July 26, 2023

UKRAINE | Today is day 517 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Reports cite U.K. officials as saying they have information that Russia has laid new explosive mines in the Black Sea since withdrawing from the U.N.-brokered deal allowing the export of Ukrainian grain from regional ports and that Russia’s military may start targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea suspected of shipping Ukrainian grain products. [more]
• Russia’s lower house of parliament approved measures yesterday that would raise the maximum age for military conscription from 27 to 30 and implement restrictions on leaving the country for those who receive draft notices. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | A federal judge yesterday blocked a Biden administration immigration policy that allows the denial of asylum requests from migrants who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first applying online or in a country through which they pass. The order was put on hold pending an appeal by government immigration authorities. [more]

UPS | The Teamsters union and UPS reached a tentative contract agreement yesterday, averting a potential strike by the shipping and delivery company’s 340,000 union employees over pay and work scheduling issues. The agreement will still need to be approved by union members. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | The Federal Reserve is expected to raise its key interest rate today to about 5.3% — the highest level in 22 years and the Fed’s 11th rate increase since March 2022. Reports say most economists predict this will be the Fed’s final rate increase in its current fight against inflation. [more]

LEGACY ADMISSIONS | The U.S. Department of Education has reportedly opened a civil rights investigation into Harvard University’s legacy admissions practice in response to a complaint that the school “discriminates on the basis of race by using donor and legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions process.” [more]

U.S. POLITICS | Reports say Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis’ campaign has recently cut about a third of its staff amidst financial pressures and campaign strategy issues. [more]

FLORIDA | The sea water surface temperature at Manatee Bay, Florida, had preliminary readings above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) for two straight days earlier this week, according to reports — a potential global high record. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Reports say more than 15,000 people have been evacuated, power is out in many regions, and there is widespread flooding today in the northern Philippines as Typhoon Doksuri struck the area with sustained winds of 175 kph (109 mph) and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph). [more]

NIGER | Reuters cites security sources as saying that military vehicles blockaded the presidential palace in Niger’s capital of Niamey today, raising fears of a military coup similar to those that have taken place in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020. [more]

NETHERLANDS | Dutch coast guard officials say a freight ship carrying more than 2,800 cars is burning out of control today off the Dutch island of Ameland in the North Sea. The crew of the vessel has been evacuated and reports say the cause of the fire is currently unknown. [more]

INDIA | India’s parliament today authorized a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government amidst opposition party efforts to force Modi to address concerns about ethnic clashes in the northeastern Manipur state, where more than 130 people have been killed since early May. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Environmental officials in Australia say work is continuing today to save the surviving members of a pilot whale pod that beached themselves on the southern tip of Western Australia’s shore on Tuesday. Reports say 45 of the nearly 100 whales are still alive. [more]

ITALY | The Italian government is expected to declare a state of emergency today for the southern island of Sicily, where firefighters have battled hundreds of wildfires this week and three people have died due to the blazes. [more]

CAMBODIA | Hun Sen, the autocratic leader of Cambodia since 1985, announced today that he intends to step down as prime minister next month and turn over power to his oldest son, Hun Manet. [more]

JAPAN | Data released yesterday by Japan’s Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry shows that all 47 Japanese prefectures had a decline in population in 2022. The overall population in Japan, including foreign residents, fell about 511,000 in 2022 to 125.41 million. [more]

BASKETBALL | The NBA’s Boston Celtics have reportedly agreed to a new five-year contract with star wing Jaylen Brown worth up to $304 million — the richest contract in NBA history. [more]

NFL | The Los Angeles Chargers have reportedly signed quarterback Justin Herbert to a five-year, $262.5 million contract extension, making Herbert the highest-paid player in the NFL by annual salary. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1775, the U.S. Postal Service was established by the Second Continental Congress, and Benjamin Franklin was named the first postmaster general. [more history]