Sunday, May 1st, 2022 

Nancy Pelosi meets with Zelensky in Kyiv Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Ukraine since the war began in February when she met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv in Saturday. Her trip to Kyiv comes on the heels of last week’s visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Accompanying Pelosi was a delegation that included Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff (Calif.), Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), and Jim McGovern (Mass.). Zelensky awarded Pelosi with the Order of Princess Olga, a decoration honoring women for “personal merits” in several “spheres of social activities.” The delegation’s next stop is Poland, where they will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda. CNBC 

‘Some guy named Brandon’ is having a ‘good year,’ Biden quips at White House Correspondents’ Dinner President Biden mocked his predecessor at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, referring to former President Donald Trump’s administration as “a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID.” Saturday marked the first time in six years that a president had spoken at the star-studded fundraiser, due to the pandemic and Trump’s acrimonious relationship with the press. In his speech, Biden praised the journalists in attendance as “guardians of truth.” The president also made light of the slogan “Let’s go Brandon” — a right-wing euphemism for “F–k Joe Biden” — quipping that “some guy named Brandon” is having “a really good year.” NPR 

About 20 civilians escape besieged Mariupol steel plant About 20 women and children were evacuated from Mariupol’s besieged Azovstal steel plant on Saturday. As many as 3,000 Ukrainian troops and civilians may remain trapped inside. On April 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory in Mariupol and ordered his troops to seal off the steel plant, which represents the last bastion of resistance inside the city, instead of storming it. The Azovstal plant’s defenders have refused multiple Russian demands for surrender. Russian media claim that 25 civilians — including six children under the age of 14 — escaped the plant on Saturday. Sviatoslav Palamar, the deputy commander of Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, said the civilians would be evacuated to Ukrainian-controlled territory. BBC 

Russia’s offensive in the Donbas is ‘not succeeding,’ Ukrainian military says Russian forces pressed the attack in eastern Ukraine on Saturday but failed to capture their three main objectives, the Ukrainian military said. Per the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces, the Russians were attempting to capture the city of Lyman in the Donetsk Oblast and the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Popasna in the Lukahsk Oblast. The Pentagon said Russian forces are making minimal progress in the face of intense Ukrainian resistance. REUTERS 

GOP is a ‘hot mess’ that’s ‘tinkering on fascism,’ DNC chair says The Republican Party is a “hot mess” built on “fear” and “fraud,” Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said on MSNBC Saturday. “They are tinkering on fascism right now in the Republican Party,” he added. Harrison’s comments came during a discussion with MSNBC host Tiffany Cross, who asked him how “millions of voters” could be “so eager to turn this country over to the right-wing extremists that now comprise the GOP.” To counter Republican messaging, Harrison said, the Democratic Party “has to be a party that is about hope.” FOX NEWS 

Biden’s Disinformation Governance Board draws comparisons to Orwell’s ‘Ministry of Truth’ Former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard denounced President Biden’s new Disinformation Governance Board as “the kind of thing that you see in dictatorships” during an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity on Saturday. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department will oversee the Disinformation Governance Board, said last week that the board’s mission would include combating the threat of Russian misinformation. Gabbard was not the only one to criticize the board. Fox News host Tucker Carlson compared it to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s 1984 and suggested that the parents of Nina Jankowicz, the disinformation expert who will head the board, had “failed” and should feel “shame.” THE WASHINGTON POST 

Amazon to stop offering paid leave for employees with COVID-19 Amazon told workers on Saturday that it will stop offering paid leave for employees with COVID-19. The online retail giant originally offered two weeks of paid time off for COVID before reducing the amount of paid leave to 40 hours in January. Under the new policy, which takes effect on Monday, U.S. employees will get five days of unpaid leave to recover from the virus. Amazon said the change stems from the widespread availability of COVID vaccines and revised guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We can continue to safely adjust to our pre-COVID policies,” the company said. REUTERS 

Rand Paul says he’ll investigate COVID lab leak theory if GOP retakes the Senate Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said at a campaign rally in Kentucky on Saturday that he plans to launch an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus if Republicans retake the Senate after the midterms. “When we take over in November, I will be chairman of a committee and I will have subpoena power. And we will get to the bottom of where this virus came from,” Paul said, adding that “the evidence points to this virus being a leak from a lab.” Paul, an eye surgeon and a libertarian, has frequently clashed with White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci over the government’s COVID restrictions and the politically fraught question of the virus’ origins. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Country singer Naomi Judd dead at 76 Country singer Naomi Judd has died at the age of 76, her daughters announced Saturday. “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” Ashley Judd wrote on Twitter. Naomi Judd formed one half of the Grammy-winning family duo The Judds, in which she provided harmonies for her daughter Wynonna. The two performed at the CMT Music Awards in April and were set to embark on a stadium tour this fall. Naomi Judd’s death came just one day before The Judds’ official induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said the induction ceremony will still take place. CNN 

Saturday, April 30th, 2022 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that sanctions must be lifted as part of the peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. (Reuters) 

Governor of Kursk Oblast Roman Starovoyt says that shells have been launched at a border checkpoint from the direction of Ukraine. (Reuters) 

Around 20 civilians have left the steel plant, a deputy commander of the Azov Battalion says. (The Times of Israel) 

At least one person is killed and three others injured when a van explodes in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters) 

A tornado strikes Andover, Kansas, United States, inflicting heavy damage. As part of the same weather system, three storm chasers are killed in a car accident due to aquaplaning. (BBC News) (USA Today) 

Five people are rescued and dozens of others remain trapped after a building collapses in Changsha, China. (BBC News) 

It is announced that Beijing residents must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter public spaces as part of a major tightening of restrictions in the Chinese capital. (BBC News) 

Taiwan reports a record for the third consecutive day of 15,419 new COVID-19 cases. (Focus Taiwan) 

Hamas warns that, if another attempt to storm the al-Aqsa Mosque is made by Israel, war could break out. (France24) 

A natural gas pipeline is blown up in Bir al-Abd, Egypt by suspected jihadist militants. (Times of Israel) 

Russia is making ‘slow and uneven’ gains in Ukraine at ‘significant cost,’ U.S. and U.K. assess Russia fired missiles at locations across Ukraine on Thursday, but “the Battle of Donbas remains Russia’s main strategic focus,” Britain’s Ministry of Defense said early Friday. “Fighting has been particularly heavy” around Izium, but “due to strong Ukrainian resistance, Russian territorial gains have been limited and achieved at significant cost to Russian forces.” On Thursday, a senior Pentagon official said, “We would assess that Russian forces are making slow and uneven and, frankly, we would describe it as incremental progress in the Donbas.” The official also described a lot of “back-and-forth in the Donbas in terms of territory gained and/or lost by, frankly, both sides.” U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Sean Hannity warned Mark Meadows about ‘fing lunatics’ advising Trump, texts show Fox News host Sean Hannity exchanged more than 80 texts messages with Mark Meadows, then-President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, between Election Day 2020 and President Biden’s inauguration. According to messages released Friday by CNN, Hannity strongly supported Trump’s baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, telling Meadows it was “mathematically impossible” for Biden to have received as many votes as he had. Hannity also warned Meadows about some of the “fing lunatics” pushing Trump’s stolen election claims. “They are NOT helping [Trump]. I’m fed up with these people,” Hannity wrote. CNN 

Biden requests $33 billion for Ukraine fight as Congress passes ‘lend-lease’ arms authorization The House on Thursday cleared a bill that will allow President Biden to more easily supply weapons to Ukraine to help it fend off Russia’s invasion, using a 1941 lend-lease law created to arm allies against Nazi Germany. “President Zelensky has said that Ukraine needs weapons to sustain themselves, and President Biden has answered that call,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said. The Senate passed the bipartisan Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act by unanimous consent earlier this month, and the House sent it to Biden’s desk on a vote of 417 to 10. Hours earlier, Biden had asked Congress for another $33 billion for the Ukraine fight. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Former U.S. Marine killed while fighting in Ukraine Former U.S. Marine Willy Joseph Cancel was killed while fighting against Russian forces in Ukraine. Cancel, age 22, reportedly volunteered to travel to Ukraine and fight after Russia invaded. He had reportedly been working in Ukraine since mid-March with a private military contracting company and was killed Monday. His family confirmed his death, while a U.S. Department of State official said they “are aware of these reports and are closely monitoring the situation,” but declined to comment further “due to privacy considerations.” His body has not yet been found. ABC NEWS 

The S&P 500 is down 13.8 percent in 2022, the worst year-to-date performance since World War II The stock market plunged on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average down 939.18 points, or 2.8 percent. Tech stocks were particularly hard hit, with the Nasdaq down 4.2 percent. The S&P 500 lost 9.1 percent of its value in April, closing out its worst month since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020 and marking its worst year-to-date performance since World War II. “The economy is fundamentally soft: The Fed is going to hike next week, the situation in Ukraine is not getting better, and high inflation is cutting into costs,” said Joe La Vorgna, who served as a White House economic adviser under former President Donald Trump. THE WASHINGTON POST 

U.K. should suspend local government in the British Virgin Islands, report recommends A report released Friday by the United Kingdom’s government recommended suspending the constitution of the British Virgin Islands, dissolving its elected government, and ruling the Caribbean archipelago through its crown-appointed governor. The governor, John Rankin, ordered the report in 2021 to shed light on “corruption, abuse of office, and other serious dishonesty.” On Thursday, the islands’ elected premier, Alturo Fahie, was arrested in Miami, Florida, on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. The British Virgin Islands, which have a population of around 30,000, have been autonomous since 1967 but remain a British overseas territory rather than a sovereign country. REUTERS 

Elon Musk reportedly eyes new ways to monetize tweets as he lines up next Twitter CEO Elon Musk doesn’t officially own Twitter yet, but he’s already eying some changes. Days after Twitter reached a deal with Musk, the Tesla CEO has told banks he’s looking to “develop new ways to monetize tweets.” According to the report, Musk says he’s, in particular, looking to introduce “new ways to make money out of tweets that contain important information or go viral,” with one idea being to charge websites a fee if they want to quote or embed tweets from verified accounts. Musk has also reportedly said he has lined up a person to be the next CEO of the company but has declined to reveal who it is. REUTERS 

Airbnb to allow employees to permanently work from home Most Airbnb employees never have to return to the office again, as the company has announced it will allow workers to permanently work remotely. “You can work from home or the office — whatever works best for you,” CEO Brian Chesky said. Airbnb previously planned to have employees return to the office in September 2022. But Chesky said the new policy was informed by the fact that Airbnb had its “most productive two-year period” ever while employees worked from home during the pandemic. “This is where the world is going,” Chesky said. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

MLB suspends Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for 2 seasons over sexual assault allegation Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer has been suspended by Major League Baseball for two seasons after he was accused of sexual assault. The league announced Friday that following an investigation, Bauer has been suspended for 324 games, two full seasons, for violating its policy against domestic violence. In 2021, a woman filed for a restraining order against Bauer, alleging he sexually assaulted her. On Friday, Bauer denied violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy in the “strongest possible terms” and said he will appeal the decision. His two-season suspension is reportedly the most severe punishment the MLB has ever imposed over a violation of its domestic violence policy. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 

The End

Friday,  April 29th, 2022 

Forty-two Palestinians are injured as the Israeli police storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in response to crowds within the mosque throwing rocks and fireworks in the direction of Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall. (Al Jazeera) 

Ten people are killed and 15 others are injured when a mosque is bombed in Kabul, Afghanistan. (National Post) 

The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Russia surpasses 800,000. (Reuters) 

South Korean government announces that it will lift outdoor mask mandate from May 2 due to decrease of the number of COVID-19 cases, despite criticism from incoming Yoon Seok-yeol administration regarding the mandate. (France 24) 

Russian President Vladimir Putin accepts an invitation to the upcoming G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also invited to the summit. (FirstPost) 

The premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, is arrested for alleged drug smuggling and money laundering in the United States. (BBC News) 

British MP Neil Parish is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards after two MPs allegedly claimed that Parish was watching pornography in the House of Commons. (The Guardian) 

A high court in Malawi convicts five people of killing an albino man and seven more people of selling the man’s body parts. It is believed that albino body parts bring luck and wealth. (Voice of America) 

Biden asks Congress for $33 billion Ukraine aid package President Biden asked Congress for $33 billion in military, humanitarian, and economic aid to Ukraine as Russia’s invasion enters its third month and Russian forces intensify their offensive in eastern Ukraine. The package, which would include more than $20 billion in military and security assistance, is bigger than most nations’ annual defense budgets and by far the largest funding proposal for Ukraine since the war started. The Biden administration, which this week announced $800 million in artillery, armed drones, and other weapons for Ukraine, also is asking for new authority to rapidly transfer arms to Ukraine from the Pentagon’s arsenal. “It’s not cheap,” Biden said. “But caving to aggression is going to be more costly.” POLITICO 

Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles during U.N. chief visit Russia hit Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, with cruise missiles on Thursday, killing at least one person and injuring several others in its most intense attack on the city since Russian forces retreated from the area two weeks ago. The shelling occurred an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a news conference with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who called Ukraine under Russia’s invasion “an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain.” Russian strikes also targeted other areas far from its ground offensive in eastern Ukraine. Witnesses reported explosions in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the Belarus border, and the southwest railway hub of Fastiv. Air defenses in the southern city of Odesa intercepted rockets. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

U.S. economy shrank in 1st quarter  The U.S. economy shrank by 1.4 percent on an annualized basis in the first quarter of 2022, the first such retreat since early in the pandemic. About 0.8 percent of the dent stemmed from decisions by businesses to buy goods aggressively before the 2021 holiday shopping season so they wouldn’t get caught short by supply shortages during the winter coronavirus surge, which let them restock slowly in the new year. Economists said the slowdown was unlikely to build into a recession, because economic fundamentals remained strong despite high inflation, the war in Ukraine, and ongoing pandemic worries. Rising wages resulted in strong consumer spending, and companies were able to make big investments thanks to higher profits. FOX BUSINESS 

FDA proposes ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday proposed a ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes and all cigar flavorings. It said the policy could significantly reduce tobacco disease and death by “reducing youth experimentation and addiction.” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said the proposed rules would “help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers and help adult smokers quit.” Erika Sward, assistant vice president of national advocacy for the American Lung Association, said the plan would reduce youth smoking and “save lives, especially in Black and brown communities.” A spokesperson for tobacco company Altria said the ban would push flavored products into “unregulated criminal markets.” NPR 

U.S. says Russian intelligence behind attack on newspaper editor The United States has concluded that Russian intelligence was responsible for an April 7 attack on Dmitry Muratov, the Nobel Prize-winning editor of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, The Washington Post reported, citing a U.S. official. Muratov, a critic of Russia’s Ukraine invasion, was preparing to take a train from Moscow to Samara, Russia, when someone threw a mixture of red paint and acetone at him, causing chemical burns to his eyes. The assailant made reference to Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, shouting, “Muratov, here’s one for our boys!” Muratov was traveling and not immediately available to comment on the U.S. intelligence assessment, a Novaya Gazeta spokesperson said. THE WASHINGTON POST 

China unveils measures to ease economic harm from lockdowns China’s leaders this week announced measures to ease the economic impact of lockdowns imposed to fight an increasing number of COVID-19 outbreaks. Many companies will get to suspend unemployment insurance payments as long as they don’t resort to mass layoffs. The measures also include reduced electricity and internet charges for businesses, more passes for truck drivers to bypass COVID-19 roadblocks, and government allowances for migrant workers unable to find jobs. “We need to place greater importance on stabilizing employment,” Premier Li Keqiang said after a cabinet meeting late Wednesday. “The new round of COVID flare-ups has hit employment quite hard.” THE NEW YORK TIMES 

BVI premier, port director arrested on drug charges British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie was arrested Thursday in Miami on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. The criminal complaint filed in the U.S. Southern District of Florida said Fahie and the director of the British Virgin Islands’ ports, Oleavine Pickering Maynard, were accused of agreeing to help a man who said he worked for the Sinaloa Cartel, but was really a confidential federal source, ferry cocaine through the tiny island territory in exchange for a $500,000 upfront payment. Maynard and her son Kadeem Stephan Maynard also were charged. BLOOMBERG 

USPS faces lawsuits over plan to buy gas-guzzling delivery trucks Sixteen states, the District of Columbia, and environmental activist groups have filed lawsuits seeking to block the U.S. Postal Service from buying 148,000 gas-powered delivery trucks over the next decade. The USPS resisted pressure to renew its fleet with electric vehicles to help the Biden administration achieve its goal to reduce the federal government’s carbon emissions in the name of fighting climate change. Suits by the state attorneys general, Earthjustice, and the Natural Resources Defense Council argue that the Postal Service relied on bad calculations to defend the decision to buy trucks getting 8.6 miles per gallon, barely more than its current 30-year-old vehicles. The agency’s plan to run just 10 percent of its fleet on electric power is far below the targets of private delivery companies. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Only curbing emissions can prevent mass extinction in oceans If greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, warming waters and oxygen loss in seas could lead to a mass extinction of sea life as bad as the five worst catastrophes in the planet’s history, scientists said in a paper published Thursday in the journal Science. The devastation could wipe out much of the species diversification seen since the event that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Sharply reducing emissions could cut extinction risks by 70 percent, and curbing ocean pollution, overfishing, and other stresses could save even more ocean life. “If we turn around our emissions quickly, we could still lose something like 5 percent of marine species,” says co-author Curtis Deutsch, a climate scientist at Princeton University. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 

Thursday, April 28th, 2022 

Seven people are killed and four more injured in Abu Khashab, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria, inside the home of a former Syrian Democratic Forces official during the Ramadan iftar. The Islamic State is suspected. (AP) 

At least nine people are killed and thirteen injured by two bombs exploding on a pair of Shia-majority buses in Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh Province, Afghanistan. (Reuters) 

Two major explosions hit Kyiv, Ukraine after Russia conducts missile strikes. (Reuters) 

A pair of explosions are witnessed in southern Belgorod, Russia. It is unclear whether or not they were intentional. (Reuters) 

Moderna requests emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine in American babies, toddlers and young children. (The Washington Post) 

Joshua Jacques, who is suspected of being the perpetrator of a mass stabbing in Bermondsey, London, United Kingdom, three days earlier, is charged with four counts of murder. (Met Police) 

A small meteor travelling at an estimated 55,000 km/h explodes above east Mississippi, causing several sonic booms. (NBC News) 

EU, Ukraine call Russian gas shut-offs ‘blackmail’The European Union and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday accused Russia of “blackmail” after Russia’s state-controlled gas company, Gazprom, shut off natural gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria. The Kremlin warned it would cut off other countries if they didn’t comply with its demand they pay in roubles, which would help boost the Russian currency in the face of Western sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland and Bulgaria got enough natural gas from other EU members to maintain normal supplies to customers, but that could change if Russia shuts off supplies to Germany and Italy, much bigger customers. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been threatening to cut supplies to “unfriendly countries” for weeks. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Fauci says pandemic in new phase, not over Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the coronavirus crisis has eased since the unprecedented winter surge, but “by no means does that mean the pandemic is over.” Fauci this week told The Washington Post that the country had exited the “full-blown explosive pandemic phase.” He told the AP “we’ve now decelerated and transitioned into more of a controlled phase.” He said with new COVID-19 cases and deaths far below their winter peak, and nearly two-thirds of the population vaccinated, the challenge is learning to live with new and unpredictable variants. The pandemic’s U.S. death toll is expected to reach 1 million within weeks. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Moscow releases former U.S. Marine in prisoner swapThe United States and Russia said Wednesday they had made a prisoner exchange, with Moscow releasing former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed and the U.S. freeing a Russian pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko, convicted on drug smuggling charges. The swap followed lengthy negotiations kept separate from tensions over Russia’s Ukraine invasion. Reed, who served on Camp David security duty during the Obama administration, was accused of endangering Russian police officers during a drunken night out, which he denies. At least two well-known Americans remain in Russian jails. Former Marine Paul Whelan was arrested in 2018 on espionage charges; WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained at a Moscow-area airport in February and accused of carrying hashish oil. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Southern California adopts emergency water restrictions Authorities in Southern California have imposed unprecedented water restrictions in response to the state’s worst drought on record, now in its third year. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California approved the emergency regulations on Tuesday. The rules will affect 6 million people in Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties. Under the order, people who depend on water from the State Water Project will be limited to outdoor watering one day a week. The limits on non-essential water use, under penalty of fines, are designed to reduce consumption by 35 percent. More than 95 percent of California is in severe or extreme drought, up from about 66 percent three months ago. LOS ANGELES TIMES 

Prosecutors charge Archegos leaders over ‘historic’ stock manipulation scheme Federal prosecutors on Wednesday arrested Archegos Capital Management owner Bill Hwang and his former chief financial officer, Patrick Halligan, on racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud charges. The leaders of the once-obscure private investment firm are accused of a stock manipulation scheme that “was historic in scope,” said Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Archegos allegedly misled banks to borrow money and place huge bets on a small number of stocks, inflating their values. When the scheme unraveled, Archegos collapsed, $100 billion in shareholder value vanished, and Wall Street banks suffered $10 billion in losses. Hwang was released on a $100 million bond. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

GOP lawmakers tell Mayorkas border ‘out of control’ Republican lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee grilled Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday over the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said the U.S.-Mexico border situation is “out of control.” Mayorkas said the Biden administration “inherited a broken and dismantled system” already under strain, and had handled the flow of migrants since taking over. “We have effectively managed an unprecedented number of noncitizens seeking to enter the United States and … disrupted more smuggling operations than ever before,” he said, conceding that there were problems but saying “only Congress can fix this.” Mayorkas is expected to face questions on plans to handle an expected influx of migrants when the Title 42 pandemic-related border restrictions end. CNN 

SpaceX launches crew with 1st Black woman making long-term ISS mission SpaceX on Wednesday launched four astronauts on a NASA mission to the International Space Station. The crew of three Americans and one Italian included Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to make a long-term spaceflight. The astronauts will conduct a science expedition in microgravity at the space station. SpaceX, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s private spaceflight company, has sent five crews for NASA into orbit in the last two years, as well as two private groups, including a flight chartered by millionaires that splashed down two days before Wednesday’s launch. The three businessmen on that mission were NASA’s first private guests at the space station. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Facebook gains more users than expected Facebook parent Meta Platforms on Wednesday posted its slowest revenue growth since it went public a decade ago, but it also added more users than expected in the first quarter, sending its stock jumping more than 18 percent. Facebook said Russia’s war in Ukraine was partly to blame for the revenue problems. Meta’s stock plunged in February after it reported a worse-than-expected decline in late 2021 quarterly profits, as well as a weak revenue forecast. After that report, the stock fell 26 percent in its worst one-day plunge ever, wiping out more than $230 billion in market value. Before Wednesday’s gains, Meta shares had fallen nearly 44 percent since February’s dismal report. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Prosecutors charge Archegos leaders over ‘historic’ stock manipulation scheme Federal prosecutors on Wednesday arrested Archegos Capital Management owner Bill Hwang and his former chief financial officer, Patrick Halligan, on racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud charges. The leaders of the once-obscure private investment firm are accused of a stock manipulation scheme that “was historic in scope,” said Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Archegos allegedly misled banks to borrow money and placed huge bets on a small number of stocks, inflating their values. When the scheme unraveled, Archegos collapsed, $100 billion in shareholder value vanished, and Wall Street banks suffered $10 billion in losses. Hwang was released on a $100 million bond. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Government expected to report slow 1st-quarter growth The Commerce Department is expected to report Thursday that economic growth slowed sharply in the first quarter of 2022, with inflation-adjusted gross domestic product barely rising at all after robust growth late last year. But economists noted that the numbers, reflecting the impact of the winter Omicron-variant coronavirus wave, will be misleading. The COVID-19 surge hurt spending on restaurants and travel, but the report is expected to show solid gains in overall consumer spending and business investment, signaling resilience. “This is one of these reports where the headline is kind of a head fake,” said Ethan S. Harris, head of global economics for Bank of America. “It’s actually a pretty good quarter if you look at the underlying data.” REUTERSTHE NEW YORK TIMES 

Disney’s self-governing body says Florida can’t dissolve it without paying off debt Disney World’s self-governing body, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, says Florida can’t go ahead with its plan to dissolve it without paying off its $1 billion in bond debts, under a provision in the law that established the district. Florida created Reedy Creek in 1967 to allow Disney governmental control over development and public works in the area housing its central Florida theme parks. Reedy Creek’s statement came as Florida Republicans last week passed legislation to dissolve the district at the urging of Gov. Ron DeSantis in response to Disney’s criticism of the state’s Parental Rights in Education law, which critics call the “don’t say gay” bill. Disney hasn’t publicly commented on the law. CNN 

The End

Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 

Germany announces the delivery of 50 ex-Bundeswehr Gepard anti-air tanks to Ukraine, the first heavy weaponry supplied by Germany since the start of the invasion. (Reuters) 

Russia insinuates that it can strike military targets inside the territory of NATO countries supplying weapons to Ukraine and specifically singles out the United Kingdom. In a statement, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova says that “Russia can strike military targets on the territory of those NATO countries that supply arms to the Kiev regime” and “As far as I understand, Britain is one of those countries.” (Mirror)  

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that weapons supplied to Ukraine “will be a legitimate target for Russia’s military” and further stating “storage facilities in western Ukraine have been targeted”. Lavrov also stated that “NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war.” (Al Jazeera)  

Russia shuts off gas to Poland, Bulgaria Russian state-run gas company Gazprom said Wednesday it cut off natural-gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, escalating tensions with the West over Ukraine. The move followed weeks of threats that Russia would suspend gas deliveries unless buyers pay in roubles. Poland’s PGNiG gas company confirmed the shutoff, but said it was still supplying customers. The United States and allies agreed in Germany on Tuesday to send more heavy weapons to Ukraine despite Russia’s warning that further support for Ukrainian fighters could provoke nuclear war. Russia said its forces had “liberated” the Kherson region in southern Ukraine and other areas. Explosions in neighboring Moldova’s breakaway pro-Russian state of Transnistria raised concerns the war could spill over. REUTERS 

British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab says that Russian threats to target Britain are “unlawful” and are only adding to the “pariah status” of Vladimir Putin‘s regime. (Sky News) 

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss states that Russian forces must be pushed out of “the whole of Ukraine” including territory Russia captured eight years ago, in what the BBC describes as “the clearest statement yet of Britain’s war aims”. (BBC News) 

The Ukrainian Air Force strikes the Kherson TV Tower with a missile temporarily forcing Russian television off-air in the occupied Kherson Oblast. (Canadian Press via Yahoo News) 

Russia says that it has struck 59 Ukrainian weapon facilities during the night, including a depot in Zaporizhzhia Oblast which is being used to store weapons from the United States and Europe. (Reuters) 

Russia says that its air defences have shot down a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle over the Kursk Oblast, while several explosions and a fire at an ammunition depot are reported in Belgorod Oblast. Ukraine describes the explosions in Russia as “payback” and “karma” for Moscow’s invasion. (Reuters) 

Gazprom announces that it has “completely suspended gas supplies” to the gas companies of Poland and Bulgaria “due to [the] absence of payments in roubles“. Bulgaria, Poland, and the European Union condemn the suspension. (Reuters)  

The suspension of gas to Poland and Bulgaria causes natural gas prices to increase and also causes the Russian ruble to reach a 2 year high against the Euro in Moscow trade. (Reuters)  

Transnistrian authorities say that several UAVs originating from the direction of Ukraine have been spotted near the Cobasna ammunition depot. However, this claim cannot be independently verified. (RFE/RL) 

Russia imposes sanctions on 287 members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in response to sanctions on members of its State Duma. Senior cabinet ministers and House Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle are among those sanctioned. (BBC News) 

Russia announces its withdrawal from the World Tourism Organization ahead of a vote on its suspension from the UN specialized agency. (RFE/RL) 

A Palestinian teenager is killed and three more are injured as Israeli soldiers raid a refugee camp in Jenin. Fifteen others are arrested during raids in other parts of the West Bank. (Al Jazeera)  

The 27-foot Soviet-era bronze statue under the People’s Friendship Arch in Kyiv, representing Russian–Ukrainian friendship, is removed by order of Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko. (NDTV) 

Prince Andrew, Duke of York is stripped of his Freedom of the City of York following an unanimous vote by city councillors. The council also calls on the Prince to relinquish his title as Duke of York. (BBC News) 

The European Commission proposes lifting all tariffs for Ukrainian produce not covered by the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement for one year, while easing trade conditions for other goods. The temporary suspension will need to be approved by the European Parliament and the member states. (Reuters) 

The Central African Republic adopts bitcoin as legal tender, after its legislature unanimously approved the law. (BBC News) 

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, servicing most of Greater Los Angeles, declares a water shortage emergency and requires agencies to enforce restrictions on non-essential water usage as of June 1. This comes amid a drought which worsened as the 2021–22 California winter season was the driest on record. (AP) 

Eleven people are killed and more than a dozen others are injured after a chariot in a Hindu religious procession catches fire in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. (Reuters) 

American Marine Trevor Reed and Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko are freed in a prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States. (AP) 

Three people are killed in a mass shooting in Biloxi, Mississippi. The shooter is later killed in a standoff with police. (ABC News) 

The Peruvian government declares a state of emergency at Las Bambas copper mine after a week of camping by indigenous people. The government suspends civil liberties, including the right of assembly and protest. (Reuters) 

Oleksandr Kobets is appointed as the de facto mayor of the city of Kherson, which has been occupied by Russian forces since March 2. (Ukrinform) 

Tesla shares dive after news of Musk’s Twitter takeover Tesla shares plunged by 12 percent Tuesday as investors dumped shares on concerns that CEO Elon Musk might sell a significant number of shares to fund his $44 billion Twitter takeover. The decline reduced Tesla’s valuation by about $126 billion. The electric-car maker’s market capitalization is now down more than $275 billion since Musk revealed that he had become Twitter’s biggest shareholder. The value of Musk’s 17 percent Tesla stake is now down more than $40 billion. Tesla shares also have been dragged down by a broader selloff fueled by high inflation and slowing economic growth, and by anticipation of Federal Reserve interest hikes. BLOOMBERG 

Harvard pledges $100 million to redress slavery ties Harvard University announced Tuesday that it was pledging $100 million to research and redress the school’s “extensive entanglements with slavery” in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Harvard released a report detailing how it profited from slavery through its donors. The document said faculty and staff members at the Ivy League school enslaved more than 70 Black people from the school’s founding in 1636 until Massachusetts outlawed slavery in 1783. “Enslaved men and women served Harvard presidents and professors and fed and cared for Harvard students,” the report said. “The truth is that slavery played a significant part in our institutional history,” Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a letter Tuesday to the university community. CNN 

Kim Jong Un vows to expand North Korea’s nuclear arsenal North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to expand his country’s nuclear stockpile “at the fastest possible speed,” and threatened to use it “if any forces, regardless of who they are, try to infringe upon our fundamental interests,” The Associated Press reported Tuesday, citing North Korean state media. Kim’s remarks during a Monday night military parade indicated that he likely will “continue provocative weapons tests in a pressure campaign to wrest concessions from the U.S. and other rivals,” the AP wrote. During the parade, Pyongyang showed off its largest intercontinental ballistic missile — the Hwasong-17 — which it claimed to have test-fired last month. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Harris tests positive for COVID-19 Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for COVID-19, her press secretary, Kirsten Allen, said in a statement Tuesday. Harris, 57, was not suffering any symptoms. She is the highest level Biden administration official to be infected with the coronavirus in a recent wave of cases. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tested positive in March. Harris had not seen President Biden since April 18 and was not considered a “close contact.” Before she tested positive, she had been scheduled to join the President’s Daily Brief meeting at the White House on Tuesday. Harris, who is working from home, said she was “grateful to be both vaccinated and boosted.”  FOX NEWS 

Cawthorn caught with gun at airport, again Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) was caught Tuesday trying to board a flight at North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport with a loaded gun, the Transportation Security Administration said. Charlotte police identified Cawthorn, 26, as the owner of the 9 mm Staccato C2 pistol, and issued him a citation for possessing a dangerous weapon on city property. Officers confiscated the handgun. It was the second time the controversial lawmaker has been caught with a gun at an airport. A TSA crew found Cawthorn with an unloaded Glock 9mm handgun in his carry-on at the Asheville, North Carolina, airport in February 2021, although he wasn’t charged. He also has been accused of bringing knives to several schools. USA TODAY 

Biden pardons 3, reduces sentences for 75 President Biden on Tuesday announced pardons for three convicted felons and reduced sentences for 75 non-violent drug offenders in his first use of his clemency powers. Biden pardoned Abraham Bolden Sr., Betty Jo Bogans, and Dexter Eugene Jackson. Bolden, 86, was the nation’s first Black Secret Service agent on a presidential detail, protecting the late President John F. Kennedy. The Chicago resident, who served three years in prison, has tried to clear his name, saying he was falsely accused of trying to sell a Secret Service investigative report in 1964 because he had spoken out against racist and unprofessional behavior in the Secret Service.CHICAGO TRIBUNE 

Pfizer asks FDA to authorize boosters for kids 5 through 11 Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize giving their coronavirus booster shots to children ages 5 through 11. The companies gave the FDA test data showing that their low-dose COVID-19 booster for children in that age group could provide protection against the highly contagious Omicron variant, and renew waning immunity that has left other age groups vulnerable to Omicron and other variants. “Over time, immunity to the vaccine wanes,” said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a Stanford infectious disease researcher who has helped test Pfizer’s vaccine. Skeptics questioned whether younger kids need a booster after the initial two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine. NPR 

Myanmar court sentences Suu Kyi to 5 years on corruption charge A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Wednesday found civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi guilty in the first of 11 corruption cases against her and sentenced her to five years in prison, Reuters reported, citing a source with knowledge of the proceedings. Suu Kyi, 76, won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her opposition to military rule, and led the country for five years during its effort to install democracy. She has been in custody since the military took power in a February 2021 coup. She has been held at an undisclosed location and previously was sentenced to six years for minor alleged offenses, which critics say were politically motivated. REUTERS 

Pfizer asks FDA to authorize boosters for kids 5 through 11 Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize giving their coronavirus booster shots to children ages 5 through 11. The companies gave the FDA test data showing that their low-dose COVID-19 booster for children in that age group could provide protection against the highly contagious Omicron variant, and renew waning immunity that has left other age groups vulnerable to Omicron and other variants. “Over time, immunity to the vaccine wanes,” said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a Stanford infectious disease researcher who has helped test Pfizer’s vaccine. Skeptics questioned whether younger kids need a booster after the initial two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine. NPR 

Google-parent Alphabet revenue rises but misses expectations Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported Tuesday that its first-quarter profit slipped despite a 23 percent increase in revenue over the same period last year. Alphabet shares fell about 3 percent in after-hours trading, as the company’s earnings and revenue fell short of analysts’ expectations. Earnings came in at $24.62 per share, compared to the $25.91 expected, according to Refinitiv. YouTube ad revenue came in below expectations, after benefiting earlier in the pandemic as people stuck at home due to coronavirus restrictions streamed more video. The miss also came as rival TikTok grabbed a growing share of social-media video users. THE VERGE 

Walmart increases fuel discount for Walmart+ subscribers Walmart announced Wednesday that it is increasing its fuel discount for Walmart+ members from 5 to 10 cents a gallon, effective immediately, and allowing members to use the discount at 12,000 Exxon and Mobil stations. The change, intended to boost subscriptions and renewals at a time of high fuel prices, sweetens a key perk in Walmart+ membership, which the retail giant launched in September 2020 in a challenge to Amazon’s Prime subscription service. Other features of the $98 per year, or $12.95 per month, service include unlimited free delivery and a Scan & Go option for in-store shopping. USA TODAY 

‘Barbie’ and Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ will hit theaters on the same day Ready for the weirdest double feature ever? Warner Bros. has revealed our first look at Margot Robbie as Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s live-action Barbie, also giving the film its release date: July 21, 2023. If that date rings a bell, it might be because it’s the same day Christopher Nolan is releasing his next film, Oppenheimer, about the creation of the atomic bomb. Somewhat infamously, the Dark Knight director had a messy breakup with his longtime buddies at Warner Bros. Last year, their decision to prioritize HBO Max ticked the theater-loving Nolan off so badly that he took Oppenheimer to a rival studio, Universal. Not that the films share much of the same audience, but is putting Barbie up against Oppenheimer Warner Bros.’ subtle revenge? We like to think so. Either way, both boast absurdly stacked casts, so pretty much every working actor alive now has a film opening that day. The premieres may need a designated survivor.  VARIETY 

Tuesday,  April 26th, 2022 

Russia hits Ukraine rail and fuel facilities Russia hit Ukrainian rail and fuel facilities with airstrikes on Monday, damaging key infrastructure across the country while focusing its ground war on eastern Ukraine. On Russia’s side of the Ukraine border, two fires erupted at oil facilities, although it wasn’t immediately clear what caused the blazes. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday after he and Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv that the U.S. hoped “to see Russia weakened” by the war so it couldn’t threaten other countries. He later met with European military leaders in Germany, saying Russia “never imagined that the world would rally behind Ukraine so swiftly and surely.”  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Moldova‘s Supreme Security Council convenes an emergency meeting after yesterday’s attacks in the breakaway Transnistria. President Maia Sandu says that the attacks were aimed at “destabilising the situation in the region”, and also says that the military will improve combat readiness and increase patrols on the border with Transnistria. (Reuters) 

The United Kingdom‘s Armed Forces Secretary James Heappey says that Ukraine can strike targets inside Russia with British weapons, saying that it is “completely legitimate” in order to disrupt attacks on Ukraine. (The Guardian) 

The Russian Defence Ministry accuses the UK of “provoking Ukraine” into attacking Russian territory, and warns of a “proportional response” should any attacks occur. (BBC News) 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres visits Moscow in order to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Before the meeting, Guterres calls for a ceasefire to end the war. (The Hindu) 

Putin says that Russia and Ukraine are continuing ceasefire talks online. (Reuters) 

A Russian missile strike destroys a strategic bridge across the Dniester Estuary in Odessa Oblast, according to Ukrainian authorities. (AP) 

Biden picks career diplomat as new Ukraine ambassador President Biden will nominate career diplomat Bridget Brink to be his ambassador to Ukraine, the White House announced Monday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Brink, who currently serves as ambassador to Slovakia, is “deeply experienced in the region” and “will be a very strong representative for the United States in Ukraine.” Washington has been without a confirmed ambassador in Kyiv since 2019, when then-President Donald Trump abruptly removed Marie Yovanovitch from the job after she was criticized by Trump allies who believed she was undermining Trump’s effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, Trump’s rival in the 2020 election. Trump’s effort to pressure Zelensky to investigate Biden triggered his first impeachment. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Bad Bunny joins Sony’s Spider-Man universe Can Sony’s Spider-Man universe get any more baffling after Morbius? It sure can! The studio has announced a standalone movie about the extremely obscure wrestler character El Muerto, and it’s set to star Bad Bunny. “To bring El Muerto to life is just incredible … so exciting,” the rapper declared. That will make this the first live-action Marvel movie centered around a Latino actor, though if you’ve never heard of El Muerto, you’re not alone. The character, who once came across Spider-Man at a wrestling match, has only ever appeared in the comics twice, according to Comicbook.com. But Deadline reports that Sony’s “rush to get this film into development had a lot to do with Bad Bunny’s persistence in finding that right superhero property for himself.” If anything inspires confidence in a movie, it’s the phrase “rush to get this film into development,” r ight? DEADLINE 

Viola Davis: ‘Critics absolutely serve no purpose’ Viola Davis wants her critics to know they’ve wasted their lives. The actress has responded to backlash over her portrayal of Michelle Obama in The First Lady, telling BBC News, “Critics absolutely serve no purpose. And I’m not saying that to be nasty either.” Davis faced brutal online reactions to her take on Obama in the Showtime series, with some criticizing how often she purses her lips and suggesting the performance is overly exaggerated. The backlash mostly came from random social media users, though some professional critics also felt she was miscast. Davis, appearing to respond more to the former group, told BBC it’s “incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work,” and she suggested these critics “always feel like they’re telling you something that you don’t know” but are just taking advantage of “an opportunity to be cruel.” If only someone had advice on what to do when they go low.  BBC 

Three Chinese citizens and their Pakistani driver are killed and four others are injured when a Balochistan Liberation Army suicide bomber blows herself up near their van in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. (BBC News)  

Gazprom announces that it will stop delivering natural gas to Poland via the Yamal–Europe pipeline and to Bulgaria as both countries rejected Russia‘s demand to pay for the fossil fuel supply in Russian rubles. Poland does not expect to experience disruptions from the suspension of natural gas deliveries. However, the suspension of Russian gas deliveries to Bulgaria “poses a serious challenge to the security of supply to the country” as Bulgaria is almost completely dependent on Russian gas. (Deutsche Welle)  

SpaceX to provide Hawaiian Airlines with Starlink inflight internet service Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX has reached a deal to provide Hawaiian Airlines flights with its Starlink satellite internet service, The Verge reported on Monday. SpaceX recently made a similar deal with charter carrier JSX. Both carriers said they planned to offer the Starlink-provided in-flight WiFi for free. Delta Air Lines has meanwhile begun running “exploratory” Starlink tests on its carriers in a further sign of a potential broad expansion of in-flight WiFi. The market has been dominated by slow-moving Viasat and Gogo. Starlink aims to disrupt the market with zippier download speeds up to 200 mb/s. THE VERGE 

Twitter accepts Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover offer Twitter announced Monday that it would accept Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $44 billion offer to buy the social media company and take it private. Musk launched his hostile takeover bid after scooping up about 9 percent of Twitter stock to become its biggest shareholder. He will pay Twitter investors $54.20 in cash for every share of their stock, a 38 percent premium over the price on the day he revealed his stake in the company. Twitter initially resisted but reexamined the offer after Musk announced he had lined up more than enough financing. He vowed to “unlock” the company’s “tremendous potential” and reduce restrictions on free speech. CNN 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk reaches an agreement to buy Twitter for $44 billion. (The Verge) 

A staff member and two children are killed, and another staff member is injured in a shooting at a kindergarten in Veshkayma, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia. The gunman later kills himself. (Reuters) 

Twenty Islamic worshippers are killed during riots in Gondar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. (Reuters)  

In the morning, the Moon, Jupiter, and Venus are seen aligning with each other. (Space.com) 

Texas appeals court delays execution of Melissa Lucio A Texas appeals court on Monday delayed the execution of Melissa Lucio to allow a lower court time to review new evidence she claims will exonerate her. Lucio, 53, had been scheduled for lethal injection on Wednesday. The execution stay was announced just minutes before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles was scheduled to review her application for clemency.  “I am grateful the Court has given me the chance to live and prove my innocence,” Lucio said in a statement. Lucio was convicted on charges that she fatally beat her 2-year-old daughter. Her lawyers say new evidence indicates the child died from a fall down stairs. THE ASSOCIATED PRESSABC NEWS 

DeSantis signs Florida law creating election police Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday signed voting reform legislation that creates an election police force that will give his administration greater power to investigate alleged election crimes. The law makes the Sunshine State the first in the nation to establish a law enforcement unit focused on voter fraud, a crime that is extremely rare but has become a key issue for Republicans following President Biden’s decisive victory over former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. “I don’t think there is any other place in the country where you should have more confidence that your vote counts,” said DeSantis, who is up for re-election this year and is considered a possible candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. CNN 

Michigan police confirm name of officer who killed Patrick Lyoya Grand Rapids, Michigan, Police Chief Eric Winstrom on Monday confirmed the name of the officer, Christopher Schurr, who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya, an unarmed Black man, during an April 4 traffic stop. Winstrom said he was confirming the officer’s identity, which had already been publicly circulating, “in the interest of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid any further confusion.” Schurr is on administrative leave without police powers pending an investigation by Michigan State Police. Lyoya’s family and civil rights groups have been calling for identifying the officer and charging him in connection Lyoya’s death. “It took them three weeks to the day of the shooting to release his name,” Lyoya family attorney Ven Johnson said. THE DETROIT NEWS 

Judge blocks Biden plan to end Title 42 A federal judge in Louisiana, Trump appointee Robert Summerhays, on Monday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending the pandemic-era public health policy Title 42, which turned back migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border without giving them a chance to apply for asylum to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Attorneys general in three states — Missouri, Arizona, Louisiana — sued the Biden administration earlier this month to keep the measure in place, arguing that lifting it would spark a wave of migrants and create “an unprecedented crisis” at the southern border. More than a dozen mostly Republican-led states joined the lawsuit. Biden administration officials have noted Title 42 was a public-health measure, not an immigration policy. AXIOSCBC NEWS 

World’s oldest person dies in Japan at age 119 The world’s oldest person, Kane Tanaka of Japan, has died, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare said Monday. She was 119. Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903, and died on April 19, the ministry said. Guinness World Records in 2019 helped confirm Tanaka as the oldest person alive, and it confirmed her death. “She became the oldest living person in January 2019 at the age of 116 years and 28 days,” Guinness World Records said in a statement. “She is also the second oldest person ever recorded, behind only Jeanne Calment who lived to the age of 122.” Tanaka married a rice shop owner at age 19, and worked in the family business until age 103. She twice survived cancer, and lived through the 1918 Spanish flu and the devastating first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, but had been “in and out” of hospitals recently. CNN 

Ford CEO says automaker scaling up electric-pickup production Ford CEO Jim Farley told CNBC on Monday that the company plans to scale up production of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup to 150,000 units in the next year or so, up from an initial 40,000-vehicle target. If Ford pulls it off, it will become the first automaker to produce a mainstream full-size electric pickup, and its output will far out-pace Rivian Automotive, General Motors, and other companies aiming for production not to exceed tens of thousands of electric pickups. “In this market, being a first mover is a very, very important move,” Farley told CNBC. “We didn’t know we’d be first, but we worked fast in case we were, and it’s worked out that way. I think it could be one of the most important advantages we have.” CNBC 

Megan Thee Stallion gives tearful interview about alleged Tory Lanez shooting Megan Thee Stallion has given her first interview about allegedly being shot by rapper Tory Lanez almost two years ago. The “Savage” artist tearfully described to CBS Mornings how, after an argument, Lanez allegedly yelled “dance, b—h” and shot her in the feet. “I was really scared because I had never been shot at before,” she said. She recalled looking down at her feet and realizing, “Oh my God, I’m really bleeding,” and alleged Lanez offered her $1 million not to say anything. “I’m like, what are you talking about?” she said. “[Why] are you offering me money right now? Help me!” Initially, she says she told police that she stepped on glass because “I didn’t want them to kill us.” Lanez has denied her allegations, but Megan says he’s “trying to deflect from the fact that he committed a crime.”  VARIETYENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY 

Lea Michele reveals the TMI way she and Jonathan Groff ‘became so close’ A new documentary about Spring Awakening might deserve the title Spring Awakening: TMI. In an HBO documentary about the Broadway show, Lea Michele discusses the way she and co-star Jonathan Groff “became so close” working together and “were so intertwined.” She could have just left it there, but instead, she makes this head-turning revelation: “At one point, I literally showed him my whole vagina.” Michele explained that Groff, who is gay, told her he’s “never seen a woman’s vagina before” and asked, “Would you show me?” So, naturally, she “took a desk lamp … and showed him.” Groff confirmed this is true, though Michele added, “But I’ve never seen Jonathan naked. I’ve never seen his penis.” Good to know! We’re gonna have to exit stage right on this whole situation.  PEOPLEENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY 

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ director defends Chris Pratt against ‘utterly false beliefs’ Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord is here to stay. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn is jumping to the actor’s defense after some fans called for him to recast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In response to Pratt showing up in the trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder, one fan suggested he should be replaced with Patrick Wilson. But Gunn wrote back on Twitter, “For what? Because of your made-up, utterly false beliefs about him? For something that someone else told you about him that’s not true?” Pratt has previously denied allegations that the church he goes to is “anti-LGBTQ,” and Gunn defended him against that claim, saying, “I know the church he currently goes to.” The director also went further by promising that should Pratt ever be replaced in the MCU, the Guardians of the Galaxy crew would “all be going with him.” Chris Pratt defense force, activate!  SCREENRANT 

Monday,  April 25th, 2022 

Oil prices fall as China outbreak, rising rates threaten demand Oil prices fell nearly 5 percent early Monday as China’s coronavirus lockdowns and the prospect of rising U.S. interest rates stoked fears of decreased demand. Authorities in Shanghai erected fences outside residential buildings in areas touched by a local outbreak, increasing complaints about lockdowns that have shut down factories in China’s most populous city. Prices of international benchmark Brent crude fell 4.6 percent to $101.74 per barrel after going as low as $101.20, the lowest point since April 12. U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate dropped 4.9 percent. “It seems that China is the elephant in the room,” said Jeffrey Halley, an analyst at brokerage OANDA. “The tightening COVID-zero restrictions in Shanghai, and fears Omicron has spread in Beijing, torpedoed sentiment today.” REUTERS 

Macron wins re-election in France French President Emmanuel Macron won re-election to a second term on Sunday, beating far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. The election runoff was a rematch of their 2017 race, when the center-right Macron ran as a fresh face and trounced Le Pen 66.1 percent to 33.9 percent. Sunday’s vote was closer but still decisive, with Macron, now running with a clear record, winning 58.5 percent to 41.5 percent. Macron said his re-election was a win for “a more independent France and a stronger Europe,” although he called it his duty to “respond effectively” to “the anger that has been expressed” in the campaign. Le Pen conceded defeat but said French voters showed they wanted a “strong counter power” to Macron. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Zelensky meets with top U.S. officials Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Sunday night with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the highest-level U.S. visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded two months ago. Zelensky pressed the Biden administration officials for more powerful weapons to help Ukrainian forces fight back against Russia’s new offensive in eastern Ukraine, a Zelensky adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, said on Ukrainian TV. Zelensky had said Saturday when he announced plans for the visit that he would push for more military aid. “This was an important time to be there” and talk face-to-face, Blinken said Monday morning in Poland near Ukraine’s border. He said Ukraine is “succeeding” and Russia is “failing” in the war. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

U.S. to resume diplomatic operations in Ukraine Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said after their three-hour Sunday trip to Ukraine that they had told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States would resume diplomatic operations in Ukraine this week. The move would mark a first step toward reopening the U.S. embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. Washington closed the embassy ahead of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, but Blinken said the U.S. aims to reopen it within weeks. The Biden administration also plans this week to announce the nomination of career diplomat Bridget Brink as the new ambassador to Ukraine. There has been no confirmed U.S. ambassador to the country since Marie Yovanovitch was ousted in 2019. THE WASHINGTON POST 

The office of the Transnistrian Ministry of State Security in Tiraspol is attacked with grenade launchers by unknown assailants. There is damage reported to the building, but there are no reports of casualties. (Reuters) 

The office of the Transnistrian Ministry of State Security is blown apart. Transnistrian officials say that the building was attacked with grenade launchers by unknown assailants. (Reuters) 

According to Ukraine, Russian missile strikes hit numerous train stations across Ukraine. (The Guardian) 

Two large fires occur at an oil refinery and a military depot in Bryansk, Russia. (The Guardian) 

Kherson mayor Ihor Kolykhaiev announces that Russian forces have taken control of the Kherson City Council. (Ukrinform) 

A person is killed after Russia bombs the Kremenchuk Oil Refinery in Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast. (Reuters)  

Regional authorities say that five people have been killed by airstrikes on Zhmerynka and Koziatyn, Vinnytsia Oblast. (Reuters) 

California man accused of threatening Merriam-Webster over gender-identity language  Federal authorities last week arrested Jeremy David Hanson of Rossmoor, California, on allegations that he made threats against Merriam-Webster Inc. for using gender-inclusive language, NBC News and other news outlets reported Sunday. Hanson is scheduled to appear in federal court in Massachusetts on April 29 to face one charge of interstate communication of threats to commit violence. He is accused of posting threats on the dictionary company’s website, including one on Oct. 2, 2021, under the username “@anonYmous,” in which he commented on the Merriam-Webster dictionary entry for the term “female,” saying: “There is no such thing as ‘gender identity.’ The imbecile who wrote this entry should be hunted down and shot.” NBC NEWS 

A rocket is fired from Lebanon into Matzuva, Israel. Israel responds by firing at targets in Lebanon. (Times of Israel) 

A limestone statue of the Canaanite goddess Anat from 2,500 BC is found in the Gaza Strip. (ABC News) 

Authorities in Beijing begin COVID-19 testing for millions of residents after a recent increase in COVID-19 cases. (BBC News) 

The U.S. FDA formally approves the Gilead Sciences drug Remdesivir, commonly known as Veklury, for young children with COVID-19. (MarketWatch) 

Russia‘s foreign ministry expels 40 German diplomatic staff in a retaliatory move after Germany expelled the same number of Russian diplomats. (Reuters) 

Former Iranian MP Ali Motahari says the Iranian nuclear program initially aimed for a secret nuclear weapon and nuclear deterrence. (Iran International) 

Four people are killed during a mass stabbing at a house in Bermondsey, London, United Kingdom. (BBC News) 

Four people are stabbed to death in Bermondsey, South London, UK. (BBC News) 

Ukrainians celebrate Orthodox Easter as war hits 2-month mark Ukrainians celebrated Orthodox Easter on Sunday as the country continued to fight Russian forces who invaded two months ago. The celebrations took place under a curfew barring residents of all 24 of Ukraine’s regions from going outside overnight. In parts of eastern Ukraine, where Russia is conducting a new offensive, Ukrainian officials urged Orthodox worshipers to attend services virtually to avoid possible Russian “provocations.” Hundreds of people, including soldiers, gathered around St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, with baskets to be blessed. President Volodymyr Zelensky attended a different service in the city and soothed worshipers, telling them: “All of us believe our sunrise will come soon.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Beijing coronavirus cases surge as China’s zero-COVID policy tested Public health officials in Beijing said the Chinese capital confirmed 22 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the most yet in a single day this year. Shanghai, China’s most populous city, said 39 COVID-19 patients died on Saturday, a three-fold increase from the previous day. Although the rates of coronavirus infections and deaths remain low in China compared to many other countries, the rising numbers raised concerns about the ability of Chinese authorities to stamp out the surge with their zero-COVID policy. Under the policy, China effectively contained an outbreak in Jilin province with six weeks of lockdowns, but cases have been rising in Jiangsu and Hebei, the provinces surrounding Shanghai and Beijing. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

Supreme Court revisits case of coach who wanted to pray on football field The Supreme Court on Monday will hear arguments in the case of a Washington state high school football coach who lost his job for praying on the 50-yard-line in violation of school district orders. It will be the second time the case, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, has been considered by the high court. When the court first took up the case a couple of years ago, it decided it was premature to rule on it. Four justices expressed sympathy for the free-speech arguments of former Bremerton High School assistant coach Joseph Kennedy, who said he should be allowed to say a post-game prayer of gratitude at midfield. Now the court has a newly expanded 6-3 conservative majority that has been strongly protective of religious rights. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez headline Amazon-union rally Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) participated in a rally outside Amazon’s JFK8’s warehouse on Staten Island, New York, on Sunday, criticizing Amazon co-founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and urging the company to formally acknowledge the warehouse’s newly formed Amazon Labor Union. Sanders called for Bezos, “who owns a $500 million yacht,” to think about his workers when he’s sailing. “Working people are sick and tired of falling further and further behind while billionaires like Bezos become much richer,” Sanders said. The rally came as employees at Amazon’s LDJ5 warehouse, also on Staten Island, prepare to vote Monday on whether to become the second Amazon facility to unionize. Amazon did not immediately comment. NEW YORK POST 

Beijing coronavirus cases surge as China’s zero-COVID policy tested Public health officials in Beijing said the Chinese capital confirmed 22 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the most yet in a single day this year. Shanghai, China’s most populous city, said 39 COVID-19 patients died on Saturday, a three-fold increase from the previous day. Although the rates of coronavirus infections and deaths remain low in China compared to many other countries, the rising numbers raised concerns about the ability of Chinese authorities to stamp out the surge with their zero-COVID policy. Under the policy, China effectively contained an outbreak in Jilin province with six weeks of lockdowns, but cases have been rising in Jiangsu and Hebei, the provinces surrounding Shanghai and Beijing. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

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