Thursday, 14 July 2022

The U.S. and Israel jointly pledge to deny Iran nuclear arms

Thursday, July 14, 2022

by Linda Noakes

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Here's what you need to know.

Biden savors his Israel trip ahead of a high-wire Saudi visit, a fresh COVID wave sweeps Asia, and Hyundai takes on Tesla

Today's biggest stories

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid participate in a bilateral meeting in Jerusalem, July 14, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

WORLD


U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear weapons, closing ranks after long-running disputes between the allies over global diplomacy with Tehran. Israel embraced Biden as an old friend at the start of a high-stakes visit to the Middle East which sees him fly to Saudi Arabia tomorrow.

Russian missiles struck the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia far behind the frontlines in an attack which Ukrainian officials said had left at least 17 people dead. The strike came a day after a breakthrough in talks between Moscow and Kyiv to unblock Ukrainian grain exports. Here's what you need to know about the conflict right now.

A new wave of coronavirus infections is rapidly spreading through Asia, prompting warnings for residents from New Zealand to Japan to take precautions to slow the outbreak and help prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed. We explain why the COVID BA.5 variant is reinfecting so many people.

For the third time this summer, Shanghai issued its highest alert for extreme heat as temperatures appeared set to test records in China's most populous city. In Europe, thousands of firefighters battled more than 20 blazes that raged across Portugal and western Spain amid a heatwave that pushed temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius in some parts.

Sri Lanka's main city, Colombo, was calm as people waited for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, although a curfew was imposed and troops patroled the streets to prevent any outbreak of violence.

Painted stones are placed at a memorial outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, July 13, 2022. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal

U.S.

A surveillance video showing a long delay by Texas police and federal agents before they acted to stop the mass shooting at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School shows that their response was "indefensible," Senator Ted Cruz said. The publication of the edited video by the Austin American-Statesman outraged the families of the victims.

An Ohio man has been charged with raping a 10-year-old girl who later traveled to neighboring Indiana for an abortion, a case that Biden highlighted in criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating a nationwide right to abortion.

Republicans in Congress are lining up behind legislation that critics say would roll back protections for transgender people, setting a playbook for action on a divisive social issue should they take control of Congress this fall.

Texas's power grid operator took emergency measures to avoid rolling blackouts as soaring electricity demand threatened to outpace available supplies amid a stifling heatwave. But don't blame the weather for the Texas power shortages, says Reuters market analyst John Kemp.

The United States successfully tested two Lockheed Martin hypersonic missiles recently, the Pentagon said, amid growing concerns Russia and China have had more success developing their own hypersonic weapons.

People buy food at a local market in downtown San Francisco, California, July 13, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

BUSINESS & MARKETS

The U.S. Federal Reserve is seen ramping up its battle with 40-year high inflation with a supersized 100 basis points rate hike this month after a grim inflation report showed price pressures accelerating. But U.S. gasoline prices are finally falling, giving some relief to consumers in the world's largest user of the fuel.

Europe's single currency dropped below parity against the dollar for the first time in almost 20 years, battered by growing recession fears in the euro area. Here's why the euro's fall matters, and why its fate is now with energy markets.

U.S. crypto lender Celsius Network said it had filed for bankruptcy in New York, becoming the latest victim in the cryptocurrency sector of a dramatic plunge in token prices.

Hyundai launched its first electric sedan, Ioniq 6, which the South Korean automaker is betting will help it grab a bigger share of the electric vehicle market dominated by Tesla.

Scandinavia's SAS said a pilot strike now in its 11th day threatened the airline's ability to access bridge financing without which it may be forced to radically downsize or could collapse.

Taiwan's TSMC forecast revenue growth that could be the highest in 10 quarters, saying it was "highly confident" about its long-term prospects and touted demand for high-tech chips used in 5G networks and artificial intelligence.

BREAKINGVIEWS

Agenda-setting financial insight from the international commentary brand of Reuters

Read Gina Chon on how scorching U.S. inflation obscures patches of shade, Yawen Chen on China's property crisis entering a dangerous next phase, and Jonathan Guilford on why FOMO will be private equity’s saving grace

Quote of the day

"I think this message is a little alarming. Quite frankly, there's so many other things going on to worry about"

Lauren Hurwitz

New York realtor

New York City ad on surviving a nuclear attack raises eyebrows

Video of the day

The snake-like robot for hard-to-reach rescues

Researchers in Japan have developed a snake-shaped robot that can climb up high steps, navigate through narrow spaces and even give you a leg massage.

And finally…

Surfing scientists hunt microplastics

Mounted on paddle boards or kayaks with special trawling nets attached to them, scientists and volunteers crisscross the waters just off Barcelona's beaches collecting unsightly algae mixed with tiny pieces of plastic.

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