July 29, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 156 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Russian military officials say at least 40 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed and 75 others injured today when Ukrainian shelling hit a prison in the separatist-held town of Olenivka in the eastern Donetsk region. Ukrainian officials have denied the Russian claim. [more]
• British intelligence reports say the Russian private military company Wagner has been given responsibility for specific front-line operations against Ukrainian forces and that the involvement could indicate a significant shortage of combat infantry troops in Russia's military. [more]
• Ukrainian officials say at least five people were killed today in a Russian missile strike on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv. [more]

FLOODING | Regions of eastern Kentucky, western Virginia, and southern West Virginia have experienced flash floods and mudslides this week after days of heavy rains, prompting emergency declarations and extensive rescue efforts. Governor Andy Beshear has deployed the National Guard to aid in relief efforts in Kentucky, where at least eight people have died in the flooding. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | The Commerce Department estimated yesterday that the U.S. gross domestic product decreased at an annual rate of 0.9% in the second quarter of 2022, following a decrease of 1.6% in the first quarter, and that the smaller decrease in the second quarter primarily reflected an upturn in exports and a smaller decrease in federal government spending. [more]

U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS | In a two-hour call yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed a variety of topics, including the status of Taiwan, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global supply chains, climate change, and health security. [more]

SEMICONDUCTORS | The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act that was approved by the Senate earlier this week. In addition to subsidizing domestic semiconductor manufacturing, the bill, which President Biden is expected to sign into law in the near future, provides funding for expanding the National Science Foundation’s work and establishing regional technology hubs to support tech start-ups. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | The U.S. Postal Service announced this week that it is creating a new division, the Election and Government Mail Services, to handle election-related mail and ensure timely and secure delivery of ballots. [more]

MAINE | The Maine Department of Environmental Protection says greenhouse gas emissions in the state were 25% lower in 2019 compared to 1990 levels and that the reduction was attributable largely to lower carbon fuels, increased efficiencies, and increased use of renewable sources of energy. [more]

MONKEYPOX | San Francisco Mayor London Breed yesterday declared the city's monkeypox outbreak to be a local health emergency. San Francisco has recorded a total of 281 cases of the disease in the current outbreak. [more]

EUROPEAN ECONOMY | The European Union statistics agency, Eurostat, reports today that annualized inflation in the 19 countries that use the euro rose to 8.9% in July, up from 8.6% in June. [more]

SYRIA | The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 17 people were killed and dozens wounded this week in fighting between armed residents and gangs aligned with government security agencies in the southern Syrian province of Sweida. [more]

SOUTH AMERICA | Colombia and Venezuela have jointly announced plans to re-establish diplomatic relations between the two South American countries after years of tension by naming ambassadors and diplomatic and consular officials in their respective capitals starting August 7. [more]

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT | The United Nations General Assembly voted yesterday to recognize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The non-binding resolution calls on all nations, international organizations, and businesses to improve efforts to ensure a healthy environment for all people. [more]

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY | In a paper published yesterday in the journal Science, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provided details on a newly developed stamp-sized device that sticks to skin and can provide continuous ultrasound imaging of internal organs for up to 48 hours. [more]

U.S. BANKING | The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined U.S. Bank $37.5 million yesterday for illegally opening customer accounts without their permission over a period of more than 10 years. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1836, the Arc de Triomphe, one of the largest triumphal arches in the world, was officially inaugurated in Paris. [more history]