Populations of countries
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022
‘It’s now or never’ to meet climate goals Keeping global heating to the critical level of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels will require preventing greenhouse gas emissions from increasing after 2025 at the latest, according to a report released Monday by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “It’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C,” IPCC Working Group III co-chair Jim Skea said in a statement accompanying the report. “Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.” The 1.5-degree goal set in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change marks the point at which climate experts say the world will reach a tipping point where even small additional changes could trigger dramatic shifts in ecosystems. CNBC
U.S., allies to impose new sanctions on Russia The United States and its allies on Wednesday plan to announce new sanctions against Russia to “impose significant costs” over its invasion of Ukraine, an administration official told CNN. The new package of penalties to be imposed by the U.S., the European Union, and the Group of Seven industrialized nations will ban new investment in Russia and increase sanctions against Russian financial institutions and state-owned companies. It also will target Russian President Vladimir Putin’s adult children. The U.S. also has been considering expanding sanctions on Sberbank, Russia’s largest financial institution, and another large lender, Alfa Bank, the official said. The move comes amid international outrage over revelations of atrocities allegedly committed by Russian forces in northern Ukraine. CNN
Zelensky challenges U.N. to take forceful action against Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations Security Council in a Tuesday videoconference that Russian forces had committed war crimes in parts of Ukraine they recently left, likening them to Islamic State terrorists. “They cut off limbs, cut their throats,” Zelensky said. “Women were raped and killed in front of their children.” Zelensky, citing gruesome images of alleged atrocities in the town of Bucha, challenged the U.N. to take forceful action and kick Russia off the Security Council. Diplomats called for investigating Bucha civilian deaths that have ignited global outrage, but Russia’s Security Council veto prevented them from doing anything. Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, told the council Ukraine’s evidence that Russian troops killed civilians in Bucha was “fake.” THE WASHINGTON POST
Oklahoma lawmakers approve bill to make performing abortions a felony Oklahoma’s Republican-controlled legislature approved a near-total abortion ban on Tuesday. The bill seeks to make it a felony to perform an abortion “except to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.” A violation would carry a prison term of up to 10 years and a $100,000 fine. Oklahoma is the latest Republican-led state to pass new abortion restrictions, setting up opportunities for the Supreme Court’s newly strengthened conservative majority to roll back abortion rights guaranteed by the Roe v. Wade decision. Oklahoma’s bill, which Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) is expected to sign, came after the state became a destination for women from Texas seeking legal abortions after their state banned the procedure after six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Ivanka Trump testifies to Jan. 6 committee Ivanka Trump, former President Donald Trump’s daughter and former White House adviser, testified virtually Tuesday before the select House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The committee’s chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), said Ivanka Trump “came in on her own” without the need for a subpoena, and was helpful but not “chatty” during the interview. Ivanka Trump was one of the aides closest to her father as a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol trying to prevent lawmakers from certifying Trump’s loss to President Biden in the 2020 election. She is the first of Trump’s children to speak to the committee. Her husband and fellow former White House adviser Jared Kushner testified days before her. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Obama returns to White House to push health-care reform Former President Barack Obama returned to the White House for the first time in five years on Tuesday to join President Biden as he signed an executive order telling federal agencies to find ways to improve Medicare and the Affordable Care Act. Biden also called for lowering costs of the federal health insurance programs. Biden called the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement, the “most consequential piece of legislation” since the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. The Biden administration announced it would close the “family glitch,” which blocks Obamacare premium assistance to people getting health care through a relative’s work. Republicans accused Biden of trampling Congress’ authority. AXIOS
Another GOP lawmaker who backed Trump impeachment announces retirement Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) announced Tuesday that he would retire instead of seeking re-election in this year’s midterms. Upton, one of the longest-serving GOP House members, is one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump for allegedly inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. He said in a statement that the nation cannot “tolerate any effort by any president to impede the peaceful transition of power.” Upton is now the fourth of the 10 Republicans who voted for impeachment to retire, after Reps. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), John Katko (R-N.Y.), and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). Trump endorsed state Rep. Steve Carra, who was going to challenge Upton in the primary but dropped out, then backed Rep. Bill Huizenga, who Upton would have had to beat in a newly drawn district. POLITICO
Biden to extend pause on student loan payments President Biden plans to extend a pause on federal student loan payments until Aug. 31, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing an administration official briefed on the matter. This will be the sixth delay on making people resume payments since the policy was enacted more than two years ago to help people manage the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Without another extension, payments are scheduled to resume in less than a month for tens of millions of borrowers. Seven million people have avoided collection steps, including paycheck garnishments, during the pause. The administration official said the latest delay will be announced this week. Progressive politicians and activists want the debt forgiven altogether. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Sacramento police make more arrests connected to mass shooting Sacramento police said Tuesday they had arrested two brothers and a third man in connection with a mass shooting that left six people dead and 12 injured on Monday night. The first of the men, 26-year-old Dandrae Martin, was arrested Monday. His brother Smiley Martin, 27, was arrested on Tuesday. Smiley Martin, who had been named as a person of interest in the mass shooting, was among the people injured in the violence outside two crowded nightclubs. He remained in a hospital under police custody, but once he’s well he will later be booked into Sacramento County jail for “possession of a firearm by a prohibitive person and possession of a machine gun.” The third suspect, Daviyonne Dawson, 31, also was arrested on a gun possession charge. LOS ANGELES TIMES
‘I-65 Killer’ identified after 30 years The Indiana State Police said Tuesday they had identified the “I-65 Killer” more than 30 years after he sexually assaulted and murdered three women working at motels along the highway. The agency said investigators used investigative genealogy, which enters crime scene DNA to genealogy databases to find offenders’ genetic relatives, to identify the late Harry Edward Greenwell as the person they suspect with 99-percent certainty in the 1987 and 1989 murders of Vicki Heath, Margaret “Peggy” Gill, and Jeanne Gilbert at Days Inns in Kentucky and Indiana. Another woman survived a sexual assault at the Days Inn in Columbus, Indiana, and gave a description of the attacker to police. Greenwell died of cancer in 2013 at age 68. CNN
Tiger Woods plans to play in Masters Tiger Woods said Tuesday that “as of right now” he plans to play in this week’s Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. If he competes, it will be his first competition since he almost lost his right leg in a serious car accident 14 months ago. “My recovery has been good,” Woods said. Woods has won 15 majors, and he would be trying to tie Jack Nicklaus with his sixth Masters green jacket, the most ever. He said after a practice round with his son Charlie and good friend Justin Thomas that he isn’t worried from a “golf standpoint,” but walking the course will be a difficult challenge. “You know, 72 holes is a long road,” he said. ESPN
Twitter adds Elon Musk to its board Twitter is appointing Tesla CEO Elon Musk to its board, the social media company announced Tuesday. Musk, the world’s richest person, has acquired a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter, a regulatory filing revealed Monday. That makes him Twitter’s largest individual shareholder. Musk has agreed not to acquire more than 14.9 percent of Twitter shares or attempt a takeover, the Securities and Exchange Commission filing said. Musk said he was excited to work with the board to make “significant improvements” to Twitter. Like Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and CEO Parag Agrawal, he has suggested reshaping social networks by shifting power from companies to users, giving people more control over what they see in their feeds. CNN
JetBlue offers to buy Spirit Airlines in $3.6 billion deal JetBlue Airways has offered to buy budget carrier Spirit Airlines in an unsolicited $3.6 billion deal, Spirit said Tuesday. JetBlue said merging the two companies would position it “as the most compelling national low-fare challenger to the four large dominant U.S. carriers by accelerating JetBlue’s growth,” which would encourage Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines to drop fares. JetBlue said the offer, which amounts to a 50 percent premium over Spirit’s recent closing price, was “superior” to the ongoing merger effort involving Spirit and low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines. Frontier said JetBlue’s offer “would lead to more expensive travel for consumers.” THE WASHINGTON POST
Tuesday, April 5th, 2022
Astronomers announce the discovery of K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb, an exoplanet that is said to resemble Jupiter. The discovery was made using the now-retired Kepler space telescope. (ScienceAlert)
Chinese authorities extend the lockdown in Shanghai after more than 13,000 people test positive for COVID-19. (NBC News)
China expands Shanghai COVID lockdown China on Tuesday extended Shanghai’s coronavirus lockdown to cover the financial hub’s entire population of 26 million after city-wide testing found daily new cases surging to more than 13,000. The broadening restrictions came as residents of China’s largest city were already expressing anger over the lockdown. Outside experts warned the campaign’s economic cost would be huge. China has brought in at least 38,000 personnel from other regions in what state media called the country’s biggest medical operation since the Wuhan shutdown in early 2020. Thousands of Shanghai residents who have tested positive have been confined to “central quarantine” facilities whether they are symptomatic or not, with children sometimes separated from their parents. REUTERS
Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden expel over 100 Russian diplomatic staff from their countries. Latvia closes the Russian consulates in Daugavpils and Liepāja, while Estonia closes the Russian diplomatic facilities in Narva and Tartu. These actions come as a reaction to the newly revealed Bucha massacre. (Politico)
A protester is seen recreating a photo of a dead man, captured during the massacre in Bucha, at the Kremlin Palace. (DNYUZ)
Biden doubles down on Putin war-crime allegation President Biden on Monday called for putting Russian President Vladimir Putin on trial for war crimes over Ukraine’s report that it found mass graves and streets littered with dead civilians in areas where Russian troops had just withdrawn. “He is a war criminal,” Biden said of Putin. “But we have to gather information, we have to continue to provide Ukraine with the weapons they need to continue to fight.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky toured the town of Bucha, where dead civilians were found face down in the streets, and urged the media to “show the world what happened here.” European leaders called for tougher sanctions against Russia. Moscow denied targeting civilians and accused Ukraine of “stage-managed anti-Russian provocation.” LOS ANGELES TIMES
U.S. seizes Putin ally’s superyacht The U.S. government on Monday seized a 254-foot superyacht owned by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Members of Spain’s Civil Guard and U.S. federal agents took over the $120 million vessel in a marina in the port of Palma de Mallorca, the capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Vekselberg heads the Moscow-based Renova Group, a conglomerate that handles metals, mining, tech, and other assets. The Justice Department got the warrant to take the yacht from a federal judge in Washington, arguing that it should be forfeited for bank fraud, money laundering, and sanctions violations. All of the Ukrainian-born Vekselberg’s assets in the U.S. have been frozen. POLITICO
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker apparently ‘fake-eloped’ in Vegas Elvis has left the chapel, but not before officiating a (possibly fake) Kardashian wedding. On Tuesday, TMZ reported Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker tied the knot in Las Vegas after attending the Grammys. The report said the couple got married at a wedding chapel at about 1:30 a.m. on Monday, and the wedding was officiated by an Elvis impersonator. “It was important to them that an Elvis impersonator officiate,” TMZ wrote, without specifying why. Later on Tuesday, though, Page Six reported they’re actually “not legally married” because they never got a marriage license. “They had a ceremony, but on paper it’s not legal yet,” an insider told Page Six — so the report concluded they simply “fake-eloped in Vegas for fun.” As you do! TMZ‘s original report said they have “several” other celebrations planned after Vegas “with lots of fanfare.” We wish them the best with their fake wedding reception and fake honeymoon. TMZ
Hailey Bieber says she’s not pregnant: ‘Leave me alone’ Baby, baby, baby, no! Hailey Bieber is shutting down speculation she’s pregnant with her first child with Justin Bieber, as fans recently claimed following her appearance at the Grammys. The model walked the Grammys’ red carpet with her husband, and after the show, RadarOnline shared a headline on Instagram referencing speculation she’s expecting a child based on the ” flowing gown” she wore. But Bieber shot this down, commenting, “I’m not pregnant leave me alone.” Justin Bieber has said he wants to have as many kids “as Hailey is wishing to push out,” though she says she’s in no rush. Earlier this year, she told The Wall Street Journal she’s “still super, super young” and is focused on “all the things I want to accomplish in my business.” She added, “Definitely no kids this year; that would be a little bit hectic, I think.” E! NEWS
Daisy Ridley is ‘coming out of social media hibernation’ There has been an awakening on Daisy Ridley’s Instagram page. The Star Wars actress has returned to social media years after quitting at the height of sequel trilogy mania. “Coming out of social media hibernation refreshed, recharged, and ready for what I’m calling my ‘Year of Yes,’” she captioned a photo of herself drinking tea. Ridley, who played Rey in the new Star Wars movies, used to be relatively active on Instagram. But she deleted her account in 2016 after backlash over a post speaking out against gun violence, and she later swore she’d never return. Her co-star Kelly Marie Tran also quit social media due to online harassment. Years later, Ridley is giving Instagram another shot — though if she’s assuming the Star Wars fan community has gotten any less vitriolic since she left, we have some bad news. PEOPLE
A Dominica-flagged vessel is hit by artillery from the Russian Navy. One person is injured but all crew members are successfully evacuated. (Reuters)
Human Rights Watch says that the Malian military and mercenaries from the Wagner Group massacred over 300 civilians in the town of Mourrah during a nine-day counter-insurgency operation in March. (The Guardian)
Militants raid a community of nuns in Kaya, Sanmatenga Province, Burkina Faso, kidnapping an American. (Reuters)
At least 15 people are killed and more than a dozen others are injured in an attack at a military base in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
A UN peacekeeper from Nepal is killed in Djugu territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by suspected militia members. (Reuters)
The trial of Ali Kushayb, one of the suspects in the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, begins at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Kushayb pleads not guilty. (Deutsche Welle)
President Pedro Castillo imposes a curfew in Lima amid protests against inflation caused by rising fuel and fertiliser costs. (BBC News)
The European Commission launches disciplinary proceedings against Hungary under the newly-upheld conditionality mechanism that could block funds over rule-of-law concerns if the shortcomings do not prevent misuse of EU funds. (Politico)
Two Iranian clerics are stabbed to death at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. Another cleric is injured. (Radio Free Europe)
Senate breaks deadlock on Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation The Senate voted Monday night to break a deadlock and bring Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate. Three Republicans — Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Mitt Romney (Utah) — joined Democrats in the 53-47 vote, clearing Jackson to be confirmed later in the week as the first Black woman to serve on the high court. She also will be the first justice to have served as a public defender. Collins last week became the first Republican to say she would support Jackson’s confirmation. Murkowski and Romney said Monday they would support her, too. Romney said in a statement that he had “concluded that she is a well-qualified jurist and a person of honor.” THE HILL
Lawmakers agree to deal on COVID funding Congressional negotiators reached a deal Monday on providing $10 billion in additional funding for the U.S. COVID-19 response, The Washington Post reported, citing four people familiar with the deal. A clash over global aid threatened to block an agreement, so it was excluded. The White House, which originally requested $22.5 billion, has warned that it needs lawmakers to approve more funding to protect Americans from new variants that could emerge anywhere in the world. Democrats had proposed $10 billion in U.S. funding and $5 billion for the global coronavirus response. The deal Democrats worked out with Republican Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) would use repurposed money allocated in previous stimulus packages. NPR
Colorado governor signs law guaranteeing abortion rights Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Monday signed a bill affirming abortion rights in the state. “Colorado has been, is, and will be a pro-choice state,” he said. Colorado’s Reproductive Health Equity Act guarantees access to reproductive health care before and after pregnancy; declares that fertilized eggs, embryos, and fetuses have no independent rights; and prohibits local governments from enacting their own abortion restrictions, The Associated Press reported. The state approved the law as several Republican-run states were tightening abortion restrictions, setting up a challenge of abortion rights at the Supreme Court. “No matter what the Supreme Court does in the future,” Polis said, “people in Colorado will be able to choose when and if they have children.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
3 GOP states sue Biden administration over ending pandemic border policy Missouri, Arizona, and Louisiana filed a lawsuit Monday against the Biden administration over its decision to end the Title 42 policy that lets the government promptly expel migrants at the southern border in the name of fighting the spread of COVID-19. The three Republican-led states argued that lifting the policy, which was imposed by former President Donald Trump and continued by President Biden, would “create an unprecedented surge at the border” that will overwhelm immigration officials. The Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly emphasized that Title 42 was always intended as a public health measure, not part of U.S. immigration policy. THE HILL
Jury selection begins in Parkland school shooting sentencing trial Jury selection began Monday in the death-penalty trial of Nikolas Cruz, who is accused of killing 17 students and staff members at a Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018. Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October, so the jury will only determine whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole. Eighteen people in the first pool of 60 prospective jurors remained after they were asked whether they could serve in a trial expected to last from June to September. Two more groups also were set to be screened. The prospective jurors still under consideration will return in several weeks for questioning about their views on capital punishment, and whether they could judge Cruz fairly. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas beats North Carolina in NCAA title game comeback The Kansas Jayhawks beat the North Carolina Tar Heels 72-69 to win the NCAA men’s basketball national championship on Monday, storming back after trailing by 15 points at halftime in the biggest comeback in title game history. The Jayhawks took a 56-50 lead midway through the second half thanks to a 36-10 rally, but the Tar Heels never gave up. A tip-in by Brady Manek gave North Carolina a 69-68 lead with 1:41 left. Kansas big man David McCormack put his team ahead 70-69 with a put-back with a minute remaining, then scored again with 20 seconds left. Kansas got the ball back but turned it over with four seconds remaining, but Carolina’s Caleb Love missed a final three-pointer. USA TODAY
Dimon says JPMorgan could lose $1 billion on Russia JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned Monday that the bank could lose $1 billion over time from its Russia exposure due to fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Dimon did not provide a timeframe, but said much of the damage could stem from the conflict’s secondary damage on companies and other countries. He said the United States should step up its military presence in Europe and work on an energy security plan for the U.S. and its allies who have long relied on Russian oil and gas. “America must be ready for the possibility of an extended war in Ukraine with unpredictable outcomes. We should prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” he wrote in an annual letter to shareholders. REUTERS
Fortnite raises $144 million for Ukraine relief Epic Games announced Monday that it had raised $144 million for Ukraine relief through its wildly popular online game Fortnite. The company announced in March that it would donate all proceeds generated through the game from March 20 through April 3 to help provide relief to Ukrainians suffering due to Russia’s invasion of their country. The money will go to Direct Relief, UNICEF, UN World Food Program, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and World Central Kitchen. “They are on the ground providing emergency aid, including health support, food and clean water, essential supplies, legal aid, and shelter,” Epic Games said. Xbox pledged to donate all Fortnite proceeds generated via the Microsoft Store during this time to Ukraine relief, as well. THE VERGE
Monday, April 4th, 2022
China reports 13,146 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total of new cases since the height of the pandemic in Wuhan in February 2020. (France 24)
Zelensky accuses Russia of ‘genocide’ Ukraine’s prosecutor-general said Sunday that authorities had recovered the bodies of 410 civilians in Kyiv-area towns retaken from Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “genocide” after his government reported a massacre in the town of Bucha northwest of the capital, Kyiv. European leaders expressed outrage over photos of corpses, some with their hands bound behind their backs. Germany’s defense minister, Christine Lambrecht, said the European Union should consider responding to the atrocities by banning Russian gas imports. Human Rights Watch said it had documented “several cases” of war crimes by Russian soldiers. Russia’s defense ministry “categorically” denied Ukraine’s allegations, calling them “yet another provocation” by the Ukrainian government. REUTERS
U.S. President Joe Biden calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin to face trials for war crimes after more images emerge of the Bucha massacre. (CNN)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that peace talks will continue despite the Bucha massacre. (BBC News)
Germany assumes control of Gazprom Germania, Gazprom’s German subsidiary, after the German economy ministry declines to approve the subsidiary’s acquisition by two entities with unclear beneficiaries. (Financial Times)
Lithuania bans Russian IT companies from relocating to Lithuania. (LRT)
Lithuania ends Russian gas imports Lithuania said over the weekend it had cut off Russian gas imports, which would make it the first country in the 27-member European Union to do so. “Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russia’s energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas,” Lithuania’s energy ministry said in a statement. The policy took effect at the start of April. On Saturday, Lithuania got its imports of Russian gas down to zero. In 2015, Lithuania got nearly all of its natural gas from Russia, but it has been drastically reducing its purchases from that country since starting operations at an off-shore LNG import terminal in the port city of Klaipeda in 2014. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lithuania orders the closure of the Russian consulate in Klaipėda and downgrades diplomatic ties with Russia, ordering the Russian ambassador to leave the country. (LRT)
Deputy PM Saadeh Al Shami says that Lebanon and its central bank are bankrupt. (Anadolu Agency)
Lithuania lifts requirements for masks in indoor spaces, except in public transport and medical facilities, and reduces the COVID-19 isolation period to five days. (LRT)
France, Germany and Latvia expel Russian diplomats in response to war crimes in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, specifically the Bucha massacre. (Axios)
Russia restricts diplomats, journalists and politicians from the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein from obtaining a visa by a simplified procedure. (Reuters)
The third part of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report is released, studying methods to mitigate climate change. (Met Office)
In basketball, the Kansas Jayhawks rally from a 15-point deficit to defeat the 8th-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels 72–69 in the National Championship Game. This is the 4th championship for the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team, and their first since 2008. (The New York Times)
South Carolina beats UConn in NCAA women’s basketball championship The South Carolina Gamecocks beat the UConn Huskies 64-49 on Sunday to win the NCAA women’s basketball championship. South Carolina senior point guard Destanni Henderson led her team’s offense, hitting early three-point shots and finishing with a career-high 26 points. South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston posted her 30th double-double of the season. It was South Carolina’s second national title under coach Dawn Staley, and UConn’s first loss in 12 national championship games. South Carolina, ranked No. 1 all season, burst out to an early 13-2 lead, and held UConn star Paige Bueckers to 14 points. “It was divinely ordered for us to be champions,” Staley said. “We weren’t going to be denied.” USA TODAY
Carrie Lam won’t seek 2nd term as Hong Kong leader Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Monday she would not seek a second term. Lam had a rocky five-year term in which pro-democracy protesters called for her resignation and Beijing cracked down on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, exerting more direct control over the semi-autonomous former British colony. Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997. Most recently, Lam struggled to contend with a COVID-19 wave that overwhelmed the healthcare system. Lam said the central government in Beijing accepted her decision with “respect and understanding.” Her successor will be chosen in May. The city’s No. 2 leader John Lee, who was head of security during the 2019 protests, is seen as a potential replacement. USA TODAY
Pakistan opposition challenges dissolution of parliament Pakistan’s opposition politicians vowed to challenge Prime Minister Imran Khan’s dissolution of parliament at the country’s Supreme Court. The court said it would consider the case on Monday. Khan was facing a no-confidence vote he was expected to lose, but he dissolved parliament and called for early elections in an attempt to stay in power. “Absolutely unprecedented,” said Amber Rahim Shamsi, director of the Center of Excellence in Journalism at the International Business Administration. “This is a constitutional crisis… The opposition had the numbers, and it was pretty much a sure vote. Had it gone through, the prime minister would have been removed from office.” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry accused opposition lawmakers of treason. NPR
Orban declares victory in Hungary’s national elections Hungary’s hard-line nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared victory in the country’s Sunday elections after a partial vote count showed his right-wing party with a significant lead. “We won a victory so big that you can see it from the moon,” Orban told a cheering crowd. He said the vote sent a message to the European Union, which has condemned his government for eroding the country’s democracy and alleged corruption. With 91 percent of ballots counted, Orban’s Fidesz party and its coalition partners had won 53 percent. The pro-European opposition coalition United for Hungary had just over 34 percent, the National Election Office said. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
6 killed in Sacramento mass shooting Six people were killed and 12 others injured in a mass shooting in near a strip of nightclubs in downtown Sacramento, California, early Sunday. Police Chief Kathy Lester said officers recovered “at least one firearm,” but there were no suspects in custody. Investigators could not immediately say whether the victims had been specifically targeted. The two-by-four-block area where the shootings occurred was littered with broken glass. Family members awaited news around cordoned-off streets. Police said a social media video appeared “to show an altercation that preceded the shooting.” THE SACRAMENTO BEE
Jordan’s Prince Hamzah gives up his royal title in protest Prince Hamzah, the half-brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, relinquished his title on Sunday. The prince stopped short of directly criticizing the king and ruling elites as he did in a previous clash, but he said via Twitter that he had been made the decision because his convictions conflict with “current approaches, policies, and methods of our institutions.” Abdullah and Hamzah are sons of King Hussein, who died in 1999 after ruling the Wester-allied country for decades. Abdullah had appointed Hamzah as crown prince and successor but revoked the title in 2004. The king then put Hamzah under house arrest last April for an alleged plot to destabilize the kingdom, but last month Hamzah apologized, expressing a desire to “turn the page on this chapter in our country’s and our family’s history.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Grammys: Jon Batiste, Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters win big Pianist, singer, songwriter Jon Batiste won five Grammy Awards on Sunday, including Album of the Year for We Are. Batiste, the Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader, was nominated for eight awards for We Are and three for his score for the Pixar film Soul. Other winners include Olivia Rodrigo, who was named Best New Artist. She also won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Drivers License” and Best Pop Vocal Album for Sour. The Foo Fighters, whose drummer Taylor Hawkins died March 25, earned three Grammys: Best Rock Song (“Waiting on a War”), Best Rock Album (Medicine at Midnight), and Best Rock Performance (“Making a Fire”). The band did not attend the show. LOS ANGELES TIMES
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Musk takes stake in Twitter, shares soar Twitter shares jumped by 26 percent in pre-market trading on Monday on the news that Tesla CEO Elon Musk had acquired a 9.2 percent stake in the social media company. Musk now owns 73,486,938 shares of Twitter, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. At Friday’s closing price, Musk’s stake was worth $2.89 billion. Musk’s stake is classified as passive, but some investors are betting it could lead to big changes. Musk is a frequent Twitter user, and a week ago he hinted about shaking up the company. “Musk could try to take a more aggressive stance here on Twitter,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said Monday on CNBC’s Squawk Box. CNBC
Starbucks pauses buybacks to invest in cafes, employees Starbucks said Sunday it was suspending stock buybacks it started last fall, which interim Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz said would give the company money to invest in its cafes and workers. “We all have a stake in our future,” Schultz wrote in a letter to employees as he returns as the coffee giant’s CEO on Monday. “This serves as an invitation to come build it.” Schultz built the coffee chain over several decades, and he is returning to run it following Kevin Johnson’s announcement in March that he was stepping down as CEO, a job he had held since 2017. Schultz said he plans to reinvigorate the company as it contends with rising costs and increasing unionization of U.S. baristas. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Airlines cancel thousands of flights Airlines canceled more than 3,400 flights and delayed 8,800 on Saturday and Sunday due to Florida storms and technology problems at Southwest Airlines, according to flight tracker FlightAware. Southwest canceled 520 flights on Saturday — about 14 percent of its operations — and another 398 on Sunday. Southwest, the nation’s largest domestic carrier, has said up to 50 percent of its flights travel over Florida. Budget airline Spirit, which has its biggest hub in Fort Lauderdale, lost a larger chunk of its schedule than any other carrier, canceling 27 percent of its flights on both Saturday and Sunday, FlightAware said. JetBlue canceled 25 percent of its Sunday flights, up from 15 percent on Saturday. USA TODAY
Kanye West drops out of Coachella With less than two weeks to go until Coachella, Kanye West has abruptly dropped out. The rapper canceled his performance after he was previously scheduled to headline on April 17 and April 24. It wasn’t immediately clear why, but Page Six recently reported West told his ex-wife Kim Kardashian “he’s going away to get help.” A source close to the Kardashians told the outlet, “Kanye has told Kim he’s not making any public appearances or inflammatory social media statements, and he will go away somewhere to get better.” West also didn’t attend the Grammys after his performance was pulled from the lineup due to “concerning online behavior” following his repeated attacks on Kardashian’s new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. Despite this, he still won two awards. In February, West threatened to pull out of Coachella unless Billie Eilish apologized for slamming Travis Scott at a concert, even though she never actually did so. VARIETYTMZ
Jared Leto was taken to the bathroom in a wheelchair while method acting on ‘Morbius’ Another Jared Leto movie, another series of bizarre method acting stories. Morbius director Daniel Espinosa confirmed to Uproxx that Leto was so committed to getting into character as Michael Morbius, who suffers from a blood disorder, for the new Marvel film that he actually used crutches and slowly limped his way to the bathroom between takes. Journalist Mike Ryan asked Espinosa about rumors that it “was taking so long between for pee breaks, that a deal was made with him to get him a wheelchair so someone could wheel him there quicker,” and the director confirmed this is true. “Hey, man, it’s people’s processes,” he declared. When Ryan suggested this level of commitment, which might actually slow down filming, could be frustrating, Espinosa said, “If you want a completely normal person that does only things that you understand, then you’re in the wrong business.” Leto is well known for his method acting process, which controversially saw him send disturbing gifts to his co-stars while in character as the Joker for Suicide Squad. Hey, at least the end result is always a truly great film … right? UPROXX
Selena Gomez hasn’t been on the internet in over 4 years Selena Gomez is living the dream: She logged off and never looked back. The pop star told Good Morning America she hasn’t “been on the internet in four-and-a-half years,” and she doesn’t feel like she’s missing out. “It has changed my life completely,” Gomez said. “I am happier. I am more present. I connect more with people.” Gomez announced a social media break in 2018, telling fans she planned to “step back and live my life present to the moment I have been given.” It sounds like her break has essentially become permanent — though her Twitter and Instagram accounts have remained updated, and GMA reported she “helps her team curate her content.” As an extremely offline person, though, Gomez told GMA she now gets the news “that is actually important” through “people in my life.” We’re hoping this means she has no idea what an NFT is and none of her friends plan to tell her. Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss. ABC NEWS
Sunday, April 3rd, 2022
Large explosions are reported in the port city of Odessa as residents are urged to seek shelter. Ukrainian officials say that the Russian Air Force has fired missiles at the city, and that some missiles have been intercepted. (BBC News)
Human Rights Watch, an independent human rights group, says that it has documented allegations of war crimes perpetrated by Russian forces in Ukraine against civilians, including rape, summary execution, and looting of civilian properties. (CNN)
Around 25 million residents in Shanghai are ordered to undergo COVID-19 testing in an effort to contain the current COVID-19 outbreak. (South China Morning Post)
Six people are killed and 12 others are injured during a mass shooting at a popular nightlife area in Sacramento, California, United States. (ABC News)
Fidesz, the party of current Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, wins most of the seats and retains its parliamentary supermajority, while opposition leader Péter Márki-Zay loses his home district of Hódmezővásárhely. (CNN)
Voters in Serbia head to the polls to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections. (DW)
Rodrigo Chaves Robles is elected President of Costa Rica. (Reuters)
Former Crown Prince of Jordan Hamzah bin Hussein announces on Twitter that he is renouncing his “Prince” title, saying that his “personal convictions” are not in line with the “modern methods of our institutions”. Hamzah has been under house arrest since last March after he accused Jordanian leaders of corruption and incompetence. (BBC News)
Qatar bans LGBT symbols at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. (Euronews)
The End
artificial stupid 