Midday Roundup: Jimmy Carter's cancer has spread to his brain

In God’s hands. Former President Jimmy Carter gave more details about his battle with cancer this morning, saying he has melanoma that has spread to his brain. Carter, 90, was scheduled for his first radiation treatment today at the Carter Center in Atlanta, where he gave a news conference. He said he had made peace with his diagnosis. “This is in the hands of God,” Carter said. “I’ll be prepared for anything that comes.”

In memory. Danny Lotz, a former college basketball star and a son-in-law of Billy Graham, died Wednesday. He was 78. Doctors said Lotz’ heart stopped beating while he was swimming in the pool at his home in Raleigh, N.C. Attempts to resuscitate him failed. Lotz was a member of the 1957 University of North Carolina basketball team, which won the national championship following an undefeated season. After college he became a dentist and was known for his volunteer work with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Lotz was married to Anne Graham Lotz for 49 years.

No means no. A coalition of Houston pastors won another round in its legal fight with Mayor Annise Parker over an ordinance that would make sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes. After the Texas Supreme Court ordered the city to put the ordinance to a popular vote, Parker and the city council approved ballot language that violated the city’s charter, the court ruled Wednesday. The original ballot language asked voters whether they wanted to repeal the ordinance. The court ruled the ballot should ask voters to approve or disprove the ordinance. The distinction is important because most Houstonians don’t want the ordinance and will go to the ballot box planning to vote “no,” said Andy Taylor, the pastors’ attorney. If Parker got her way with the ballot language, a “no” vote would have allowed the ordinance to remain in place. Critics say the ordinance would force businesses to let men use women’s restrooms.

Artifact alliance. The Museum of the Bible, now under construction in Washington, D.C., will feature ancient artifacts and treasures from the Middle East under a new deal with the Israel Antiquities Authority. The agreement will bring artifacts excavated in Israel for long-term display in the $400 million museum, which is set to open near the National Mall in 2017. The museum’s founder, Hobby Lobby president Steve Green, already has about 40,000 objects, such as cuneiform tablets dating to the time of Abraham, Torah scrolls, and rare printed Bibles. Green is known for funding conservative and evangelical causes, but organizers say the museum will present different religious viewpoints to visitors.

Ablaze. Wildfires continue to rage on the West Coast. Three firefighters died Wednesday in Washington state after their vehicle crashed near a raging fire. Two hundred active duty soldiers were dispatched this week to help fight some 100 fires burning down the coast from Washington through California. This is the first time in nearly a decade the military has been called to assist firefighters. Drought and heat have combined to make this one of the worst fire seasons in years.

Channel change. Hilton Hotels announced this week it will remove on-demand pornography videos from the TV sets in all its guest rooms. The change came after the National Center for Sexual Exploitation and its supporters lobbied the hotel chain. In its announcement, Hilton stated, “We believe in offering our guests a high degree of choice and control during their stays with us, including Wi-Fi on personal devices,” which could be a side-nod to remind guests they can still stream explicit content over their laptops, phones, and tablets if they want.

Back and forth. North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire along their border this morning. South Korea claimed the North fired first in response to propaganda messages that the South has been broadcasting from loudspeakers near the border. The shelling stopped after South Korea returned fire. But North Korea has pledged further military action if South Korea does not stop its cross-border broadcasts within 48 hours.

WORLD News Group’s Steve Coleman, Leigh Jones, and Kristen Eicher contributed to this report.