July 25, 2024

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Updates from day 293 of the conflict:

• Following yesterday’s speech before a joint session of the U.S. Congress in which he made his case for Israel continuing to prosecute its war against Hamas in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet separately today with U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. [more]
• Israeli military officials say the bodies of five hostages taken and killed by Hamas in the October 7 attacks were recovered yesterday in the Khan Younis region of southern Gaza. Reports say the bodies recovered were of a kindergarten teacher, two reserve soldiers, and two conscript soldiers. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 882 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Hungary has reportedly threatened to block European Union refunds for member states that gave munitions to Ukraine unless Kyiv reverses its recent move to block transit of oil from Russia’s Lukoil company through a pipeline over its territory. [more]

U.S. INFANT MORTALITY | According to data released today by the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, the infant mortality rate in the U.S. rose in 2022 for the first time in 20 years. The agency says there were 5.6 deaths in infants under the age of 1 for every 1,000 live births in the U.S. for the year – a 3% increase from 2021, and that the leading causes of infant death were congenital malformations, disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, unintentional injuries, and maternal complications. [full report] [more]

BIDEN PRESIDENCY | In an 11-minute Oval Office address last night, U.S. President Joe Biden said of his decision to not seek reelection that “the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” called being president the greatest honor of his life, and laid out his priorities for the remaining six months of his time in office. [full speech video and transcript] [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Data firm FactSet says its survey of economic forecasters predict that Commerce Department data due out today will indicate that the U.S. gross domestic product increased at a 1.9% annual rate in the April-June quarter – up from 1.4% annualized growth in the January-March quarter. [more]

OREGON AND IDAHO | Reports say the Durkee Fire, located about 130 miles west of Boise, Idaho, and near the Oregon-Idaho border, has burned nearly 420 square miles as of yesterday and is the U.S.’ largest active wildfire. [more]

U.S. COMMUNICATIONS FUNDING | Calling it a “misbegotten tax,” the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Universal Service Fund fees, which the Federal Communications Commission collects from telecommunications providers to fund telephone service for rural and low-income people and broadband services for schools and libraries, is unconstitutional. [more]

U.S., RUSSIA, AND CHINA | Officials with the North American Aerospace Defense Command say two Russian and two Chinese bombers were intercepted while flying near Alaska yesterday – the first time aircraft from the two countries have been intercepted while operating together. According to a NORAD statement, the bombers did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Officials in the Philippine capital of Manila say the oil tanker Terra Nova sank in Manila Bay early today, raising concerns of a possible major oil spill. Reports note that an oil slick more than 3.5 kilometers long was observed near the location where the tanker sank, but that it is not clear if the oil was from the ship’s engine or from the 1.4 million liters of oil the ship carried as cargo. [more]

TAIWAN | Authorities in Taiwan closed businesses and schools in the territory for a second straight day today amidst flooding and continuing rain from Typhoon Gaemi. [more]

CANADA | Officials from Canada’s Jasper National Park say a wildfire burning in the area since Monday entered the town of Jasper yesterday, destroying multiple structures and damaging town infrastructure. [more]

RUSSIA AND SYRIA | Reports say Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a meeting with President Bashar Assad of Syria yesterday in Moscow, expressed his concerns about rising tensions in the Middle East. [more]

MYANMAR | In what could be among the largest recent defeats for Myanmar’s ruling military junta, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army rebel group claims to have seized control of a major military headquarters in the country’s northern Shan state. [more]

JAPAN | Amidst an aging population and low birth rates, the Japanese Internal Affairs Ministry says Japan’s overall population decreased for the 15th year in a row in 2023. Births in Japan were at a record low of about 730,000 last year and reports note that the government has allocated $34 billion in its 2024 budget to fund incentives for young Japanese couples to have more children. [more]

KOREA | South Korean officials said today that North Korea has sent about 500 balloons carrying trash into the South over the past 24 hours, and blamed the balloons for disrupting flights and for sparking a fire on the roof of a residential building in the Gyeonggi province near Seoul. [more]

PARIS OLYMPICS | In pre-opening ceremony soccer games at the Paris Olympics yesterday, France beat the U.S., 3-0, Morrocco beat Argentina, 2-1, Spain beat Uzbekistan, 2-1, New Zealand beat Guinea, 2-1, Egypt and the Dominican Republic tied, 0-0, Japan beat Paraguay, 5-0, Iraq beat Ukraine, 2-1, and Mali and Israel tied, 0-0. [more]

ANIMATED FILM | According to Nash Information Services, Disney/Pixar's “Inside Out 2” has surpassed 2019’s “Frozen II” to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, having taken in $1.46 billion in the six weeks since being released. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1978, Louise Brown, the first human conceived using in vitro fertilization, was born in England. [more history]