Sunday, April 17th, 2022 

Easter 

The Russian Armed Forces give an ultimatum to the last remaining holdout of Ukrainian troops and “foreign fighters” at the Azovstal iron and steel works plant in Mariupol to surrender. Defenders of the Azov Sea port ignore the ultimatum. (Reuters)  

Around 70 Extinction Rebellion members, including canoeist Etienne Stott and sailor Laura Baldwin, are detained after gluing themselves to a Shell oil tanker near the Marble Arch at Hyde Park in London. (BBC News) 

Six people are killed by Russian missile strikes on Lviv. (Independent) 

For the first time since the invasion began, more Ukrainians entered Ukraine from Poland than left, according to the Polish Border Guard. (BBC News) 

More than 70 Islamic State – West Africa Province militants are killed during airstrikes by Niger and Nigeria at the border between the two countries. (Al Jazeera) 

The government withdraws its ban on foreign cruise ships. (South China Morning Post) 

North Korea says that it tested a new weapon to boost their tactical nuclear capabilities. (BBC News) 

Two teenagers are killed in a mass shooting at a party in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (AP News) 

Myanmar’s military junta pardons 1,619 prisoners in an annual tradition. However, no political prisoners were pardoned. (France24) 

Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Rōki Sasaki is taken out after throwing 102 pitches and eight perfect innings to end his attempt for a second consecutive perfect game, one week after completing his first one. (MLB.com) 

Defenders of Mariupol ‘will be eliminated’ after refusing to surrender, Russian defense ministry says Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Sunday that Ukrainian forces still defending Mariupol “will be eliminated” after they refused an ultimatum to “voluntarily lay down arms and surrender.” The ministry also claimed that the city’s remaining defenders had been forbidden to surrender by “the Kiev nationalist regime.” Ukrainian forces are making what is likely to be a final stand inside Mariupol’s large steel plant. If the city falls, Russia will control an unbroken “land bridge” connecting separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine with Crimea. CNN 

Ukraine might be running out of artillery rounds, U.S. official warns Ukrainian forces defending their country against Russian invasion could face shortages of ammunition — especially artillery rounds — once Russia begins its expected offensive in eastern Ukraine, a U.S. official said Saturday. President Biden announced last week that the U.S. is sending Ukraine 40,000 artillery rounds as part of an arms shipment, but that might only last them a few days. Even as much of the Russian invasion force has stopped fighting to regroup, Ukrainian forces are still reportedly firing thousands of artillery rounds per day, a number that will likely increase when Russia’s new offensive begins. CNN 

Kim Jong Un observes test of new tactical nuke North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed a test of a new type of short-range guided tactical nuclear weapon on Saturday, North Korean state media said Sunday. South Korea said its northern neighbor launched two projectiles, which flew about 70 miles and landed in the sea. “The new-type tactical guided weapon system … is of great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units and enhancing the efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes,” the Korean Central News Agency reported. Last month, Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, said North Korea would use nuclear weapons in response to an attack from South Korea. REUTERS 

Arm Ukraine to stop global food crisis, German agriculture minister says Cem Özdemir, Germany’s agriculture minister and a member of the country’s Green party, said during the weekend that he has received “alarming news from Ukraine, where Russian troops are apparently also deliberately destroying agricultural infrastructure and supply chains.” These disruptions, Özdemir argued, could lead to global food shortages, as Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat. In order to prevent this crisis, the West must support “Ukraine with additional, more effective weapons,” Özdemir said. THE KYIV INDEPENDENT 

Ukraine asks G7 for $50 billion to cover budget shortfall Ukraine has asked the G7 countries for $50 billion to help cover the war-torn country’s budget deficit, said Oleh Ustenko, the economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Sunday. The World Bank projected last week that Ukraine’s economy is expected to shrink by 45.1 percent in 2022 as a result of Russia’s invasion. The Group of Seven is made up of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan, with the participation of the European Union. Russia joined the G7 in 1998 but had its membership suspended in 2014 in response to the annexation of Crimea. REUTERS 

Five people to split $50,000 reward for helping police catch NYC subway shooter The $50,000 reward police offered for information leading to the arrest of the New York City subway shooter will be split five ways, the NYPD announced Saturday. Frank James, 62, was arrested Wednesday in Manhattan’s East Village after allegedly shooting 10 people on a subway platform the previous day. On his social media accounts, James frequently espoused Black extremist ideology and called for violence against white people. According to James’ lawyers, the suspect called a police hotline to turn himself in. THE GUARDIAN 

Saturday, April 16th, 2022 

Ukraine uses facial recognition to send photos of dead Russian soldiers to their families Ukraine’s IT Army, a government-directed force of volunteer hackers, is using facial recognition software to identify dead Russian soldiers and send photos of the corpses to their families. In a Telegram video reminiscent of those produced by the hacker group Anonymous, IT Army accused the Russian military of “leaving their dead comrades on the battlefield to rot.” The distorted voice narrating the video goes on to claim that Russia’s “first Chechen war was stopped by Russian mothers” and implored Russian to “Stop killing your children now.” The software — and training on how to use it — has been provided to Ukraine free of charge by Clearview AI CEO Hoan Ton-That. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Russian missile strikes hit Kharkiv, killing one person. (Reuters) 

Zelensky: Possible Russian nuclear weapon use should be a concern for ‘all of the world’ The world should be prepared for Russia to use nuclear weapons in its war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday. In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Zelensky said, in CNN’s summary, Russian President Vladimir Putin “could turn to either nuclear or chemical weapons because he does not value the lives of the people of Ukraine,” adding that the threat of Russia using such weapons is “a question not only for Ukraine but for all the world, I think.” The U.S. and other Western countries are already investigating claims that Russian forces may have used chemical weapons in Mariupol. President Biden has warned of a NATO military response if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine. CNN 

A restaurant operated by the World Central Kitchen is destroyed by the missile strike. (The Hill) 

It is reported that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has visited Kyiv in an effort to revive peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. (Bloomberg.com) 

The Russian Air Force launches airstrikes on Kyiv. (CTV News) 

One person is killed and six others injured after an oil tanker explodes east of Hong Kong. (Al Jazeera) 

Russia’s foreign ministry bans Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and 11 other British senior politicians from entering Russia. (BBC News) 

Japan’s Ministry of Defense reports that it scrambled fighters to intercept foreign military aircraft 1,004 times in 2021, in 722 of these cases the foreign aircraft were from the People’s Republic of China. (The Diplomat) 

President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele announces that 12,169 gang members have been arrested since the state of emergency began on March 27. (Europa Press) 

A mass shooting at a shopping mall near Columbia, South Carolina, United States injures 12 people. (The Guardian) 

Riots between Hindus and Muslims during a Hanuman Jayanti ceremony in Delhi, India leave several people injured. (Reuters) 

Rioting in Sweden continues for a second day after the far-right Hard Line party led by Rasmus Paludan organized a Quran burning event in Landskrona. (AP) 

Chinese astronauts Ye Guangfu, Wang Yaping and Zhai Zhigang of the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft land successfully in Inner Mongolia after spending 183 days in space. During the spaceflight, Wang Yaping became the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk. (Al Jazeera) 

In American football, the United States Football League kicks off their inaugural season with the Birmingham Stallions defeating the New Jersey Generals 28–24, marking the return of the USFL for the first time since the 1985 season. (CBS Sports) 

South Korean professional golfer Kim Hyo-joo wins the 2022 LPGA Lotte Championship. (France 24) 

Biden administration to resume selling leases for drilling on federal land The Biden administration announced Friday it would resume selling leases for oil and gas drilling on federal land, albeit at a higher cost to energy companies and with less available land. Royalties will increase from 12.5 percent to 18.75 percent of the value of any oil or gas extracted, while the acreage available for drilling leases has been reduced by around 80 percent from the amount previously under evaluation. President Biden announced a moratorium on new drilling leases on federal land the day he took office, but a federal judge halted the moratorium in June after 13 states sued. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Dozens of Palestinians wounded in clash with Israeli police at Al-Aqsa Mosque Israeli security forces entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem early Friday as thousands of Palestinians were gathered for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. Medics with the Red Crescent say at least 117 Palestinians were wounded in the ensuing melee, some by rubber-coated bullets or stun grenades and others beaten with batons. Israel said three officers were wounded from “massive stone-throwing.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said officers were responding to dozens of masked men who had marched to the compound early Friday and started gathering stones in anticipation of violence, and “police were forced to enter the grounds to disperse the crowd and remove the stones and rocks, in order to prevent further violence.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Biden administration grants temporary protection to immigrants who fled war-torn Cameroon The Biden administration on Friday announced it would be offering up Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to Cameroonian immigrants in the United States. The designation will allow immigrants to work and live legally in the U.S. for 18 months without fear of deportation. It does not, however, make them eligible for permanent residency or citizenship. In making its decision, the Department of Homeland Security cited the “years-old conflict between the Cameroonian government and armed separatist groups in the country’s Anglophone regions in the west,” as well as a surge in attacks by Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram. About 40,000 Cameroonian immigrants are expected to qualify for TPS. CBS NEWS 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stops secondary inspections at border after bipartisan backlash  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Friday he had ended his policy of having state troopers conduct secondary inspections of trucks crossing from Mexico into Texas. The policy, enacted on April 6, snarled truck traffic at the border and led to a protest by Mexican truckers on Monday that halted trade at some major border crossings. It also subjected Abbott to sometimes blistering criticism from businesses on both sides of the border, Mexican state and federal governments, the White House, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Democratic gubernatorial rival Beto O’Rourke, and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R), among many others. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Twitter board turns to ‘poison pill’ to stop Elon Musk takeover Twitter announced Friday that its board had voted unanimously to adopt a limited duration shareholder rights plan, also known as a “poison pill,” to stop billionaire Elon Musk from taking over the company. Earlier this month, Musk bought more than 9 percent of the company, but declined to take a board seat. Instead, he offered Thursday to buy the rest of the company for $43 billion. Under the poison pill plan, which will last for one year, shareholders will be allowed to buy additional shares at a discount if any person or group acquires more than 15 percent of Twitter’s stock without board approval.CNBC 

$518,000 sale of Tom Brady’s ‘last touchdown’ football voided after un-retirement Sports memorabilia website Lelands confirmed on Friday that the sale of what would have been the ball with which quarterback Tom Brady threw his final touchdown pass has been voided. The ball was sold at auction in March for $518,000 after Brady announced he would retire at the end of his 22nd NFL season. But just one day after the sale was made, Brady said he wouldn’t retire after all — raising the question of what would happen with that sale considering the ball no longer carries the same significance. Now that the sale has been voided, Lelands plans to sell the ball privately. One expert estimates its value at around $50,000. TMZ 

The End  

Monday,  April 11th, 2022 

Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins dies at 24 Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was fatally hit by a dump truck as he tried to cross South Florida’s Interstate 595 on foot, local police said Sunday. He was 24. Haskins was a Heisman Trophy finalist at Ohio State in 2018. He served as a reserve with the Steelers last season and re-signed with the football team in March. The Florida Highway Patrol said Haskins had been walking on the highway near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport “for unknown reasons” when he was struck and killed shortly after 6:30 a.m. Saturday. He had been in South Florida working out with running back Najee Harris and other teammates. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement that he was “devastated,” describing Haskins as one of the team’s “hardest workers,” and a “great teammate.” CNN 

Most Americans blame Putin for gas prices More Americans blame Russian President Vladimir Putin than President Biden for high gasoline prices, according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll released Sunday. Seventy-one percent of respondents said Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine disrupted oil markets, was responsible for a “great deal” or a “good amount” of the price increases. Sixty-eight percent said oil companies were largely to blame; 51 percent said the same about Biden, who has called the surge “Putin’s price hike.” Fifty-two percent said Democratic policies shared much of the blame, while 33 percent and 24 percent faulted Republican policies and former President Donald Trump, respectively. Oil executives told Congress last week that the coronavirus pandemic also was a factor, but not price gouging. ABC NEWS 

The Dnipro International Airport is completely destroyed by Russian missile strikes. Five people are injured. (Reuters) 

Civilians flee eastern Ukraine ahead of Russia offensive Civilians rushed to leave eastern Ukraine on Sunday as invading Russian forces shifted away from efforts to take the capital, Kyiv, and other areas in the north, and focused on a renewed push to take the southeastern port city of Mariupol and the contested eastern region of Luhansk. Satellite images released by the U.S. space technology firm Maxar Technologies showed an eight-mile convoy of Russian military vehicles heading through eastern Ukraine. European countries have started reopening embassies in Kyiv since Russian forces gave up on taking the city. After a series of setbacks, Russia appointed a new Ukraine war commander, Gen. Alexander Dvornikov, 60, a U.S. official said Sunday. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova says that 1,222 bodies have been discovered so far in Kyiv Oblast. (Times of Israel) 

A mass grave of Ukrainian civilians is discovered near the village of Buzova, Kyiv Oblast. (Radio Free (Reuters) 

China shares drop amid shutdowns The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index of mainland Chinese stocks dropped nearly 4 percent on Monday as coronavirus lockdowns in Shanghai and other parts of China caused severe supply-chain disruptions. The broader Hang Seng average closed down 3 percent; the Hang Seng Tech index tumbled more than 5 percent. Electric carmaker Nio closed down by 8 percent after it said it would have to postpone deliveries after suppliers in Shanghai and other areas had halted production “one after the other.” Shanghai’s lockdowns amid a coronavirus surge have halted economic activity in China’s most populous city and biggest onshore financial hub since April 1. FINANCIAL TIMES 

Macron headed for runoff with far-right rival Le Pen French President Emmanuel Macron will face far-right rival Marine Le Pen in a rematch of their 2017 presidential-election runoff, according to Sunday projections based on preliminary ballot counts published by French polling agencies. Shortly after voting closed, Macron was projected to get 28.5 percent of the vote, with Le Pen close behind with 24.2 percent thanks to a late surge fueled by dissatisfaction with rising prices, and security and immigration problems. Political analysts credited the anti-NATO Le Pen’s performance to the appeal of her conservative politics as the war in Ukraine fuels nationalist currents across Europe. Despite a lackluster campaign, Macron is favored to win the April 24 second round. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Cheney denies Jan. 6 panel divided over Trump criminal referral Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Sunday disputed a New York Times report that members of the Jan. 6 House select committee are divided on whether to make a criminal referral for former President Donald Trump to the Justice Department. The panel has said it has gathered sufficient evidence to ask DOJ to consider whether to charge Trump with obstructing a congressional proceeding and conspiring to defraud the American people by insisting, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen from him through voter fraud, and urging his supporters to fight to prevent lawmakers from certifying his loss to President Biden. “There’s not really a dispute on the committee,” Cheney told CNN’s Jake Tapper.  THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Biden administration to release ghost-gun rule The Biden administration is preparing to release its long-awaited rule on ghost guns, privately made firearms without serial numbers that are been used in an increasing number of violent crimes, The Associated Press reported Sunday, citing three people familiar with the matter. The White House could announce the rule as soon as Monday. The Biden administration has been under mounting pressure to take action to curb gun deaths. The rule has been going through the federal regulatory process for a year, as gun-safety groups and Democratic lawmakers pushed for its release. Gun-rights groups are expected to challenge it in court. Nearly 24,000 ghost guns were recovered at crime scenes from 2016 to 2020. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron wins the first round with 28.1% of the vote and will face Marine Le Pen, who has obtained 23.3% of the vote, in the second round on April 24. (elDiario.es) 

Pakistan lawmakers set to elect new leader after Khan’s ouster Pakistan’s parliament is set on Monday to elect and swear in the successor of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote early Sunday. Khan’s critics accuse him of mismanaging the economy. The leading contender to replace him was Shahbaz Sharif, a brother of disgraced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and head of the largest party in a broad opposition coalition that includes groups on the left as well as radical religious parties. Khan’s backers, who accused Washington of orchestrating their leader’s ouster, walked out of parliament shortly before the vote, in which 174 lawmakers in the 342-seat body voted to remove him, barely securing the simple majority required. Khan’s nominee for prime minister was his foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Texas prosecutor drops charges in abortion arrest case The Starr County, Texas, district attorney’s office said Sunday it was dropping murder charges against 26-year-old Lizelle Herrera, who was arrested in the border county over what authorities called a “self-induced abortion.” The Starr County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement last week that Herrera was charged for “intentionally and knowingly causing the death of an individual by self-induced abortion.” Activists on both sides of the abortion debate were unsure what law Herrera was being accused of violating, because despite measures Republican lawmakers have pushed through to limit abortion access, the procedure is still legal. The district attorney’s office said the case was “not a criminal matter.” THE WASHINGTON POST 

American professional golfer Scottie Scheffler wins the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. This win is Scheffler’s first win at the tournament. (CBS Sports) 

Scheffler wins 2022 Masters Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 ranked golfer, won the 2022 Masters on Sunday. It was his first career major title. Scheffler, 25, shot a 1-under-par 71 in the final round to finish the tournament at 10 under, three strokes ahead of second-place finisher Rory McIlroy, who tied the Masters final record with a 64. Scheffler finished with a double bogey on No. 18. As the only player to break par in all four rounds of the tournament, he had plenty of cushion to hold onto the lead. Tiger Woods, making a comeback 14 months after a devastating car accident, finished with his second straight 6-over 78 to tie for 47th place. USA TODAY 

Musk decides not to join Twitter board in reversal Tesla CEO Elon Musk has decided not to join Twitter’s board, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal tweeted Sunday. A week ago, the social media company had said in a regulatory filing that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who recently bought a 9 percent stake in Twitter, would join the board and had agreed not to acquire more than 14.9 percent of Twitter’s stock. Musk, who has suggested that Twitter doesn’t allow enough free speech, had vowed to help “make significant improvements to Twitter.” Agrawal said Sunday the reversal was “for the best” but warned of “distractions ahead,” adding that Musk is “our biggest shareholder and we will remain open to his input.” Twitter shares fell 8 percent in pre-market trading. CNNCNBC 

‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ dominates box office Sonic the Hedgehog 2 led the weekend box office, hauling in a strong $71 million domestically in its opening weekend. The Sonic sequel broke the record for the biggest debut for a video-game movie, surpassing the $58 million record set by the first Sonic film’s three-day debut, which came before the coronavirus pandemic kept audiences away from movie theaters. The sequel’s opening was the second-biggest domestic opening weekend of 2022, after The Batman. It was the latest in a series of strong showings for Paramount Pictures films, following Scream, Jackass Forever, and The Lost City. The new Universal thriller Ambulance didn’t fare as well, bringing in just $8 million. VARIETY 

The End