[LAUREN KEENAN]
PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLED IT A PERFECT STRIKE.
BUT A NEW INTEL LEAK SAYS IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES WEREN’T WIPED OUT AFTER ALL.
PLUS CUOMO OUT… FOR NOW.
A NEWCOMER TAKES THE CROWN IN NEW YORK’S MAYORAL PRIMARY.
AND THE POLITICAL WORLD DIDN’T SEE IT COMING.
AND A DOOR PLUG BLEW OFF MIDAIR.
NOW, WE KNOW WHY.
WHY THE N-T-S-B SAYS IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
L3: IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM NOT ‘COMPLETELY OBLITERATED’ IN U.S. STRIKES: REPORT
NEW INTELLIGENCE CASTS DOUBT ON CLAIMS THAT U-S AIRSTRIKES WIPED OUT IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
A DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT SAYS —
THE STRIKES SET IRAN BACK ONLY A FEW MONTHS… FAR FROM THE ‘TOTAL OBLITERATION’ CLAIMED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THE REPORT, OBTAINED BY SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE FINDINGS —
APPEARS TO CONTRADICT STATEMENTS FROM TRUMP AND ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.
IT SAYS LAST WEEKEND’S STRIKES ON FORDOW, NATANZ, AND ISFAHAN DID CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE —
BUT THE FACILITIES WERE NOT FULLY DESTROYED.
IN FACT, U.S. INTEL SUGGESTS SOME OF IRAN’S HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM WAS MOVED *BEFORE THE ATTACK —
AND THAT MANY OF THE CENTRIFUGES NEEDED TO PRODUCE WEAPONS-GRADE MATERIAL REMAIN INTACT.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUSHING BACK HARD.
PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT CALLED THE REPORT “FLAT OUT WRONG”… ADDING:
“THE LEAKING OF THIS ALLEGED ASSESSMENT IS A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN PRESIDENT TRUMP —
AND DISCREDIT THE BRAVE FIGHTER PILOTS WHO CONDUCTED A PERFECTLY EXECUTED MISSION
TO OBLITERATE IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.”
“EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DROP FOURTEEN 30-THOUSAND POUND BOMBS
PERFECTLY ON THEIR TARGETS: TOTAL OBLITERATION.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP ECHOED THAT ON TRUTH SOCIAL —
CALLING IT ‘ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY’
AND CLAIMING IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
SPECIAL ENVOY STEVE WITKOFF, SPEAKING TO FOX NEWS , DISMISSED THE REPORT… AND DEMANDED CONSEQUENCES FOR THE LEAK.
STEVE WITKOFF, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY
“It goes without saying that leaking that type of information, whatever the information, whatever side it comes out on, is outrageous. It’s treasonous. So, it ought to be investigated and whoever did it and whoever’s responsible for it should be held accountable.”
WHEN ASKED IF IRAN COULD RESTART ITS NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT PROGRAM WITHIN MONTHS —
WITKOFF CALLED THE IDEA “NOT EVEN CONCEIVABLE.”
HE ALSO SAID THE CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND IRAN — BROKERED BY TRUMP — IS STILL HOLDING, DESPITE REPORTS OF RENEWED FIGHTING.
L3: TRUMP TO SPEAK AT NATO SUMMIT AFTER BIG WIN ON DEFENSE SPENDING
MEANWHILE — PRESIDENT TRUMP IS IN THE NETHERLANDS TODAY FOR A MEETING WITH NATO LEADERS —
THEN HOLDING A SIDELINE SIT-DOWN WITH UKRAINE’S PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY… AND A PRESS CONFERENCE TO FOLLOW.
DURING THE SUMMIT SO FAR — NATO MEMBERS HAVE AGREED TO A MAJOR DEFENSE SPENDING BOOST —
COMMITTING TO SPEND 5% OF G-D-P WITHIN A DECADE — MORE THAN DOUBLE THE CURRENT TARGET OF TWO.
IT’S A MOVE THAT TRACKS WITH DEMANDS TRUMP HAS PUSHED FOR YEARS.
WE’RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS IN ADDITIONAL MILITARY SPENDING EACH YEAR.
UNDER THE PLAN… 3-POINT-5% WOULD GO TO CORE DEFENSE: TROOPS, WEAPONS, AND EQUIPMENT.
THE OTHER 1-POINT-5% WOULD COVER WIDER SECURITY NEEDS: FROM CYBER-DEFENSE TO MILITARY-READY INFRASTRUCTURE.
EVERY NATO MEMBER SIGNED ONTO THE COMMITMENT… EXCEPT SPAIN.
ITS PRIME MINISTER CALLED THE TARGET QUOTE “DISPROPORTIONATE AND UNNECESSARY.”
L3 PROGRESSIVE MAMDANI DEFEATS CUOMO IN NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY
A POLITICAL UPSET IN THE BIG APPLE… DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST ZOHRAN MAMDANI IS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING NEW YORK CITY’S NEXT MAYOR.
THE 33-YEAR-OLD STATE ASSEMBLYMAN SURGED TO THE FRONT IN TUESDAY’S DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY —
PROMOTING FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO TO CONCEDED — JUST FOUR YEARS AFTER RESIGNING IN SCANDAL.
MAMDANI’S SUPPORT IS EXPECTED TO FALL JUST SHORT OF 50% — TRIGGERING RANK-CHOICE TABULATIONS IN JULY.
BUT WITH THIS LEAD, THE OUTCOME LOOKS SEALED.
IT’S A MAJOR WIN FOR PROGRESSIVES.
MAMDANI CAMPAIGNED ON RENT FREEZE, FREE BUSES, AND HIGHER TAXES ON THE WEALTHY.
“TONIGHT WE MADE HISTORY… IN THE WORDS OF NELSON MANDELA.. IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL IT IS DONE.”
IF ELECTED IN NOVEMBER, MAMDANI BECOME THE CITY’S FIRST MUSLIM MAYOR.
L3 NTSB: SYSTEMIC FAILURES AT BOEING, FAA LED TO ALASKA AIRLINES DOOR BLOWOUT
A TERRIFYING MID-AIR FAILURE THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.
THAT’S THE VERDICT FROM THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD —
AFTER A 17-MONTH INVESTIGATION INTO LAST JANUARY’S DOOR PLUG BLOWOUT ON AN ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT.
THE NTSB SAYS FOUR BOLTS — MEANT TO HOLD THE PANEL IN PLACE — WERE SIMPLY MISSING —
AND NO ONE CAUGHT IT BEFORE THE PLANE WAS DELIVERED.
AT A PUBLIC HEARING IN WASHINGTON, NTSB CHAIR JENNIFER HOMENDY (HA-MIN-DY) SAID —
BOEING FAILED TO ENSURE WORKERS FOLLOWED PROPER PROCEDURES, BUT PRAISED THE FLIGHT CREW AS HEROES:
“IN THIS CASE THE CREW KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO, THEY ACTED WITHOUT HESITATION, AND IT SAVED LIVES. AND YET, THE CREW SHOULDN’T HAVE HAD TO BE HEROES. BECAUSE THIS ACCIDENT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.”
THE AGENCY ISSUED 19 NEW SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS –TEN AIMED AT THE FAA, NINE AT BOEING —
AND WARNED THAT A SINGLE BOLT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE BLOWOUT ALTOGETHER.
THE FAA SAYS IT’S ALREADY MADE CHANGES AND WON’T LIFT PRODUCTION CAPS ON BOEING UNTIL IT’S CONFIDENT SAFETY STANDARDS ARE BEING MET.
THE NTSB’S FINAL REPORT IS EXPECTED IN THE COMING WEEKS.
L3 DANGEROUS HEAT WAVE GRIPS EAST COAST, RELIEF IN SIGHT
THE HEAT HAS BEEN RELENTLESS… AND IT’S NOT OVER YET.
AFTER A SCORCHER ON TUESDAY — THE HOTTEST JUNE DAY EVER RECORDED AT JFK AND 99 DEGREES IN CENTRAL PARK —
MILLIONS ALONG THE EAST COAST ARE WAKING UP TO ANOTHER DANGEROUSLY HOT DAY.
HEAT INDEX VALUES TODAY COULD TOP 110 DEGREES FROM WASHINGTON TO BOSTON —
WITH EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS STILL IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE 1-95 CORRIDOR.
AND TONIGHT, CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND PHILLY MAY NOT DROP BELOW 80 — MAKING IT TOUGH FOR THE BODY TO COOL OFF.
RELIEF IS COMING… SLOWLY… AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP.
TEMPS START TO FALL IN NEW ENGLAND TOMORROW, AND BY FRIDAY, HIGH IN SOME AREAS WILL DIP INTO THE 70S.
BUT FOR THE MID-ATLANTIC, THE LOW-TO-MID 90S WILL LINGER INTO THE WEEKEND.
L3: FIRST-TIME FLYERS FROM INDIA, POLAND & HUNGARY LAUNCH TO ISS
FOUR ASTRONAUTS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION … AFTER A TWO-WEEK DELAY.
THE PRIVATE MISSION — FUNDED BY AXIOM SPACE AND LAUNCHED ABOARD A SPACE-X FALCON ROCKET —
INCLUDES ASTRONAUTS FROM INDIA, POLAND, AND EACH NATION’S FIRST CREW MEMBER IN SPACE IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
THEY’RE JOINED BY AMERICA’S MOST EXPERIENCED ASTRONAUT… PEGGY WHITSON.
LIFTOFF FROM NASA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WAS PUSHED BACK BY TWO WEEKS —
DUE TO CONCERNS OVER A LEAK AT THE SPACE STATION.
IN ADDITION TO DOZENS OF EXPERIMENTS, THE CREW PACKED A TASTE OF HOME —
INDIAN CURRY WITH RICE AND MANGO NECTAR…SPICY HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA PASTE…
AND FREEZE-FRIED POLISH PIEROGIES
THEY’RE EXPECTED TO DOCK WITH THE I-S-S TOMORROW MORNING.
THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.
WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
FOR ALL OF US HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS — I’M LAUREN KEENAN.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!