1. U.S. SWIMMER LOCHTE NABS GOLD
Mere hours after the London Olympics officially kicked off with a lavish Opening Ceremony, China's Yi Siling became the games' first gold medal winner, emerging victorious in the women's 10-meter air rifle shooting event. Poland's Sylwia Bogacka won the silver, and China's Dan Yu took bronze. On Saturday, American swimmer Ryan Lochte easily won the gold in the 400-meter individual medley, finishing more than three seconds ahead of silver medalist Thiago Pereira (Brazil) and bronze medalist Kosuke Hagino (Japan). American swimming legend Michael Phelps, who had medaled in his last 16 Olympic races, and won gold in 14 of them, finished fourth, and only barely managed to make the final race at all after struggling in the morning's preliminary swim. [Yahoo News, Reuters]
………………………………………………………………………………
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
2. SYRIAN REBELS REQUEST HEAVY ARMS
Syria's government helicopters shelled the key city of Aleppo, and nine people were killed on Sunday. Syrian opposition leaders appealed to foreign allies to send heavy weapons to fight President Bashar al-Assad's "killing machine." "The rebels are fighting with primitive weapons. We want weapons that we can stop tanks and planes with. This is what we want," Abdelbasset Sida, head of the Syrian National Council said. Meanwhile, neighboring country Jordan has opened its first tent camp for Syrians fleeing the bloody battle. [Guardian, Associated Press]
………………………………………………………………………………
3. ROMNEY VOWS TO PROTECT ISRAEL FROM IRAN
Continuing his three-country tour, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will speak in Jerusalem's Old City, and pledge to help protect Israel from Iran's nuclear weapons. "Make no mistake: The Ayatollahs in Tehran are testing our moral defenses. They want to know who will object, and who will look the other way," Romney will say according to speech excerpts released by his campaign. [USA Today]
………………………………………………………………………………
4. WOMAN INJURED IN AURORA SHOOTING MISCARRIES
Ashley Moser, a pregnant woman who was critically wounded in the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting on July 20, has suffered a miscarriage. Moser's 6-year-old daughter was killed in the massacre that occurred while moviegoers watched The Dark Knight Rises at a midnight screening. Moser suffered gunshot wounds to her neck and abdomen. A family member has said they hadn't told Moser about her 6-year-old daughter's death. [USA Today]
………………………………………………………………………………
5. TOKYO PROTESTERS DECRY NUCLEAR POWER
Thousands of demonstrators in Tokyo have descended on Japan's parliament to demand a ban on nuclear power. Two nuclear reactors were restarted earlier this month, for the first time since the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster last year. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has said it is necessary to restart the reactors to prevent power outages. [Voice of America]
………………………………………………………………………………
6. REPORT: APPLE CONSIDERS STAKE IN TWITTER
According to people briefed on the matter, Apple has talked with Twitter in recent months to discuss making a strategic investment in the social media company. While Apple has had huge success selling its smartphones and tablets, it has made little headway in the social networking arena, "which has become a major engine of activity on the web and on mobile devices." Apple is reportedly considering an investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars, one that could value Twitter at more than $10 billion, up from an $8.4 billion valuation last year. [New York Times]
………………………………………………………………………………
7. JESSE JACKSON JR. AT MAYO CLINIC
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) has been transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and is now being treated for gastrointestinal issues in addition to the mood disorder his staff has said he is receiving treatment for. The announcement marked the first time Jackson's precise whereabouts have been pinned down since he took a secretive leave of absence on June 10. The gastrointestinal issues, experts say, are a clear sign his condition has become more complicated. [Associated Press]
………………………………………………………………………………
8. N.H. MAN MAY HAVE 'INFECTED THOUSANDS' WITH HEP C
David Kwiatkowski, a former lab technician at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire, who was indicted last week for infecting 31 people with Hepatitis C, may have infected "tens of thousands" of patients in at least 13 hospitals. Kwiatkowsi, who tested positive for the viral disease in June 2010, had allegedly been stealing syringes of the anesthetic Fentanyl intended for patients, injecting his own arm and then refilling those empty syringes with another liquid-like saline, according to a statement from the United States Attorney's Office in New Hampshire. [ABC News]
………………………………………………………………………………
9. CNN CHIEF JIM WALTON TO STEP DOWN
CNN worldwide President Jim Walton says he will step down from the news network on Dec. 31. The once-dominant cable channel has struggled to regain its high ratings in recent years. A search will begin immediately for Walton's replacement. [Reuters]
………………………………………………………………………………
10. MODERN FAMILY CAST REACHES SALARY DEAL
After salary negotiations led to a lawsuit, and the cancellation of a table read for the first episode of the upcoming fourth season, the six adult actors on ABC's top-rated comedy Modern Family have agreed in principle to new contracts with producer 20th Century Fox Television. Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, and Sofia Vergara will make something in the range of $150,000 to $170,000 per episode, up from $65,000 they had been earning. Ed O'Neill, who had been making $105,000 per episode in season 3, will also receive an increase to equal the pay his castmates will receive. [Hollywood Reporter]
