July 17, 2023

UKRAINE | Today is day 508 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Russia announced today that it will withdrawal from the U.N.-brokered deal allowing the shipment of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports, effective tomorrow, July 18. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia will return to the deal once its related concerns over the shipment of Russian food and fertilizer are met. [more]
• Russian officials in the annexed Crimea region have blamed Ukraine for an explosion today that damaged the 12-mile-long Kerch Bridge - a key military supply route that connects Crimea to the Russian mainland. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Four people were killed early Saturday when a man identified as 40-year-old Andre Longmore opened fire on residents of the Dogwood Lakes neighborhood in Hampton, Georgia. Longmore was killed in an exchange of fire with police on Sunday, during which three police officers were wounded. [more]

NEW YORK | Authorities in New York charged Long Island architect Rex Heuermann, 59, with murder Friday in connection with the deaths of three of 11 victims in a string of killings between 2009 and 2011 that became known as the Gilgo Beach murders. [[more](Rex Heuermann)]

U.S. POLITICS | Reports say Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign for the Republican presidential nomination began reducing staff levels late last week to reduce expenses. [more]

U.S. NORTHEAST | Heavy rains continued across large parts of the northeastern U.S. over the weekend, causing another round of floods, power outages, and travel disruptions. Authorities in Pennsylvania say at least five people were killed, and two others remain missing, after flash floods swept away several cars in Upper Makefield Township in Buck County on Saturday. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is in Beijing today for talks with his Chinese counterpart aimed at urging China to reduce its reliance on coal and to set targets on methane emissions. [more]

PAKISTAN AND IRAN | Reports say Pakistani and Iranian military leaders have agreed to increase cooperation and intelligence sharing to prevent attacks by separatist militants along their shared border. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | Reports say at least 40 people have died in flooding and landslides in South Korea since July 9, including at least 13 who died Saturday when more than a dozen vehicles were trapped in a tunnel that filled with water during a flash flood. Heavy rains are expected to continue today across large parts of the country. [more]

CHINESE ECONOMY | Chinese National Bureau of Statistics spokesman Fu Linghui said today that Beijing will adjust its economic policies to stabilize growth after new data showed that the nation's economy grew at a lower-than-expected annual rate of 6.3% in the April-June quarter. [more]

E.U. AND LATIN AMERICA | At a summit of European Union and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States leaders today in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the E.U. is planning an investment of some 45 billion euros in Latin America and the Caribbean. [more]

SPAIN | Authorities in Spain's Canary Islands say at least 4,000 people have been evacuated after a wildfire broke out in the northern part of the island of La Palma on Saturday. Reports say the fire has affected more than 11,000 acres and that about 300 firefighters are involved in fighting the blaze. [more]

E.U. AND TUNISIA | Following a meeting between E.U. and Tunisian leaders yesterday in Tunis, both sides announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding aimed at reducing irregular migration and increasing economic ties. [more]

EGYPT | Reports say at least nine people were killed when a five-story apartment building collapsed in Cairo, Egypt, today. Four other people were hospitalized due to injuries from the collapse, according to the state-run MENA news agency. [more]

TENNIS | Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic in five sets yesterday to win the 2023 Wimbledon men’s final. On Saturday, Marketa Vondrousova beat Ons Jabeur to win the women’s final at Wimbledon. [more]

SOCCER | Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami franchise introduced soccer legend Lionel Messi as its newest player yesterday. Reports say Messi’s deal with Inter Miami is worth between $125 million and $150 million over two and a half seasons. [more]

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE | "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $56.2 million in receipts, followed by "Sound of Freedom," and "Insidious: The Red Door." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1945, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Harry S. Truman met at the Potsdam Conference, the last Allied summit conference of World War II. [more history]