July 27, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 154 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian forces are reported to have struck the strategically important Antonivskyi Bridge across the Dnipro River overnight in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. The bridge, which had reopened following previous damage, is a key logistics and supply route for Russian forces in the area. [more]
• Ukrainian officials say Russian missiles fired from long-range bomber aircraft hit private buildings and port infrastructure in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions of southern Ukraine overnight. [more]
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was presented with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award yesterday by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. [more]

U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS | U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to speak tomorrow for the first time in four months. The talks come amidst increasing tension over China's claims on Taiwan. [more]

JANUARY 6 | Washington, D.C. resident Mark Ponder, 56, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison yesterday for assaulting police with poles during the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. capitol. The sentence matches the longest given to any defendant so far in trials related to the January 6 attacks. [more]

U.S. WEATHER | A record-setting heatwave continues to affect the U.S. Pacific Northwest, with both Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, experiencing all-time highs for the day yesterday. Portland reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 Celsius) on Tuesday, and Seattle reached 94 F (34.4 C). The heatwave is expected to last through the rest of the week. Amidst high temperatures nationwide, the Biden administration yesterday launched a new website, heat.gov, which includes heat maps, forecasts, and related health advice. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | The Federal Reserve, in a move aimed at battling high inflation, is widely expected to raise its key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point today. [more]

CALIFORNIA | The wildfire threatening portions of Yosemite National Park in California's Mariposa County has been about 26% contained, with increased humidity and lower temperatures helping with the firefighting efforts, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire has destroyed more than 40 homes and burned more than 18,000 acres, according to reports. [more]

BENGHAZI | The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to the four Americans killed in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. If approved by the Senate and President Biden, the bill would award the congressional honor to U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, State Department employee Sean Smith, and two contract security offices and former Navy SEALs, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods. [more]

U.K. RAILWAYS | An estimated 40,000 railway workers seeking improvements in pay and working conditions are taking part in a 24-hour strike today across Britain. Reports say only about one-fifth of rail services across the country are expected to run during the strike. [more]

TRAVEL | A one-day strike by ground staff of German airline Lufthansa has resulted in more than 1,000 flights being cancelled today, with travel through the Lufthansa hubs of Frankfurt and Munich being the most affected. [more]

SPACE | Yuri Borisov, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, announced yesterday that Russia intends to withdrawal from the International Space Station after 2024 and that it will concentrate on building its own orbital space station. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Authorities say at least four people were killed and dozens of others injured when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines' northern Abra province today. [more]

GLOBAL ECONOMY | The International Monetary Fund yesterday projected global economic growth will slow to 3.2% in 2022, cutting the outlook by 0.4 of a percentage point from its April forecast. [more]

MEDICAL RESEARCH | Reuters reports that the U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into biotech company Cassava Sciences over possible manipulation of research results on the company's experimental Alzheimer's drug. [more]

OPIOID CRISIS | Drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday that it will pay $4.3 billion in cash and medications to settle lawsuits in state and local jurisdictions that claim the company contributed to the U.S. opioid crisis. [more]

SEMICONDUCTORS | The U.S. Senate is expected to pass a $280 billion bill today to accelerate high tech research and boost semiconductor production in the United States. The House is expected to take up the bill later this week. [more]

SOCCER | England beat Sweden, 4-0, yesterday to advance to the final of the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 tournament. England will play the winner of today's match between France and Germany in the final on Sunday. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1953, the armistice agreement ending the Korean War was signed at Panmunjom in central Korea. [more history]