RUSSIA ANNOUNCES CEASEFIRE, HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS: Russia announced a limited ceasefire in Ukraine starting this morning and the opening of humanitarian corridors for civilians from the capital of Kyiv, and the cities of Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. A third round of talks between the two sides is also planned for today. But even as Russia made the announcement, it continued to relentlessly pound Ukrainian cities, and it came one day after civilians trying to escape to safety faced continued shelling, forcing them to seek shelter.
Ukraine's General Staff said Monday morning, "Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine," and accused Russia of targeting humanitarian corridors and taking women and children hostage. Among Russia's targets, shelling continued in the suburbs of Kyiv and they opened fire on the city of Mykolaiv. The city of Irpin hasn't had electricity, water or heat for three days, as Russian forces continue their shelling of it.
NATO countries have 'green light' to send fighter jets to Ukraine, Blinken sayshttps://t.co/Dn97cnb0km
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 7, 2022
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| Daily Mail 3/7/22 |
AP cited a senior U.S. defense official as saying that nearly all, 95 percent, of the Russian forces that had been massed around Ukraine are now inside the country. British military officials compared the tactics Russia is using to what it did in Chechnya and Syria, where cities were surrounded and demolished by airstrikes and artillery.
BREAKING: Russian forces step up overnight shelling of Ukrainian cities in the center, north and south of the country, a Ukrainian official says. https://t.co/xW3Y8zYERc
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 6, 2022
An estimated 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees have now fled their country, which the head of the U.N. refugee agency called "the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two."
The price of oil spiked by more than $12 a barrel Monday as Ukraine conflict worsened and there were growing calls for stronger sanctions against Russia.
"All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you, because of your weakness,” Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says as NATO refuses to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine's airspace. https://t.co/KyhiOMr3Dk
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 5, 2022
GLOBAL PANDEMIC DEATH TOLL NEARLY SIX MILLION: The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic, which is entering its third year, is on the brink of passing six million. The worldwide count by Johns Hopkins University put the number of deaths at 5,999,254 as of early this morning. The U.S. accounts for a substantial portion, with more than 958,600 Covid deaths. But despite the scale of the worldwide deaths, six million is almost certainly an undercount. An analysis of excess deaths by The Economist estimates the actual number of Covid-19 deaths to be between 14 million and 23.5 million.
🔥FLORIDA WILDFIRES FORCE PEOPLE IN 1,100 RESIDENCES, NURSING HOME TO EVACUATE: Residents of more than 1,000 homes in Bay Country, Florida, and veterans living in a nursing home were forced to evacuate Sunday by wildfires in the Florida Panhandle. Firefighters were battling a large 9,000-acre wildfire and another 841-acre fire, and a third one developed yesterday, all of them burning in an area that's still recovering from 2018's Hurricane Michael. The Florida Fire Service said that the 72 millions tons of destroyed trees left by the Category 5 hurricane are providing fuel for the wildfires.
US SEES AN UNWANTED FIRST ON GAS PRICES: You may want to rethink any road trip plans you may have. For the first time in any US city, the average price of a gallon of gas hit $5 in San Francisco on Thursday (March 3rd). Nationwide, the average price for a gallon of gas increased by 11 cents between Monday (February 28th) and Thursday to hit $3.72, when a month ago it was $3.41. The highest hikes in gas prices over last week were in Michigan ($0.39), Indiana ($0.36), Illinois ($0.31) and Ohio ($0.30.) The head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy notes, “American and (European Union) sanctions are having a severe impact on Russia’s ability to sell crude oil, thus crude prices have skyrocketed.”
⛟CONVOY PROTESTING COVID MANDATES DRIVES TWICE AROUND D.C. BELTWAY: A truck convoy of people protesting Covid-19 mandates drove twice around the Capital Beltway that surrounds Washington, D.C., on Sunday, driving slowly to affect traffic. However, while there was some traffic congestion, news outlets said traffic was able to flow around the convoy. A Virginia State Police spokesperson told The Washington Post, "We’re not even sure we can call it a convoy any more because it’s so dispersed among routine traffic at this point." The Post also reported the convoy's organizer plans for them to drive on the Beltway every day this week.
➤McDONALDS, PEPSI FACING BOYCOTT THREATS: Major global companies like McDonald's and PepsiCo are facing political pressure, including boycott threats, for continuing to operate in Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. Those two companies, as well as Estee Lauder, Kimberly-Clark, and others were among those sent letters Friday by the head of New York state's pension fund, which owns shares of them, urging them to consider pausing their operations in Russia. Some companies that have already said they will stop operations in Russia include Nike and IKEA. New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli wrote in the letter that the companies continuing to operate in Russia face, quote, "significant and growing legal, compliance, operational, human rights and personnel, and reputational risks," and that pausing or ending operations there would, "play an important role in condemning Russia's role in fundamentally undermining the international order that is vital to a strong and healthy global economy."
➤STUDY: WINE WITH MEALS MAY LOWER TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK: Go ahead and have some wine with dinner. Tulane University researchers found that consuming alcohol with meals, particularly wine, was associated with a 14 percent lower risk for developing Type 2 diabetes compared to drinking alcohol without eating. Researcher Dr. Hao Ma explains, “Previous studies have focused on how much people drink and have had mixed results. Very few studies have focused on other drinking details, such as the timing of alcohol intake. Clinical trials have also found that moderate drinking may have some health benefits, including on glucose metabolism. The message from this study is that drinking moderate amounts of wine with meals may prevent Type 2 diabetes if you do not have another health condition that may be negatively affected by moderate alcohol consumption.” Still, other researchers say the relationship between alcohol consumption and Type 2 diabetes risk remains controversial.
➤STUDY...63 PERCENT FEEL UN-APPRECIATED AT WORK: American workers aren't feeling appreciated for what they do, with 63 percent, nearly two-thirds, saying in a new survey of 2,000 people that they feel unappreciated by their employer on a daily basis. Almost as many, 59 percent, say they've never had a boss who truly appreciates their work. In the OnePoll survey, 41 percent said favoritism among employees from management makes them feel the most unappreciated, while another 39 percent cited a lack of communication and recognition from the higher-ups. Almost half, 46 percent, have left a job because they felt unappreciated, and 65 percent admitted they'd work harder if they felt it would be noticed by management. When asked how employers could improve, 35 percent say they’d like recognition in the form of perks, bonuses or a recognition program, 33 percent named salary increases, and 30 percent said wellness and professional development stipends. Twenty-two percent named praise from management, and another 22 percent would like recognition from their peers.
➤McDONALDS, PEPSI FACING BOYCOTT THREATS: Major global companies like McDonald's and PepsiCo are facing political pressure, including boycott threats, for continuing to operate in Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. Those two companies, as well as Estee Lauder, Kimberly-Clark, and others were among those sent letters Friday by the head of New York state's pension fund, which owns shares of them, urging them to consider pausing their operations in Russia. Some companies that have already said they will stop operations in Russia include Nike and IKEA. New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli wrote in the letter that the companies continuing to operate in Russia face, quote, "significant and growing legal, compliance, operational, human rights and personnel, and reputational risks," and that pausing or ending operations there would, "play an important role in condemning Russia's role in fundamentally undermining the international order that is vital to a strong and healthy global economy."
➤STUDY...63 PERCENT FEEL UN-APPRECIATED AT WORK: American workers aren't feeling appreciated for what they do, with 63 percent, nearly two-thirds, saying in a new survey of 2,000 people that they feel unappreciated by their employer on a daily basis. Almost as many, 59 percent, say they've never had a boss who truly appreciates their work. In the OnePoll survey, 41 percent said favoritism among employees from management makes them feel the most unappreciated, while another 39 percent cited a lack of communication and recognition from the higher-ups. Almost half, 46 percent, have left a job because they felt unappreciated, and 65 percent admitted they'd work harder if they felt it would be noticed by management. When asked how employers could improve, 35 percent say they’d like recognition in the form of perks, bonuses or a recognition program, 33 percent named salary increases, and 30 percent said wellness and professional development stipends. Twenty-two percent named praise from management, and another 22 percent would like recognition from their peers.
➤SECRETARY OF STATE COMMENTS ON GRINER'S DETENTION IN RUSSIA: Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented yesterday on WNBA star Brittney Griner being detained in Russia. Speaking during a joint news conference with the president of Moldova, Blinken said of Griner, "There's only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point. Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia. We have an embassy team that's working on the cases of other Americans who are detained in Russia. We're doing everything we can to see to it that their rights are upheld and respected."
Diplomats were working to ensure the release of American basketball player Brittney Griner after Russia said she had been detained for possession of vape cartridges containing hash oil, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said https://t.co/9RkDgrAQTI pic.twitter.com/RAossg7c9k
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 7, 2022
Russia has said that the 31-year-od Griner, who like many WNBA players was playing in Russia during the off-season, is being detained after customs officials found hashish oil in her luggage at an airport last month. Griner has been with the Phoenix Mercury for nine seasons.
⚾MLB UNHAPPY WITH PLAYERS' LASTEST OFFER, SAYS WORSE THAN PREVIOUS: MLB wasn't happy with the latest offer from the players' union when bargaining resumed yesterday, saying it was worse than the previous one. The two sides talked for 95 minutes in their first meeting after talks broke off last Tuesday and Commissioner Rob Manfred canceled Opening Day and the first two series of the season for each team. An MLB spokesman said, "The players’ association chose to come back to us with a proposal that was worse than Monday night and was not designed to move the process forward. On some issues, they even went backwards. Simply put, we are deadlocked." The players have been locked out since December 2nd in baseball’s second-longest labor stoppage.
⚾MLB UNHAPPY WITH PLAYERS' LASTEST OFFER, SAYS WORSE THAN PREVIOUS: MLB wasn't happy with the latest offer from the players' union when bargaining resumed yesterday, saying it was worse than the previous one. The two sides talked for 95 minutes in their first meeting after talks broke off last Tuesday and Commissioner Rob Manfred canceled Opening Day and the first two series of the season for each team. An MLB spokesman said, "The players’ association chose to come back to us with a proposal that was worse than Monday night and was not designed to move the process forward. On some issues, they even went backwards. Simply put, we are deadlocked." The players have been locked out since December 2nd in baseball’s second-longest labor stoppage.
"It's cool to reach that milestone and be among the greats. I've just got to keep pushing and keep going and see where I end up."
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) March 6, 2022
- Kevin Durant on reaching 25,000 career points pic.twitter.com/1hGmV0AiFJ
🏒LIGHTNING SCORE THREE GOALS IN 32 SECONDS IN 6-3 WIN OVER BLACKHAWKS: The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three goals in 32 seconds last night in their 6-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, matching the 21st fastest in NHL history. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions scored the three goals early in the third period, and they were also were part of a five-goal run over seven minutes spanning the end of the second period and start of the third for Tampa Bay.
🏒DALLAS' ROBERTSON HAS HAT TRICK FOR SECOND STRAIGHT GAME: The Dallas Stars' Jason Robertson had a hat trick for a second straight game yesterday in Dallas' 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Robertson is the first player to have back-to-back hat tricks since the Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin in January 2020.
➤IDITAROD GETS UNDERWAY IN ALAKSA: The 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the sport's most famous competition, got underway Sunday, with 49 mushers taking off from Willow, Alaska. The mushers will be traveling through the Alaskan wilderness, with the winner expected to cross the finish line in about nine days in Nome. Last year's winner, Dallas Seavey, who's tied with Rick Swenson for the most Iditarod wins ever with five each, is hoping to win record-breaking sixth this year.
🏒DALLAS' ROBERTSON HAS HAT TRICK FOR SECOND STRAIGHT GAME: The Dallas Stars' Jason Robertson had a hat trick for a second straight game yesterday in Dallas' 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Robertson is the first player to have back-to-back hat tricks since the Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin in January 2020.
➤IDITAROD GETS UNDERWAY IN ALAKSA: The 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the sport's most famous competition, got underway Sunday, with 49 mushers taking off from Willow, Alaska. The mushers will be traveling through the Alaskan wilderness, with the winner expected to cross the finish line in about nine days in Nome. Last year's winner, Dallas Seavey, who's tied with Rick Swenson for the most Iditarod wins ever with five each, is hoping to win record-breaking sixth this year.
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