Thursday, March 10, 2022

Wake-Up Call: Russia Bombs Maternity Hospital

Daily Mail 3/10/22

A maternity hospital in the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol was hit by an airstrike Wednesday, wounding at least 17 people, including pregnant women, and trapping children under debris, as Russia intensified its attacks on civilians in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the bombing "proof of a genocide." Also in Mariupol, where there have been reports of bodies lying in the streets, a mass grave was dug in a cemetery and bodies put inside. Zelenskyy's office said that about 1,200 people had died in the nine-day siege of the city. 


Two more hospitals, including a children's hospital, were hit by bombs dropped from Russian aircraft on the city of Zhytomyr, according to the mayor, who said there were no injuries. Russia continued to pound Kharkiv and suburbs of the capital city of Kyiv with artillery fire.

NY Post 3/10/22

 
Meanwhile, new cease-fires were announced to allow civilians to escape cities that have been targeted with attacks and three humanitarian corridors were opened. They were from the city of Sumy, from suburbs of the capital city of Kyiv, and from Enerhodar, the town where Russian forces took over a large nuclear plant, and Zelenskyy said about 35,000 people were able to make it out. More are planned for today. Turkey was hosting the highest-level talks so far between the two sides, a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

U.S. Warns of Possible Chemical or Biological Weapons Use: The U.S. said that Russia might use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, the public warning coming after Russia alleged U.S. biological weapons labs and chemical weapons development in Ukraine, a claim White House press secretary Jen Psaki called "preposterous." She said in a series of tweets that it could be part of an attempt to lay the groundwork for using biological or chemical weapons, saying, "This is all an obvious ploy by Russia to try to try to justify its further premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine." Psaki continued, "Now that Russia has made these false claims, and China has seemingly endorsed this propaganda, we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them. It's a clear pattern."


➤HOUSE APPROVES $13.6 BILLION IN AID FOR UKRAINE: The House voted to approve $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine and European allies last night as part of a massive spending bill. Senate approval is expected shortly. The aid includes $6.5 billion for the U.S. costs of sending troops and weapons to Eastern Europe and equipping allied forces there in response to the invasion and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats. There's also $6.8 billion to care for refugees and provide economic aid to our allies, and more to help federal agencies enforce economic sanctions against Russia and protect against cyber threats in the U.S.

➤BIDEN SIGNS CRYPTOCURRENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER: President Biden signed an executive order yesterday on government oversight of cryptocurrency that urges the Federal Reserve to explore whether the central bank should create its own digital currency. The order, which comes amid an explosion of cryptocurrency's use, also directs the Treasury Department and other federal agencies to study the impact of cryptocurrency on financial stability and national security. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Fed creating its own digital currency would, quote, "promote a fairer, more inclusive, and more efficient financial system," while countering illegal finance and preventing risks to financial stability and national security.

➤TRIAL BEGINS OF FOUR MEN IN PLOT TO KIDNAP MICHIGAN GOVERNOR WHITMER: The trial began yesterday of four men who are charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, driven by anger over restrictions the Democratic governor imposed early in the Covid-19 pandemic. Adam Fox, Brandon Caserta, Barry Croft Jr. and Daniel Harris are accused of taking action over several months in the plot, including sending secret messages, carrying out gun drills in the woods, and driving to scout Whitmer's second home and figure out how to blow up the bridge near her home to keep police from quickly responding. The prosecution said they planned to break into Whitmer's home, tie her up, and kidnap her. During opening arguments, the defense contended that informants and federal agents targeted the men for their beliefs and induced them to commit the crimes. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Roth said the men were, quote, "willing, eager, if not already preparing" to get Whitmer before the group was infiltrated.
 

➤LAWMAKERS ASK JUSTICE DEPT. TO INVESTIGATE AMAZON: The House Judiciary Commitee yesterday asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Amazon and senior executives obstructed Congress or violated other federal laws in their testimony about its competition practices. The letter referring the case for a criminal inquiry charges that Amazon engaged in misleading conduct that appeared designed to "influence, obstruct or impede" the antitrust subcommittee’s investigation in 2019 and 2020 into Big Tech's market dominance. The letter gave an example of testimony by a senior Amazon executive saying they don't use the data collected on third-party merchants on its platform to compete with them, and doesn’t list its own products in customer search results before those of third parties. But both claims have been contradicted by news reports, according to the letter. Amazon has denied that its executives misled the panel.


➤TRUMP'S PLANE MADE EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER ENGINE FAILURE: A private plane carrying former President Donald Trump made an emergency landing in New Orleans last weekend after suffering engine failure over the Gulf of Mexico, Politico reported yesterday. It happened late Saturday as Trump was traveling back from a Republican National Committee donor retreat in New Orleans to his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida on a donor's plane. He boarded another donor's plane after the emergency landing and flew to Mar-a-Lago. There were no injuries reported.

➤LOW PAY, NO ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITY LEAD TO REASONS FOR 'GREAT RESIGNATION: The pandemic hugely disrupted the U.S. labor market and led to the Great Resignation, in which people have been quitting their jobs in significant numbers, with the "quit rate" reaching a 20-year high last November. A Pew Research Center survey took a look at the reasons behind the Great Resignation, and found that low pay was the top reason given for why people quit their job in 2021, at 63 percent, followed by a lack of opportunities for advancement, also at 63 percent, and feeling disrespected at work at 57 percent. Other reasons given included child care issues, lack of flexibility to choose when they put in their hours, not having good benefits, wanting to relocate, working too many hours, working too few hours, and their employer requiring a Covid-19 vaccine, which was last at 18 percent. A majority of those who quit and now have a new job see their situation as better, with 56 percent saying they're earning more money, 53 percent saying they have more opportunities for advancement, 53 percent having an easier time balancing work and family responsibilities, and 50 percent having more flexibility to choose when they put in their work hours. More than half, 53 percent, who quit in 2021 and are now employed also said they changed their field of work or occupation.

💌WHY WOMEN WANT NICE GUYS NOW: Women seem to be looking for nice guys to date now. A recent poll from Dating.com found 85 percent of single women said they are now seeking a steady partner post-pandemic. Before the pandemic, 60 percent of women on the platform said they were “open to short-term flings,” but since then, 30 percent have “changed their relationship goals because of last year’s dating experiences.” The company said in a statement, “[S]ingle women shared that they are now more attracted to dates who are consistent and dependable. Women expressed that a relationship with someone who guarantees stability is key amid Covid and ongoing uncertainty.” A study that came out in May 2021 echoed this, noting, “a partner’s stability and family commitment” had become more important to singles of both sexes amid growing pandemic concerns. Life coach Markie Damiana says the pandemic has generated renewed focus on “the preciousness of time in relationships, and how limited we are when it comes to actually finding your ‘one’.” She says women want to spend time with someone who is “really valuable,” as opposed to someone they might “play around with.” Her advice for nice guys: “Lean into your nice guy-ness. Lean into being yourself.”

🐶EXPERTS SAY DOGS MAY EXPERIENCE TIME DIFFERENTLY THAN WE DO:  Dogs obviously have some sense of time, but some experts say this doesn’t necessarily mean they know what time is, or even how quickly or slowly it passes. Dr. Mary Burch with the American Kennel Club (AKC) says she isn’t sure if dogs mark the passing of time. She adds that other behaviorists say the internal clock in dogs doesn’t work that way, either. A 2011 study found dogs responded differently to their owner’s return depending on how long they were left apart, but experts still aren’t sure how long segments of time feel to dogs. There’s one thing for certain though, if your dog has separation anxiety, Burch says you should leave your dog alone for increasingly longer periods of time to help them get comfortable with the idea.

⚾MLB CANCELS ANOTHER 93 GAMES AS STILL NO DEAL WITH PLAYERS: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday (March 9th) canceled two more series for each team, a total of 93 more games erased, as there was still no agreement with the players' union on a new labor deal. The first two series for each team had already been canceled, and the total has now increased to 184 games, or more than seven percent of the season. The two sides had reportedly gotten very close on the contested economic issues, but were stalemated over management wanting an international amateur draft.

🏀REP. ALLRED SAYS WORKING WITH STATE DEPT. TO TRY TO GET GRINER RELEASED FROM RUSSIA: Rep. Colin Allred said Wednesday that he's working with the State Department to try to get WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russia. Griner, who was playing in Russia during the off-season, was detained at the airport on February 17th after Russian officials say they found cannabis oil in her luggage. The Texas Democrat said, "My office has been in touch with the State Department, and we're working with them to see what is the best way forward. . . . But obviously, it's also happening in the context of really strained relations."

🏈COLTS REPORTEDLY TRADING WENTZ TO COMMANDERS: The Indianapolis Colts are trading quarterback Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders, according to media reports yesterday. The Colts will get a package of draft picks in return, according to ESPN. The 29-year-old Wentz was the Colts' quarterback for only one season, after being traded by the Philadelphia Eagles in February 2021.

🎾DJOKOVIC WON'T PLAY IN INDIAN WELLS, MIAMI IN U.S. BECAUSE UNVACCINATED: Tennis star Novak Djokovic tweeted yesterday that he won't be able to play in tournaments this month in Indian Wells, California, and Miami because he can't travel to the U.S. due to being unvaccinated against Covid-19. The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who recently fell from being Number 1 in the rankings to second place, has played in only one tournament this year because he's not vaccinated. He missed the Australian Open in January when he was deported over his unvaccinated status.
 

🏌TIGER WOODS INDUCTED INTO WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME: Tiger Woods was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame last night (March 9th), introduced by his 14-year-old daughter Sam at the ceremony held at the PGA Tour headquarters in Florida. Woods, who has a record-tying 82 wins on the PGA Tour, along with 15 majors, spoke about his late father, Earl, and mother, Kultida, taking out a second mortgage on their house to pay for his travel expenses, and instilling in him, quote, "this work ethic to fight for what I believe in, chase after my dreams, nothing's ever going to be given to you, everything's going to be earned."



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