July 14, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 141 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• U.N. officials say Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Istanbul made significant progress yesterday in talks aimed at resuming the shipment of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. [more]
• Ukraine's State Emergency Service says three Russian missiles hit the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia today, killing 12 people and wounding 25 others. [more]
• North Korea today announced that it is formally recognizing the independence of the Russia-backed Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry severed diplomatic ties with North Korea in response to the announcement. [more]

COVID-19 | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration yesterday authorized Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in adults, making it the fourth coronavirus available for use in the United States. The vaccine is not yet available publicly, pending final approval by the CDC's Committee on Immunization Practices, which is scheduled to meet on July 19. [more]

MORE COVID-19 | Japanese health officials say a new wave of COVID-19 infections in the country appears to be spreading rapidly. Tokyo recorded 16,878 new cases yesterday -- the highest level since February. [more]

VIRGINIA | Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency for southwest Virginia's Buchanan County after flooding caused by heavy rains damaged more than 100 homes this week. Officials in the region say 44 people remain unaccounted for, though that number is based on missing-person reports that could be based on relatives attempting to contact area residents where phone service is limited or currently unavailable. [more]

ELECTRONIC SECURITY | Former Central Intelligence Agency software engineer Joshua Adam Schulte was convicted yesterday on federal charges related to the theft of classified information on methods used by the CIA to bypass encryption on electronic devices that was published by Wikileaks in 2017. [more]

ISRAEL | Meetings between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in Israel this week are expected to result in a joint declaration emphasizing military cooperation between the two countries, a confirmation of their commitment to  preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and plans for launching a strategic initiative on high-tech collaboration. [more]

ITALY | Reports say the coalition government of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi risks collapse today after coalition member 5-Star Movement announced that it will not take part in a parliamentary confidence vote. [more]

PACIFIC SECURITY | Leaders of Pacific island nations meeting in Fiji are expected to announce today that they will consult with each other before entering into security arrangements with global powers. The move comes amidst efforts by the U.S. and China to strengthen their influences in the region. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday that the consumer price index rose at the unexpectedly high rate of 9.1% in June, compared to the year-ago period, with almost half of the increase due to higher energy costs. The June monthly CPI increase was the highest since 1981. [more]

INDIA | The United Arab Emirates has pledged to invest $2 billion to develop advanced agricultural food parks in India. The parks will incorporate advanced climate technology in order to help maximize crop yields, according to a joint statement from the UAE, India, the United States and Israel. [more]

PAKISTAN | International Monetary Fund officials say an agreement has been reached to revive a $6 billion aid package for Pakistan that was put on hold over compliance with the terms of the bailout under the government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. [more]

SRI LANKA | Officials in the Sri Lankan commercial capital of Colombo have established a curfew to run through Friday as protests continue in the city against the government's handling of the South Asia nation's economic crisis. Reports say protests appear to be easing amidst President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promise to resign. [more]

CUBA | The U.S. Department of Transportation yesterday approved a request by American Airlines to resume flights to five destinations in Cuba that were stopped in 2019 under Trump administration policies. The flight routes to be resumed are from Miami to Santa Clara, Varadero, Holguin, Camaguey, and Santiago de Cuba. [more]

TRAVEL BUSINESS | Nordic airline SAS says the company's ongoing pilot strike, now in its 11th day, has threatened essential financing and could cause the company to collapse. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 2016, in France's third major terrorist attack in 18 months, a man drove a truck through a crowd of revelers celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing more than 80 people and injuring hundreds. [more history]