July 18, 2024

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Update from day 286 of the conflict:

• The Israeli parliament voted 68-9 today to approve a resolution that rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state, with supporters saying such a state would pose “an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region.” [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 875 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• A total of 190 prisoners of war – 95 from each side – were exchanged by Russia and Ukraine yesterday in the third such swap in the past two months, following negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | Former President Donald Trump is expected to accept the Republican party’s presidential nomination tonight at the culmination of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. [more]

NEW MEXICO | State lawmakers in New Mexico are scheduled to convene for a special legislative session today to consider proposals from Gov. Michelle Grisham aimed at addressing high crime rates and other issues, including crimes involving guns, panhandling, homelessness, and involuntary detention and treatment for mental health problems and addiction. [more]

BIDEN HEALTH | The White House announced yesterday that President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while in Las Vegas, Nevada, and that he was experiencing “mild symptoms” from the infection. Biden will “self-isolate" and "continue to carry out all of his duties” at his home in Delaware while the infection runs its course. [more]

U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE | Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $5 billion in federal grants yesterday to replace or improve 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 U.S. states. The grants are funded by 2021’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law. [press release] [more]

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT | The House Oversight and Accountability Committee issued a subpoena to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle yesterday, compelling her to appear for testimony at the first congressional hearing into last weekend’s attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. [more]

U.S. AND RUSSIA | A second closed-door hearing in the espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich took place today in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 and charged with spying for the United States, which he, the Wall Street Journal, and the U.S. government deny. According to reports, the court has announced that final arguments in the trial will take place tomorrow. [more]

EUROPEAN COMMUNITY | Some 45 heads of government are expected to attend a European Political Community summit today hosted by newly elected U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Blenheim Palace. Migration, support for Ukraine, and the upcoming U.S. presidential election are expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]

HAITI | A day after a second contingent of 200 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti to assist in suppressing widespread gang violence, Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille, in a televised address yesterday, acknowledged how dangerous life in the capital city of Port-au-Prince has become, and ordered the Caribbean nation’s gangs to surrender their weapons. [more]

KENYA | Government authorities in Kenya banned protests in the central parts of the capital Nairobi yesterday, saying criminal gangs had infiltrated ongoing anti-government demonstrations in which, according to reports, at least 50 people have been killed in the past month. [more]

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | Protests took place in the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo yesterday ahead of the expected final legislative approval of the Caribbean nation’s new criminal code that would, among other things, keep in place the country’s total abortion ban, reduce penalties for sexual violence within marriage, and exclude sexual orientation from the list of characteristics protected from discrimination. [more]

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT | The 720-seat European Parliament is scheduled to vote today on whether to grant Ursula von der Leyen a second five-year term as president of the European Union’s executive commission.. [more]

GREECE | Amidst an ongoing heat wave across southern Europe, authorities in Greece temporarily closed the Acropolis – the country’s most popular cultural attraction – for several hours yesterday due to concerns over heat-related injuries. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | In a ruling confirming an earlier Seoul High Court decision, South Korea’s Supreme Court said today that same-sex partners in the Asian nation are eligible for spousal benefits from state health insurance. [more]

BASKETBALL | The U.S. Olympic basketball team beat Serbia, 105-79, last night to improve to 3-0 in its slate of five exhibition games ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics. [more]

MORE BASKETBALL | Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark set a new WNBA record of 19 assists in a single game last night in the Fever’s 101-93 loss to the Dallas Wings. [more]

DINOSAURS | Auction house Sotheby’s says the nearly complete fossilized remains of a stegosaurus were sold to an anonymous buyer in North America yesterday for $44.6 million, setting a new auction record for dinosaur fossils. [more]

EMMY AWARDS | Among the top nominees announced yesterday for this year’s Emmy Awards were “Shogun” and “The Bear,” which received 25 and 23 nominations, respectively. [full nomination list] [more]

SPACE | Citing cost increases, delays to the launch date, and the risks of future cost growth, NASA yesterday announced the discontinuation of its VIPER moon rover project, which was supposed to have launched on a mission to explore the moon’s south pole in late 2023. Reports say about $450 million had been spent on the project prior to yesterday’s cancellation. [press release] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1976, Nadia Comăneci of Romania, for her performance on the uneven parallel bars at the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastics event. [more history]