Over 50 people are massacred by suspected Boko Haram fighters in Rann, Nigeria. (Reuters)
The Russian-appointed mayor of Enerhodar, in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, is severely injured in an explosion. The cause of the blast is unclear. (Reuters)
Oman announces that it will repeal all COVID-19 restrictions, including its mask mandate. (AP)
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps colonel is assassinated in Tehran, Iran, by unknown gunmen riding on motorcycles. (AP)
American professional golfer Justin Thomas wins the PGA Championship, making it his second since 2017. (ESPN)
Biden gives a succinct ‘hello’ to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Asked what message he had for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Biden on Sunday offered up a simple, short response: “Hello … period,” he answered, speaking with reporters in Seoul before heading to Japan on the second leg of his trip to Asia. Biden also said he was “not concerned” about North Korean missile tests, and that the U.S. is prepared for “anything North Korea does.” Both American and South Korean intelligence has suggested North Korea is preparing a missile or nuclear test to coincide with the timing of Biden’s visit. REUTERS
U.S. looking into monkeypox vaccines, Biden says President Biden on Sunday said the U.S. is investigating what vaccines are available to protect against monkeypox, a relatively rare, smallpox-like virus. “We’re working on it hard to figure out what we do and what vaccine if any might be available for it,” Biden said. Advisers “haven’t told me the level of exposure yet, but it is something that everybody should be concerned about,” he went on. “It is a concern in that if it were to spread it would be consequential.” So far, the World Health Organization says it has been notified of 92 lab-confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and some European countries. Studies have indicated the smallpox vaccine to be at last 85 percent effective against monkeypox. THE WASHINGTON POST
Zelensky: War will end in ‘diplomacy’ The end of the war in Ukraine will come about through diplomacy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, speaking on Ukrainian TV. “We did not start this war. But we have to finish it,” he told viewers. “Victory will be bloody in battle. But the end will be in diplomacy. We want everything back. Russia does not want to give anything away.” Zelensky also in his remarks praised the performance of Ukrainian forces, commending how well they’ve fought against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military, which he said is “one of the strongest armies in the world.” THE INDEPENDENT
Biden signs large $40B aid package for Ukraine President Biden on Saturday signed legislation to provide Ukraine with another $40 billion in aid as the Russian invasion rages on. The package had passed Congress with bipartisan support. The funding is intended to support Ukraine through September, and provides $20 billion in military assistance, $8 billion in general economic support, $5 billion to address possible resulting global food shortages, and over $1 billion to assist refugees. The president also on Saturday signed the Access to Baby Formula Act. CNBC
Mitt Romney: ‘We must prepare for Putin’s worst weapons’ In an op-ed for The New York Times published Saturday, GOP Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) ruminated on the possibility of Russia resorting to nuclear warfare, and urged the U.S. to take President Vladimir Putin’s threats seriously. “We should imagine the unimaginable,” Romney wrote, “specifically how we would respond militarily and economically to such a seismic shift in the global geopolitical terrain.” The senator went on to align himself with much of President Biden’s decision-making thus far, while also offering up a few possible ways to respond to Putin, including NATO engagement in Ukraine. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Tiger Woods pulls out of PGA Championship Tiger Woods withdrew from the PGA Championship on Saturday after having posted the worst score of his career in the event. The championship announced Wood’s exit after the third round, in which he shot a nine-over par 79. “Tiger Woods has informed us that he is withdrawing from the 2022 PGA Championship,” PGA of America President Jim Richerson wrote in a statement. “We admire Tiger’s valiant effort to compete here at Southern Hills and wish him the best as he continues to recover from his injuries.” The championship was Wood’s second major golf event since his serious car accident last year. NPR
Saturday, May 21st, 2022
Russia declares victory in capturing the city of Mariupol. (The Guardian)
United States President Joe Biden signs into law a bill that would provide $40 billion in military and economic aid for Ukraine, replenish stocks of U.S. equipment sent to Ukraine, fund European Command operations, and address the global food crisis. (Reuters)
Russia’s Gazprom suspends natural gas exports to Finland over Finland’s refusal to comply with Russia’s demand that gas be paid for in rubles. (Reuters)
At least nine people are dead after a derecho moves across portions of Central Canada. (CP24)
ABC News Australia declares that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the current government have been defeated by Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party. However, the number of seats to declare a majority or minority government is uncertain. (ABC News Australia)
An unusually early heat wave in Southern France continues to set all-time high records for May, with some communities reporting temperatures as high as 36.7 °C (98.1 °F). (La Dépêche du Midi)
An early heat wave in the United States sets all-time high records for May 21 in several cities in Texas, Mississippi, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, and ties them for some other areas, particularly in the Northeast. (The New York Times)
Russia claims to have taken Mariupol Russia on Saturday claimed to have taken complete control of the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, potentially notching a huge victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing offensive. There was no immediate confirmation of the news from Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that a final 532 Ukrainian soldiers had been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant and taken to Russian-controlled territory, rounding out a weeks-long attack that killed thousands. At this point, the supposed capture is mostly symbolic, considering Moscow already effectively controlled the area, military analysts said. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Russia cuts off gas supply to Finland Russia on Saturday cut off national gas supplies to Finland after the latter reportedly refused to pay for the fuel in rubles, as Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered; Poland and Bulgaria last month lost access to Russian supplies for the same reason. Gasum, Finland’s state-owned gas wholesaler, shared news of the decision on Friday morning, noting the company has been prepared for this to happen and that there will be “no disruptions in the gas transmission network.” The dispute also happens to coincide with Finland’s decision to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alongside neighboring Sweden, much to Russia’s dismay. BLOOMBERG
CDC recommends adults 50 and older receive 2nd booster The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended all adults ages 50 and older receive a second COVID-19 booster if at least four months have lapsed since their third dose. The agency had previously encouraged the additional shots only for those 65 and older or with underlying medical conditions, though those over 50 were still eligible. The change in guidance arrives alongside a rise in infections over the last month, as well as a “substantial increase” in hospitalizations for older Americans, the CDC said. THE NEW YORK TIMES
G7 nations pledge nearly $20B in aid for Ukraine The Group of 7 economic powers on Friday agreed to a $19.8 billion economic aid package for Ukraine, as the country continues to defend itself against a ruthless Russian-led invasion. The backing will come in a mix of grants and loans, and is intended to keep Ukraine’s government functioning. “We will continue to stand by Ukraine throughout this war and beyond and are prepared to do more as needed,” the G7 finance ministers said in a statement. The International Monetary Fund has said Ukraine needs about $5 billion per month to maintain basic government services. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Meta employees reportedly restricted from discussing abortion at work Per a new report, a Meta executive on Thursday told company employees they may not discuss abortion on the company’s internal version of Facebook, known as Workplace, for fear of fostering a hostile work environment. The policy, which forbids employees from talking about things like the merits and availability of abortion, was reportedly enacted in 2019. In the wake of a leaked opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, however, some employees are calling for the policy’s end. Otherwise, the Meta executive said, staffers may only discuss abortion at work privately, with a trusted colleague, or in a small group. THE VERGE
San Francisco archbishop denies Pelosi communion over support for abortion rights House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic Democrat from California, can no longer receive communion in San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s archdiocese due to her support for abortion rights, Cordileone announced Friday. In a public notification, Cordileone said he’d warned Pelosi in April that she must drop her support of abortion rights or cease referring to her faith to justify them. He also said Pelosi declined to meet with him. “After numerous attempts to speak with Speaker Pelosi to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, [and] the danger to her own soul she is risking, “Cordileone wrote on Twitter, “I have determined that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Musk says he’s ditching Democrats and voting Republican Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday he is turning away from the Democratic Party and would now vote Republican. “In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party,” Musk tweeted. “But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.” Musk, the world’s richest man, says he still plans to buy Twitter once it provides data on how many of the social media platform’s accounts are fake. He has said if the deal goes through he would lift the permanent ban on former President Donald Trump, a Republican. Tesla’s stock fell nearly 7 percent on Wednesday after Musk’s comments and Tesla’s removal from the S&P sustainability index. REUTERS
SpaceX paid $250,000 to settle sexual misconduct claim against Musk SpaceX paid a flight attendant $250,000 in 2018 to settle a sexual misconduct claim against the space-flight company’s founder, Elon Musk, Business Insider reported Thursday. The attendant, who worked on contract for SpaceX’s corporate fleet, said Musk offered to buy her a horse in exchange for an erotic massage, exposed his erect penis to her, and rubbed her leg without her consent, Insider reported, citing interviews and documents it obtained. Some of the details about the alleged 2016 incident came from a declaration signed by a friend of the attendant. Musk told Insider in an email the report was a “politically motivated hit piece.” Musk tweeted late Thursday that the claims were “utterly untrue.” REUTERS
Tesla booted from S&P 500’s ESG Index The S&P 500 has kicked Tesla out of its ESG Index, which recommends companies to investors based on environmental, social, and governance data. A spokesperson for the index explained in a blog post on Wednesday that Tesla’s score suffered due to the electric-car maker’s “lack of a low-carbon strategy” and “codes of business conduct,” as well as allegations of racism and poor working conditions at its Fremont, California, factory. The change came as part of an annual update to the index. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and energy giant Exxon Mobil held on to their spots on the list. Tesla’s stated mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy, but it ranked 22nd on last year’s Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index. CNBC
More experts warn U.S. economy on brink of recession A growing number of banks and economists are warning that the U.S. economy could be heading toward a recession in the next year, The Washington Post reported Thursday. Early this week, an ex-Goldman Sachs chief executive warned of the “very, very high risk of recession,” and Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said there was “no question” a downturn is coming. Former Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke warned of possible stagflation, combining a slowing economy and high inflation. “Recession risks are high — uncomfortably high — and rising,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told the Post. “For the economy to navigate through without suffering a downturn, we need some very deft policymaking from the Fed and a bit of luck.” THE WASHINGTON POST
Ukraine says that it has repelled a Russian advance on the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast. Authorities say that twelve people were killed in the offensive and that over 60 houses were destroyed. (AP)
Ukraine’s chief military command orders all remaining troops in the Azovstal steel plant to stop defending Mariupol. (AFP via Le Devoir)
Russia says that its forces have seized the Azovstal steel plant after the last remaining Ukrainian troops surrender. (BBC News)
Russia announces that it will suspend its supply of natural gas to Finland beginning at 4:00 GMT tomorrow due to Finland’s refusal to comply with Russia’s demand that gas be paid for in rubles. (Reuters) (
Around 200 anti-government militants block a road in Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan, which links the country to China. Some of the militants, armed with firearms and petrol bombs, later ambush a security convoy on the same road. Eight militants and one officer are killed, while 13 officers are injured and more than 70 militants are arrested. The Tajik interior ministry later say the attack was an attempt to “destabilise the social and political situation” in the region. (Reuters)
Syrian state media says that Israeli airstrikes have killed three soldiers close to Damascus. (Times of Israel)
Transport for London announces their intention to consult on an expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone to cover almost all of Greater London beginning on 23 August 2023. (BBC News)
The World Health Organization holds an emergency meeting in response to the recent monkeypox outbreak. (The Globe and Mail)
Spain confirms 30 monkeypox cases, becoming the country with the most reported cases. (La Vanguardia)
The Philippines says that it has established coast guard outposts on three Filipino-controlled islands of the Spratlys in the South China Sea. (AP)
An unusually strong and early heat wave increases temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) in Spain. Seville records a temperature of 41.0 °C (105.8 °F), beating its all-time high for May, while the hottest settlement, Andújar, ties the record with 42.3 °C (108.1 °F). Several settlements in France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and western Austria beat all-time high records for the month. (The Guardian)
Morocco records its highest May temperature ever in Sidi Slimane, at 45.7 °C (114.3 °F). (The Washington Post)
Biden hosts Finland, Sweden leaders to boost NATO bids President Biden met with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö at the White House on Thursday to discuss their applications to join NATO, a decision prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden and the leaders of the long-neutral Baltic nations called for NATO’s 30 members to quickly welcome Sweden and Finland into the Western military alliance. “Finland and Sweden make NATO stronger,” Biden said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Thursday that his country will oppose the NATO expansion. He says Finland and Sweden have supported groups Turkey considers to be terrorists, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. NATO said it is working to address Erdogan’s stated concerns. ABC NEWS
Senate approves $40 billion Ukraine aid package The Senate on Thursday approved a $40 billion military and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine. The measure now goes to President Biden for his signature. The package marks a major escalation of the U.S.’s commitment to helping Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion. It provides $24 billion for Ukrainian forces and $5 billion for countries hurt by disrupted Ukrainian crop exports. The Senate vote was 86 to 11, with some Republicans balking at the price tag. “Anyone concerned about the cost of supporting a Ukrainian victory should consider the much larger cost should Ukraine lose,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the vote sent Ukrainians the message that “help is on the way.” CNN
Biden lands in South Korea on trip to reassure Asia allies President Biden arrived in South Korea on Friday, starting a five-day tour of Asia, the first of his presidency. Biden will use the trip to assure allies in the region of his administration’s support in response to China’s increasing influence. He is expected to start in his first speech in South Korea by calling for Congress to approve a bill seeking to boost U.S. competitiveness against China. The administration is trying to show “that America is back as a global leader,” said Georgetown scholar Evan Medeiros, who served as an Asia adviser to President Barack Obama. “It’s, ‘Hey, I’m not going to forget about you; this is not a choice between Europe and Asia.’” THE WASHINGTON POST
Oklahoma legislature passes bill banning most abortions after fertilization Oklahoma state lawmakers on Thursday approved an anti-abortion bill that would prohibit all abortions after “fertilization,” allowing individuals to sue providers and anyone who “aids or abets” an abortion except when necessary to save the life of a pregnant person, or in cases of rape or incest. Abortion providers say the bill, the latest passed in Republican-controlled states, will be the most restrictive ban in the nation once Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signs it, as he has indicated he will. The 73-16 vote came after the leak earlier this month of a draft decision suggesting the Supreme Court’s conservative majority is poised to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that established abortion rights nationwide. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CDC signs off on Pfizer booster for children age 5 to 11 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday announced its final endorsement of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shots for children ages 5 to 11. The decision came hours after a CDC advisory committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing the third vaccine dose for children in that age group. The CDC said they should get a booster at least 5 months after their second shot. The approval for the Pfizer booster, the first authorized for children under 12, came as the Omicron subvariant BA.2 and an offshoot called BA.2.12.1 fuel rising COVID cases. Vaccination rates for children ages 5 to 11 lag behind other age groups, “leaving them vulnerable to serious illness,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said. NBC NEWS
Sri Lanka defaults on its debts Sri Lanka has defaulted on its debts for the first time in its history as it faces economic and political troubles triggered by COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reported Thursday. The governor of Sri Lanka’s central bank said it’s in a “preemptive default” after the deadline passed for making $78 million worth of payments to international creditors. A default, which occurs when a government is unable to repay some or all of its debt payments, can have a damaging effect on a country’s reputation, currency, and economy. “Our position is very clear,” central bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said Thursday: “Until there is a debt restructure, we cannot repay.” THE GUARDIAN
Senate approves bill to help low-income families get scarce baby formula The Senate on Thursday approved a bill by unanimous consent that aims to boost low-income families’ access to baby formula amid a nationwide shortage caused by supply-chain disruptions and the safety-related shutdown of the biggest U.S. formula plant. The House approved the bill, the Access to Baby Formula Act, on Wednesday, so it now goes to President Biden for his signature. The legislation authorizes the Agriculture Department to waive certain requirements to allow families to buy a wider array of baby formula with Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits during a public health emergency, product recalls, and other supply-chain issues. CNN
Red Power Ranger actor arrested for COVID fraud The red Power Ranger may be morphin his way to prison. Actor Austin St. John, who played the red Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, has been arrested as part of an alleged scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 relief program. He was one of 18 people charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and prosecutors said the defendants submitted false information on their applications for loan money and then didn’t use it for the intended purpose, instead spending it “on various personal purchases.” They allegedly obtained 16 loans totaling at least $3.5 million. According to TMZ, “approximately 15 FBI agents in tactical gear rolled up to” St. John’s home to arrest him, and if he’s convicted, he could spend 20 years behind bars. The arrests were announced in a Department of Justice press release — which at one point actually refers to St. John as “the Red Power Ranger.” TMZ
Thursday, May 19th, 2022
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency says that a foreign vessel has been attacked off the coast of Al Hudaydah, Yemen. (AP)
The United States Senate votes 86-11 to pass a $40 billion package aimed at sending aid to Ukraine. The legislation will head to U.S. President Joe Biden for his signature. (Reuters)
Sri Lanka defaults on its debt for the first time in the country’s history as it struggles with its worst financial crisis in more than 70 years. (BBC News)
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) votes to recommend a third dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 years old. (CBS News)
Bavarian Nordic announces that it will supply the Imvanex vaccine to Europe in response to the monkeypox outbreak. (GlobeNewswire)
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterates that he will vote against the admittance of Finland and Sweden into NATO, effectively preventing their accession. Erdoğan has accused the two countries of supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which Turkey considers to be terrorist organizations. (Yahoo! News)
Two people are killed and seven wounded during a mass shooting near a McDonald’s restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, United States. (AP)
An unusually cold spell of weather hits southern Brazil. A meteorological station in Gama noted the lowest temperature since the beginning of weather observations (1963) in the Federal District, which contains the capital, Brasília, at 1.4 °C (34.5 °F). Several locations in the area have also seen snowfall, which is very rare in the country. (France 24)
U.S. reopens Kyiv embassy, confirms ambassador to Ukraine The United States has reopened its embassy in Kyiv, which it closed just before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday. “The Ukrainian people, with our security assistance, have defended their homeland in the face of Russia’s unconscionable invasion, and, as a result, the Stars and Stripes are flying over the Embassy once again,” Blinken said in a statement. Hours later, the Senate confirmed Bridget Brink as ambassador to Ukraine, giving the embassy its first confirmed chief since former President Donald Trump recalled Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in May 2019 under pressure from Rudy Giuliani and his allies. CNN
Turkey blocks talks on Finland, Sweden NATO membership Turkey on Wednesday blocked NATO from starting talks on admitting Finland and Sweden hours after the two Nordic nations formally applied to join the Western military alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan objects to what he calls Sweden’s sheltering of Kurdistan Workers’ Party members, which Turkey considers terrorists. “So you won’t give us back terrorists but you ask us for NATO membership?” Erdogan said in a speech. Turkey is seeking concessions before going along with the NATO expansion, which requires agreement by all 30 NATO members and ratification by their parliaments. Sweden and Finland have long held proudly to their nonaligned military status, but both decided to join NATO after nearby Russia invaded Ukraine. REUTERS
Ex-officer pleads guilty to manslaughter in George Floyd killing Thomas Lane, the former Minneapolis Police officer who held down George Floyd’s legs, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree manslaughter under a deal with prosecutors. Lane, 39, is one of three officers accused of aiding and abetting in the killing of Floyd, who died after another former officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed a knee into the unarmed Black man’s neck for more than nine minutes. The officers detained Floyd in May 2020 after a store clerk said he had used a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. Under the plea deal, the state agreed to dismiss a second-degree murder charge. Defense lawyers and prosecutors jointly recommended a 36-month sentence for Floyd’s death, which triggered nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. CNN
CDC: With COVID rising, a third of U.S. should consider indoor masks With COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations rising, areas with higher transmission risk that are home to a third of the U.S. population should consider issuing new calls for people to wear masks indoors, federal health officials said Wednesday. New U.S. cases have risen above 100,000 a day, up 26 percent in the last week. More than 22,000 people are now hospitalized with COVID-19. The Northeast and Midwest have been hit hardest, but other regions should be on alert, officials said. “Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, said at a White House briefing. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dow, S&P 500 plunge in worst day since 2020 The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,165 points, or 3.6 percent, on Wednesday in its worst day since June 2020. A disappointing quarterly earnings report from retail giant Target fueled fears that inflation will tip the economy into a recession. The S&P 500 fell just over 4 percent, also its worst single-day decline since 2020. The tech-heavy Nasdaq plummeted 4.7 percent, its worst drop since May 5. Stock futures fell sharply early Thursday. Target is one of many retailers and other large companies seeing their profits eroded by high transport and inventory costs. “It’s clear that transportation costs matter and they’re impacting [some of] the largest companies,” said Kim Forrest, founder of Bokeh Capital. “So I think investors are scratching our heads going, ‘So, who’s next?” CNBC
U.S. Soccer reaches equal-pay deal with men’s, women’s players The U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer teams on Wednesday announced a collective bargaining agreement with the United States Soccer Federation that achieves women players’ years-long goal of equal pay. The new contracts, which run until 2028, call for pooling future World Cup earnings, and sharing endorsement money and other revenue 50-50. “To be able to say finally, equal pay for equal work feels very, very good,” women’s team captain Becky Sauerbrunn told Today. U.S. Soccer and the United States Women’s National Team Players Association reached a settlement earlier this year to end a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by the women players, who for years performed better than their male counterparts but made far less. CNN
Biden invokes Defense Production Act to speed baby formula to stores President Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate infant formula production as part of an effort to ease a shortage worsened by the shutdown of the largest U.S. formula factory. The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers to fulfill orders from baby formula producers before other customers. Biden also authorized the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly formula from other countries into the U.S. The White House is calling the effort “Operation Fly Formula.” Formula supplies were already tight due to global supply-chain disruptions, but the crisis deepened when Abbott Nutrition had to shut down its factory in February and recalled formula produced there over safety concerns. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ringling Brothers to launch revamped circusFeld Entertainment announced Wednesday that it will launch a new, revamped version of its Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus starting next year, five years after it said it was shutting down for good. The circus ended its 146-year run as it struggled with declining sales and increasing criticism from animal rights activists for its use of lion, tiger, and elephant acts. The new version of what Ringling Brothers long billed as the “Greatest Show on Earth” will have no animal acts. But the circus is actively recruiting ringmasters, clowns, and acrobats in preparation for a tour of more than 50 cities scheduled to start Sept. 28, 2023. USA TODAY
Google’s Russian subsidiary announces its intention to file for bankruptcy after Russian authorities seize the company’s bank account. (Reuters)
The United States confirms its first case of monkeypox in 2022, in a man from Massachusetts who recently traveled to Canada. (ABC News)
Mozambique confirms its first polio case in 30 years in the northwestern province of Tete. (Reuters)
The American embassy in Kyiv reopens for the first time since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Ministry expels 85 diplomats from France, Spain, and Italy in response to the expulsions of Russian diplomats from European Union nations. (Reuters)
Finland and Sweden both formally apply to join NATO. (Reuters)
Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney announces his intention to resign as leader of the United Conservative Party after a leadership review results in 51.4% approval of his leadership from party members. He will be replaced as leader and premier once a successor is named. (AP)
Neil Patrick Harris apologizes for ‘corpse of Amy Winehouse’ meat platter Neil Patrick Harris has apologized for an Amy Winehouse joke that became legendary in the worst way possible. In 2011, the How I Met Your Mother star hosted a Halloween party that featured a grotesque meat platter meant to look like Amy Winehouse’s dead body, which was labeled “the corpse of Amy Winehouse.” This was just months after the singer tragically died of alcohol poisoning at 27. Harris faced renewed backlash for the dark joke after a picture from the party resurfaced, and he has now apologized in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “A photo recently resurfaced from a Halloween-themed party my husband and I hosted 11 years ago,” he said. “It was regrettable then, and it remains regrettable now.” The actor praised Winehouse as a “once-in-a-generation talent,” adding, “I’m sorry for any hurt this image caused.” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Another four cases of monkeypox are confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency, bringing the total number recorded in the current outbreak to seven. Notably, these new cases appear to be the result of community transmission, with no known links to previous cases. (BBC News)
The United States lifts some economic sanctions on Venezuela, including allowing the Chevron Corporation to negotiate its license with the Venezuelan PDVSA state-owned oil company and removing the names of some Venezuelan officials from a United States government list of sanctioned individuals. (AP)
U.S. lets Chevron talk to Venezuela about resuming oil sales The Treasury Department on Tuesday gave Chevron a “narrow” license that will allow the energy giant to start talks with Venezuela to resume oil production halted under U.S. sanctions against the South American country’s socialist government, The Washington Post reported, citing U.S. officials. The license marked the first step toward possible sanctions relief under discussion since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered new sanctions on Russia and disrupted global oil markets. Successful talks could clear Chevron to extract and sell Venezuelan crude. Renewing purchases of Venezuelan oil could increase available supply while driving a wedge between the government of controversial Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Russia, a close ally. THE WASHINGTON POST
Hezbollah coalition loses majority in Lebanon Iran-aligned Hezbollah and allied parties have lost their majority in Lebanon’s parliament, according to election results released Tuesday. Neither Hezbollah’s bloc nor its rivals in a Saudi-aligned coalition led by the Lebanese Forces, a right-wing Christian party calling for disarming Hezbollah militants, were able to secure a majority, both sides said. Hezbollah’s alliance appears likely to secure at least 61 seats, slightly more than the Lebanese Forces bloc but down from the 70 it won in the last election in 2018. The division could hamper efforts to form a government as Lebanon contends with a devastating economic crisis, although Hezbollah still might be able to pull together a majority if it can win over some independent legislators. THE WASHINGTON POST
Allianz’s American asset management unit pleads guilty to criminal securities fraud and agrees to pay $5.8 billion to those who have been misled about the risk of investing in some hedge funds that collapsed with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to more than $1 billion to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Reuters)
Powell says Fed will curb inflation even if ‘some pain involved’ Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told The Wall Street Journal in a Tuesday interview that the central bank is committed to bringing down the highest inflation in 40 years, even if there is “some pain involved.” “Restoring price stability is an unconditional need. It is something we have to do,” Powell said during the Journal‘s Future of Everything Festival. Powell said he hoped the Fed’s efforts, which include interest rate hikes and a reduction of its balance sheet, will do the trick without weakening the labor market, but that bringing down price pressures could result in a slight rise in unemployment, which was near a half-century low at 3.6 percent in April. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Finland, Sweden formally apply to join NATO Finland and Sweden on Wednesday formally applied to join NATO. The two Nordic countries had long held proudly to their military nonalignment, but shifted toward applying for membership in the Western military alliance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Security experts said adding Sweden and Finland to NATO would significantly strengthen the alliance in the Baltic Sea. “This is a historic moment, which we must seize,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at a ceremony where Swedish and Finnish ambassadors to the alliance submitted their application letters. All 30 NATO members will have to approve the expansion, and Turkey recently unexpectedly said it had reservations about admitting Finland and Sweden due to their purported willingness to harbor Kurdish militants Turkey considers terrorists. REUTERS
FDA authorizes Pfizer booster for kids ages 5 to 11 The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized giving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster to children ages 5 to 11. Children in the age group will be eligible for the third dose of the vaccine at least five months after they received the second shot. The companies asked the FDA to approve the booster, which will be the first available to children that young, based on a small study they said indicated it was safe and effective in boosting antibody levels to counter waning immunity. Previously, only people 12 or older were able to get booster shots. The companies said the booster dose intended for younger children increased protection against the coronavirus, including the highly infectious Omicron variant that has increased the number of children hospitalized with COVID-19. NPR
Data suggests intentional crash of China jet Flight data from one of the black boxes of a China Eastern jet that crashed in March indicated that someone crashed the plane intentionally, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with U.S. officials’ preliminary assessment. The Boeing 737-800 was cruising at high altitude and suddenly went into a near-vertical dive, slamming into a southern China mountain and killing all 123 passengers and nine crew members. “The plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit,” a person familiar with the preliminary assessment told the Journal. Chinese officials have not flagged any mechanical problems related to the crash. Boeing and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which is leading the investigation, did not immediately comment. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
White House offers public 3rd set of free at-home COVID tests The White House announced Tuesday that Americans can now order a third set of free, at-home coronavirus tests to be delivered by the Postal Service. Under the expanded program, the number of tests being made available to each household doubled to 16. President Biden first promised to make the tests available at no charge as Americans were dealing with a shortage of tests during the winter Omicron coronavirus wave. More than 70 million households had ordered and received a total of 350 million tests by the time the extension of the program was announced. The move came as fast-spreading Omicron subvariants are sending infection rates climbing in many parts of the United States, although deaths and severe illnesses remain far below winter peaks. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Target shares fall as high costs dent profit Target shares plunged by 16 percent in pre-market trading on Wednesday after the retailer reported disappointing quarterly profits due to rising freight and inventory costs. Target reported strong quarterly net sales of $25.17 billion, beating the $24.47 billion analysts expected, but the cost increases caused diluted earnings per share to come in at $2.19, far short of the $3.07 expected. “We never expected the kind of cost increases in freight and transportation that we’re seeing right now,” Target Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell told Yahoo Finance. Target expects another $1 billion in freight and transportation costs this year related to high fuel and diesel prices. Like Walmart, it slashed its profit outlook for the year after the rough start. CNBC
Heavy fighting breaks out in Tripoli, Libya, forcing Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha to flee the capital. (AP)
Nine people are killed during an explosion caused by a gas leak at a primary school and a store in Kano, Nigeria. (BBC News)
Tuesday, May 17th, 2022
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warns that Russia will react to the “expansion of military infrastructure” by NATO in Sweden and Finland, saying that “problems are being created for no reason at all. We shall react accordingly”. (Sky News)
Ukraine says that its troops have pushed back Russian forces in a counter-offensive, reaching the border with Russia. Kharkiv governor Oleh Synyehubov confirms that Ukrainian forces have restored control of a border crossing with Russia in the region. (Reuters)
The Russian ruble approaches a 5-year high against the Euro. (Reuters)
Ukrainian fighters evacuate Mariupol steel plant, ending standoff Hundreds of Ukrainian fighters, dozens of them seriously wounded, were evacuated Monday from the besieged Azovstal Iron and Steel Works, ending their standoff against Russian fighters who have seized control of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. Ukraine and Russia agreed to a local cease-fire that allowed dozens of buses to leave. “Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. About 1,000 Ukrainian fighters, many from the skilled and controversial Azov Regiment, had held out for weeks in the steel plant’s network of underground tunnels and bunkers as Russia bombarded the complex. Hundreds of civilians who had sheltered there were evacuated earlier after being trapped for weeks. THE WASHINGTON POST
Five buses and an armored personnel carrier evacuate several hundred soldiers from the Azovstal steel works following negotiations with the Russian Armed Forces. The evacuated soldiers will be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war. (BBC News)
The Russian Defence Ministry says that its forces have shot down three Ukrainian Air Force warplanes, including a Su-25 over Mykolaiv and a Su-24 strike jet near Snake Island in the Black Sea. (Reuters)
McDonald’s announces that it has begun the process of selling all of its restaurants in Russia citing the “humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine”, as the reason for ending operations in the country after 32 years. It is later announced that these restaurants will reopen under a new brand in mid-June, and that their menus will be retained. (Reuters)
Trump must post on Truth Social before Twitter Former President Donald Trump plans to “partially restrict himself” on social media sites like Twitter, even if Elon Musk completes his purchase of the company and follows through on his recently stated intention to let Trump back on the platform, CNBC reported Monday, citing an SEC filing from Digital World Acquisition Corp., the SPAC working to take Trump’s media and technology company public. According to the filing, Trump must first post to his social network Truth Social, and “can’t publish the same content on another social media site for six hours,” CNBC said. Once the six hours are up, he can post on “any site to which he has access,” the filing says. AXIOS
Biden reverses Trump order, redeploying U.S. troops to Somalia President Biden has authorized the military to send hundreds of Special Operations forces into Somalia, The New York Times reported Monday, citing four officials familiar with the matter. The Obama administration, in which Biden served as vice president, had about 700 ground troops stationed in the country, but former President Donald Trump withdrew nearly all of them. Biden also approved a Pentagon request to target leaders of Al Shabab, a Somali terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda, the Times reported. National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson confirmed the orders, which she said would permit “a more effective fight against Al Shabab.” THE NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. President Joe Biden announces that American troops will be redeployed to Somalia, reversing a previous order under former President Donald Trump. (ABC News)
Biden reverses some Trump restrictions on Cuba The Biden administration announced Monday that it will ease some restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba that were imposed by the Trump administration. The State Department said it would lift a $1,000-per-quarter limit on money families can send to their relatives in Cuba. The U.S. also will allow non-family remittances to help Cuban entrepreneurs establish and maintain independent businesses. The U.S. will permit passenger flights to locations other than Havana, increase visa processing, and revive the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, as well. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the moves would “support Cubans’ aspirations for freedom and for greater economic opportunities so that they can lead successful lives at home.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Macron names Elisabeth Borne as French prime ministerNewly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday named Labor Minister Elisabeth Borne to replace Jean Castex as prime minister. Borne will be the first woman to serve as France’s prime minister in 30 years, and only the second in the country’s history. “Nothing should stop the fight for the place of women in our society,” Borne said. The first woman to serve in the post was Édith Cresson, who was prime minister from 1991 to 1992 under Socialist President François Mitterand. Borne, a centrist, is expected to use her deep experience in how the state works to try to push through retirement reform and climate change measures Macron promised in his re-election campaign. ABC NEWS
FDA, Abbott reach agreement to reopen baby formula plant The Food and Drug Administration and Abbott Laboratories reached an agreement Monday aiming to help speed up the reopening of the company’s shuttered baby formula plant. The FDA said the deal could make it possible for Abbott to resume production at the Sturgis, Michigan, facility in two weeks. The factory has been shut down since February, when a potentially deadly bacteria was detected on equipment there following illnesses and two deaths among babies that consumed formula produced at the plant. The effort to reopen the factory is part of the plan to ease a nationwide shortage of baby formula that is stoking alarm and hardship among parents. The FDA said Monday it would make it easier to import some infant formulas from abroad. CNN
Twitter deal can’t ‘move forward’ without data on fake accountsTesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted Tuesday that Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal “publicly refused to show proof” that fewer than 5 percent of the social media platform’s accounts are fake, and said his $44 billion bid to buy Twitter “cannot move forward until he does.” Musk claims 20 percent or more of Twitter accounts could be fake or spam accounts, possibly more. Agrawal on Monday defended Twitter’s effort to crack down on bots. He said the company suspends more than half a million accounts daily, and locks millions of suspected fake accounts until they are verified. “Spam harms the experience for real people on Twitter, and therefore can harm our business,” Agrawal posted Monday. TESLARATI
JetBlue attempts hostile takeover of Spirit JetBlue on Monday launched a hostile takeover bid for Spirit Airlines. Spirit rejected a $3.7 billion offer from JetBlue two weeks ago, arguing that regulators were unlikely to approve the deal and sticking with an earlier agreement to merge with fellow discount carrier Frontier Airlines. JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said in a March 29 letter to Spirit that a tie-up would “create a leading player best positioned to serve our customers by offering increased flight schedules and more competitive fares.” JetBlue’s original offer was for $33 per share. It now is offering shareholders $30 per share and urging them to vote against the Frontier deal. Spirit shares closed at $16.90 on Monday. CNBC
Commercial flights from Sanaa International Airport in Sanaa, Yemen, resume after six years. The Yemenia flight carried 151 passengers to the Jordanian capital Amman. (France 24)
French Minister of Labour Élisabeth Borne is appointed by President Emmanuel Macron as the new Prime Minister of France, succeeding Jean Castex. (Le Monde in English)
Monday, May 16th, 2022
McDonald’s to sell Russia business McDonald’s announced Monday that it plans to sell its Russia business after 32 years. It paused operations in the country two months ago due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. “This is a complicated issue that’s without precedent and with profound consequences,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski wrote in a letter to franchises, employees, and suppliers that The New York Times obtained. Numerous restaurant chains and consumer product manufacturers have suspended operations in Russia since it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, including Starbucks and Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC and Pizza Hut. McDonald’s has 39,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. It has invested billions of dollars in Russia since opening in Moscow in 1990. THE NEW YORK TIMES
Goldman’s Blankfein: Prepare for possible recession Goldman Sachs Senior Chairman Lloyd Blankfein on Sunday warned that the United States faces a “very, very high risk” of recession. “If I were running a big company, I would be very prepared for it,” Blankfein said on CBS’s Face the Nation. “If I was a consumer, I’d be prepared for it.” Blankfein said the Federal Reserve still has “very powerful tools” available to cool down the economy and contain inflation without cutting off growth completely, so a recession isn’t “baked in the cake.” The comments came as the investment bank’s economists cut their growth forecast for 2022 to 2.4 percent, down from 2.6 percent, and their 2023 estimate to 1.6 percent from 2.2 percent. BLOOMBERG
Commercial flights from Sanaa International Airport in Sanaa, Yemen, resume after six years. The Yemenia flight carried 151 passengers to the Jordanian capital Amman. (France 24)
McConnell expects vote on $40 billion Ukraine aid package this week Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday that he expects senators to advance the new $40 billion Ukraine aid package on Monday, followed by a final vote to approve the funding on Wednesday. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) held up the money last week, but McConnell, who made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Saturday, said “it’s important for the United States to help, important for the free world to help.” McConnell said the Ukraine aid is “not charity” but a necessary step to protect U.S. interests by showing that a “ruthless thug” can’t “march through Europe” unchecked. McConnell also said he would support designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. THE WASHINGTON POST
Romania Protecting Europe in Turbulent Times. Bucharest Leaders Summit: Enduring Power of Solidarity. (Stiri din Romania)
Fourteen people die and nineteen others are injured after a tourist bus smashes into a billboard in Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia. (Associated Press)
The Ghanaian Ministry of Defence warns that the possibility that a terrorist attack will occur in the country is “very real” and that the country’s defence system has been placed at high alert. (yen.com.gh)
Sweden’s government backs applying to join NATO Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced Sunday that her party, the Social Democrats, had decided that Sweden should join NATO. The Social Democrats voted in a Sunday meeting to support working toward applying to join the Western military alliance, setting up a vote in parliament. Hours earlier, Finland formally announced it will seek to join NATO. Andersson said Sweden’s military non-alliance had served it well for 200 years, but Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine showed the policy “will not serve us well in the future.” The invasion demonstrated that the Kremlin is “prepared to use violence to achieve their political objectives and that they don’t hesitate to take enormous risks,” Andersson said. CNN
Nebraska governor vows to push abortion ban if Roe overturned Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday he will call a special legislative session to pass a total abortion ban if the Supreme Court strikes down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established abortion rights nationwide. Ricketts said he doesn’t want to allow exceptions for rape or incest. The comments came a day after abortion-rights protesters held rallies nationwide calling for keeping abortion legal. Expectations of a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe mounted last week after the leak of a draft opinion by a five-justice conservative majority in which Justice Samuel Alito indicated the court was poised to reverse Roe and uphold a Mississippi abortion law tightening abortion restrictions. CNN
U.S. to remove 5 inactive groups from terrorist list The United States plans to take five defunct extremist organizations off its list of foreign terrorist organizations, The Associated Press reported Sunday. The groups include “the Basque separatist group ETA , the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo, the radical Jewish group Kahane Kach, and two Islamic groups that have been active in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Egypt,” AP reported. The Islamist groups are the Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem, an umbrella group of jihadist organizations in Gaza, and Gama’a al-Islamiyya, or Islamic Group–IG, an Egyptian Sunni Islamist movement that battled Egypt’s government in the 1990s. The five groups have been blamed for killing hundreds or thousands of people. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shanghai to let businesses resume limited operations Shanghai officials on Sunday detailed their plan to reopen businesses, including shopping malls and supermarkets, in China’s largest city on a limited basis under an ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. Shanghai’s deputy mayor, Chen Tong, said the city would allow limited operations starting Monday, under a transitional phase “from emergency response to normalized prevention and control.” Daily new infections in the city of 25 million people have dropped from a high of more than 20,000 last month to about 1,200 on Saturday. Despite the falling infection rates, neighborhood-level authorities in many areas have increased restrictions in recent days out of fear new cases could spike again. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Harris heads delegation to UAE after Emirati president’s deathVice President Kamala Harris is traveling to the United Arab Emirates on Monday to lead a presidential delegation expressing condolences on the death of the country’s president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Harris is scheduled to meet in the capital city, Abu Dhabi, with the new president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, her office said in a statement. Harris “will underscore the strength of the partnership between our countries and our desire to further deepen our ties in the coming months and years,” her press secretary, Kirsten Allen, said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the two countries would continue working together to build “a more peaceful and secure region and world.” CNN
Wheat prices jump after India bans exports Wheat futures jumped by more than 5 percent on Monday after India announced a ban on most exports of the grain as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatened global shortages. Soft red winter wheat for July delivery locked in at $12.39 a bushel after rising as high as $12.47, its highest level since mid-March. The price of Chicago wheat futures has risen 60 percent this year. India announced the ban on Friday, but said Sunday it would continue exporting to needy nations. Russia and Ukraine account for a combined 25 percent of global wheat exports. The United States and the European Union are scrambling to boost crop yields and improve food supply chains. Group of Seven foreign ministers warned over the weekend that the Ukraine war is increasing the threat of a global hunger crisis. CNBC
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