Russia announced it is pulling out of the Ukrainian grain agreement, and severe storms pummeled the Northeast. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Monday, July 17, 2023.
Russia pulls out of Ukrainian grain deal
Russia has announced it has halted its deal to allow grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The deal was struck in 2022, after Russia had begun its invasion of Ukraine, in order to avoid a global food crisis.
The announcement came just hours after a section of the key bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland exploded. Russia blamed the explosion on Ukraine, calling it a terrorist act.
Two people were killed and another was injured. While the Ukrainian military suggested the attack could’ve been Russian provocation, Ukrainian media said Ukraine’s security service used sea drones to blow up the portion of the bridge.
This is the second time the bridge has been targeted in recent months. Ukraine was behind another bombing last October.
Crimea serves as a major hub for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Access to the bridge is vital for Russian supplies.
More than 10,000 flights disrupted by severe storms
More than 10,000 flights were disrupted by severe weather across the northeastern United States. More than 2,500 flights have been canceled and nearly 8,000 more delayed, according to flight tracking data.
Jetblue has been significantly impacted, with 27% of its flights canceled and 43% delayed. The Federal Aviation Administration released a statement that said slow-moving thunderstorms were to blame.
5 dead, 2 missing in Pennsylvania flash flooding
Severe storms also created deadly flood waters in Pennsylvania over the weekend. In Bucks County, just outside Philadelphia, eleven cars were surrounded by fast-moving water that was five-feet deep.
Five people died after getting caught in flash flooding. One of the people who died was a mother. Her baby and toddler are still missing.
Over the last month, some parts of the Northeast have seen triple their average rainfall.
“This is possibly our new normal,” Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said Sunday, July 16. “This is the kind of weather that even what should normally be a beautiful beach going Sunday in July can turn into a devastating catastrophe because of mother nature.”
Suspect in Georgia mass shooting killed
A mass shooting in Georgia ended with four people killed and the suspected gunman dead following a shootout with police. Authorities say officers were able to track down 40-year-old Andre L. Longmore Sunday, one day after the deadly rampage.
Three officers were wounded during the exchange of gunfire. The injured officers are expected to recover.
The mass shooting took place in the community of Hampton, about 40 miles south of Atlanta. The names of the victims have not been released. A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
AAA pulls back Florida coverage amid hurricane season
Right in the midst of hurricane season, some Florida residents have been dropped from their insurance companies. Big-name insurance companies like AIG, All State and State Farm have stopped taking on new customers in certain high-risk states like Florida and California.
Last week, Farmers Insurance announced it was pulling out of the Sunshine State. Days later, AAA said they were following suit by not renewing home or auto insurance policies for some of its Florida residents.
More trouble at Twitter
In a reply responding to business advice, Twitter owner Elon Musk revealed that the social media company is losing cash because of a 50% drop in advertising, as well as a heavy debt load. Musk added that Twitter needs to reach a positive cash flow before the company has “the luxury of anything else.”
Musk, who acquired Twitter last fall in a $44 billion deal, stepped down as the company’s CEO in May. Earlier in July, Twitter got some new competition in the form of Meta’s platform called Threads.
In its first week, Threads reached 100 million downloads. Twitter responded by threatening legal action against Meta.
