July 17, 2023 - All the News You Missed Today

Grain deal failures, bridge attacks, underground climate change, another Trump loss, and much more

Today is July 17, 2023, and here is all of the news you need to know about:

1) Russia pulls out of the Black Sea Grain Deal

Today, the Russian Government announced that it will let the Black Sea Grain Deal expire this month. The grain deal essentially lifted the blockade in the Black Sea, allowing boats to come into and leave Ukrainian ports. Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of grain, and Russia’s decision not to renew the deal will exacerbate the global food crisis and raise costs for individuals around the world. Learn more about Russia’s decision here.

2) Major attack on the Kerch Bridge in Crimea

This morning, the Kerch Bridge, which connects occupied Crimea to mainland Russia was hit with a missile strike. The Russian Government has blamed Ukraine calling the attack a “terrorist attack” and vowing to investigate and retaliate. The Ukrainian Government has taken responsibility for the attack. This is what the bridge currently looks like following the strike:

The strike caused significant damage on the 3.7 billion dollar bridge, and one-way traffic will not resume until September, while two-way traffic will not resume until November. Learn more about this strike and Russia’s response here.

3) New Alzheimer’s study released

A new study, shared at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference and published Monday in the organization’s journal, shows that Alzherimer’s disease is most prevalent in the Southern and Eastern regions of the United States. A map showing the results of the study can be found here:

If you want to read the entire report, check it out here.

4) China’s Foreign Minister has vanished from the public

China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang has not been seen in public for three weeks, and experts are now claiming that this is an unusually long absence. Despite all the questions surrounding where the Minister is, the Chinese Government has yet to provide any explanation to date. Learn more about Minister Gang and what might have lead to his vanishing here.

5) Underground climate change in Chicago

We’ve seen the impacts of climate change on our daily lives, but a new study published by the Journal of Communications Engineering shows that we are experiencing climate change underground too. According to this study, underground climate change can lead to several issues including groundwater contamination, problems with underground railways, and even potential effects on civil infrastructure.

6) Judge blocks Iowa abortion ban

An Iowa judge has temporarily blocked the state’s new six-week abortion ban, making abortions legal in Iowa up to 22 weeks in a pregnancy, for now. This ruling will be appealed to a higher court. Learn more about the impacts of this ruling here.

7) Major Tesla settlement

Today, Tesla directors agreed to settle a lawsuit over compensation for $735 million. The settlement concerns a lawsuit filed by a retirement fund, which holds Tesla stock. The fund challenged stock options granted to Tesla directors beginning in June 2017. The settlement does not impact Elon Musk’s 56-billion dollar compensation package. That case went to trial last year, and a ruling is expected soon. Learn more about this settlement and its implications here.

8) The United States deploys fighter pilots to Middle East

In response to Iranian activities in the Strait of Hormuz, the United States Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, to the Middle East. This comes after two recent incidents where the Iranian military attempted to seize merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Learn more here.

9) Donald Trump loses at the Georgia Supreme Court

The George Supreme Court unanimously denied Donald Trump’s petition to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the pending investigation into election interference in Georgia. The Court also denied Trump’s attempt to scrap the special grand jury report. Indictments in Georgia are likely coming soon, and Trump has become increasingly nervous in recent weeks. See the order for yourself here:

This ruling is significant. DA Willis is preparing to issue indictments as soon as August, and this was Donald Trump’s last ditch attempt to end her investigation. With indictments in New York and South Florida already under his belt, it is becoming increasingly likely that Georgia will be added to the mix soon.

10) Big pop culture divorce

In pop culture news, Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello have announced plans to divorce after eight years of marriage.

Those are all the big stories from today that you need to know about.

I hope you enjoyed reading all of the news you missed from today. If you liked this newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber to support my work!

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