’ after she experienced a serious medical scare. On Monday, the pop icon revealed on social media a timeline for her rescheduled tour dates, after they were postponed due to a recent hospital stay.

Weeks after she was admitted to a New York City ICU on June 24 to be treated for a severe bacterial infection, the 64-year-old wrote Monday on Instagram: “Thank you for your positive energy, Prayers and words of healing and encouragement. I have felt your love. I’m on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life. My first thought when I woke up in the hospital was my children. My second thought was that I did not want to disappoint anyone who bought tickets for my tour. I also didn’t want to let down the people who worked tirelessly with me over the last few months to create my show. I hate to disappoint anyone.” Madonna said she was focusing on her “health and getting stronger,” adding: “I assure you, I’ll be back with you as soon as I can. The current plan is to reschedule the North American leg of the tour and to begin in October in Europe. I couldn’t be more grateful for your care and support.”

Madonna’s Celebration tour was set to kick off the first of its planned 84 shows on July 15 in Vancouver, with RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen serving as support. Previously scheduled European dates beginning Oct. 14 in London through Dec. 6 will go forward, while all dates in North America set for July-October will be rescheduled.

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1 dead, 15 hospitalized in Chicago after wrong-way crash involving CTA bus

Police confirmed that one woman was killed, and more than 20 others were injured in a fiery collision between a Chicago city bus and an SUV driving the wrong way on Sunday morning.

The woman was a passenger in a Dodge Journey SUV traveling the wrong way in the 4500 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, with two others in the vehicle. According to the Chicago Transit Authority, the SUV hit a number 6 bus as it was heading north just before 6 a.m., causing the car to catch fire.

When first responders got to the scene, they found the vehicle on fire; the Chicago Fire Department tweeted that more than 20 people were triaged at the scene of the crash. The female passenger of the SUV was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, while the male driver of the SUV was hospitalized in critical condition, as well as the third passenger, a woman, also listed in critical condition. The bus driver and 12 passengers were taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries, officials said. None of the victims have been identified and an investigation is ongoing.

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Mass shooting in downtown Cleveland leaves 9 injured

A mass shooting in downtown Cleveland, Ohio early on Sunday left nine people injured. According to reports, police responded after receiving calls of shots being fired at West Sixth Street and Johnson Court at about 2:30 a.m., after the suspect fired into a group of people before fleeing the scene. Victims were hospitalized at MetroHealth Medical Center, with at least one person listed in critical condition.

Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown said in a statement: “Gun violence is devastating Northeast Ohio and Clevelanders deserve to be safe. This epidemic is tearing at the fabric of our communities, and it will not end without significant legislative action.”

Police Chief Wayne Drummond said during a press briefing that the outcomes for the victims would have likely been worse if not for the quick response from police, who provided aid until paramedics arrived, and added that police are interviewing the victims and reviewing video of the incident. Mayor Justin Bibb added: “It truly shows the massive gun problem we have, not just in Cleveland, not just in Ohio, but across this nation. Every weekend we have a large police presence right here in the Warehouse District. Our first responders did a fantastic job to provide aid to all of the victims last night.”

Police are interviewing the victims and reviewing video of the incident. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Cleveland Police Department at 216-623-5318 or leave an anonymous tip with Crimestoppers at 216-25-CRIME. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.

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