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Thursday, March 17, 2022

Wake-Up call: Zelenskyy Appeals to Congress For More Aid


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded with the U.S. for more help to fight against the Russian invasion in a live video speech before Congress Wednesday, asking for more weapons and even stronger sanctions. Zelenskyy, who twice received a standing ovation from the U.S. lawmakers, referred to the Pearl Harbor and 9/11 attacks on the U.S. in his impassioned address, saying, "Our country experiences the same every day right now." 


He thanked America for all the support it's given, while urging more, saying directly to President Biden, "I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace." During his remarks, Zelenskyy showed a video that contrasted scenes of Ukraine before the invasion with graphic scenes of the death and devastation the war has brought.

Speaking at the White House, Biden announced new assistance he'd already been set to reveal, saying the U.S. will be sending another $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft systems, grenade launchers, ammunition, mortar rounds, and drones. At a later, unrelated event, Biden said to a reporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, "He's a war criminal," his strongest condemnation yet of Putin and Russia's actions in Ukraine.


In Ukraine, Russia's bombardment continued, including in an around the capital city of Kyiv. Ukrainian officials said an airstrike hit a theater in the besieged city of Mariupol where hundreds of people had been sheltering, leaving many buried in the rubble. AP reported that at least as recently as Monday, the pavement in front of and behind the theater had the word "children" spelled out in huge white letters in Russian. Russia denied bombing the theater.

Talks Continue: Talks continued yesterday between Ukraine and Russia, with AP citing an unnamed official in Zelenskyy's office as saying the main subject under discussion was whether Russian troops would remain in separatist regions in eastern Ukraine after the war and where the borders would be. The official said Ukraine was insisting on the inclusion of at least one Western nuclear power in the negotiations and on a legally binding document with security guarantees for Ukraine, and that in exchange, it was willing to discuss a neutral status.
 
Putin Denounces 'Scum and Traitors': Putin gave a televised speech in which he denounced Russians who don't support him, saying that Russians, quote, "will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and will simply spit them out like a gnat that accidentally flew into their mouths." He stated, "I am convinced that such a natural and necessary self-purification of society will only strengthen our country.” He also accused the West of using a "fifth column" of traitorous Russians to create civil unrest to destroy the country.

➤7.4-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE SHAKES NORTHERN JAPAN: A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coasts of northern Japan late last night, leaving four people dead and 107 injured. The quake shook large parts of eastern Japan, including Tokyo, and a low-risk tsunami advisory was issued, before later being lifted. The region is part of the area devastated by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami it caused 11 years ago, which led to nuclear reactor meltdowns, releasing radiation that left some areas still uninhabitable. Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where the cooling systems failed after the 2011 quake, found some tanks holding treated radioactive water were out of alignment due to the shaking, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the site. The nuclear plant is being decommissioned.



💰FED RAISES INTEREST RATE, SIGNALS UP TO SIX MORE INCREASES THIS YEAR: The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark short-term interest rate by one-quarter point Wednesday, and signaled that up to six more rate increases would be coming this year. The key interest rate had been near zero since the pandemic-caused recession, but the Fed is acting now to try to bring down inflation, which is at its worst level in four decades. Fed Chair Jerome Powell stressed at his news conference that he has confidence the economy is strong enough to withstand higher interest rates.

NY Post 3/17/22
➤NINE KILLED IN CRASH INVOLVING NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY'S GOLF TEAMS: Nine people were killed in a head-on collision Tuesday evening in West Texas that involved a New Mexico university's golf teams returning from a tournament. The Texas Department of Safety's Sergeant Steven Blanco said a pickup truck crossed the center lane of a two-lane road and crashed into a van carrying members of University of the Southwest's men's and women's golf teams, and both vehicles burst into flames. Golf coach Tyler James and six players were killed, as were the pickup driver and a 13-year-old boy traveling with him. Two other students in the van were critically injured. The University of the Southwest is a private, Christian college located in Hobbs, New Mexico.
 
➤JUSSIE SMOLLETT TO BE RELEASED FROM JAIL, PENDING APPEAL: An appeals court ordered former Empire actor Jussie Smollett be released from the Cook County Jail on Wednesday. He was just seven days into his 150-day sentence for allegedly faking a hate crime.

The justices ruled 2-1 pending the appeal of his conviction and on the basis that he posts $150,000 bond. The justices did not explain their decision.

Smollett’s attorney, Nenye Uche, argued that Smollett was subject to threats and could face harm while imprisoned.

After he was originally sentenced, Smollett said, "I am not suicidal. And if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that."


➤NETFLIX TESTING NEW FEE STRUCTURE TO CUT DOWN ON SHARED ACCOUNTS:  Netflix announced Wednesday that they are testing out a new fee structure that would allow subscribers to add two additional users outside of their households for an additional fee. The streamer will charge primary account holders $2.99 to create new profiles – with their own login, passwords and personalized recommendations – for the additional users. The feature is first rolling out in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru.

⏰SLEEP EXPERTS SAYS STANDARD TIME SHOULD BE MADE PERMAMENT, NOT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: One day after the Senate unexpectedly voted unanimously to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, the Washington Post reported that sleep experts are saying that while they agree the twice-yearly time shifts should stop, it's standard time that should be made permanent, not Daylight Saving Time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) said in a statement after the Senate vote that it overlooks potential health risks associated with Daylight Saving Time. The organization says that standard time is more closely associated with humans' circadian rhythm, and that disrupting it, as happens with Daylight Saving Time, has been associated with increased risks of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and depression. The measure would still have to be approved by the House and then signed by President Biden to become law, and the AASM said, "We call on the House to take more time to assess the potential ramifications of establishing permanent daylight saving time before making such an important decision that will affect all Americans."

🛫EXPERTS SAY TO BOOK YOUR SUMMER FLIGHTS NOW:  If you’re planning to go away this summer, you need to book your flight now. Airline executives at this week’s JP Morgan Industrials Conference say that between world events, inflation, lower airline capacity and pen-tup travel demand after years of Covid-19, mean that ticket prices are about to go up. Delta president Glen Hauenstein estimates that costs will likely go up between $15 and $20 each way on a ticket

🏀WRIGHT STATE, NOTRE DAME WIN LAST TWO MEN'S 'FIRST FOUR' MARCH MADNESS GAMES: Wright State and Notre Dame won the second two of the "First Four" play-in games Wednesday in the men's NCAA basketball tournament. Wright State defeated Bryant 93-82, and Notre Dame topped Rutgers 89-87 in double overtime. Paul Atkinson Jr. scored the winning basket for Notre Dame with 1.4 left in the second OT. The tournament's first round games begin today.
 

🏀DAYTON, HOWARD WIN FIRST TWO WOMEN'S 'FIRST FOUR' GAMES: Dayton and Howard won the first two of the "First Four" play-in games yesterday in the women's NCAA basketball tournament, the first time the play-in games are part of the women's tournament. Dayton beat DePaul 88-57, and Howard defeated Incarnate Word 55-51. The second two "First Four" games are today.

🏀WARRIORS' CURRY EXITS GAME WITH INJURED FOOT: Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry left last night's 110-88 loss to the Boston Celtics after injuring his foot late in the second quarter. He underwent an MRI after the game, and when head coach Steve Kerr was asked about his level of concern about the injury, said only, "We'll know after the MRI." Curry suffered the injury when his leg was rolled on by Boston's Marcus Smart as they fought for a loose ball.

⚾FREEMAN REACHES SIX-YEAR, $162 MILLION DEAL WITH DODGERS: First baseman Freddie Freeman has agreed to terms with the L.A. Dodgers on a six-year, $162 million deal, according to media reports last night. The 32-year-old was a free agent for the first time after spending his entire 12-year career with the Atlanta Braves, including helping them win the World Series last year. Freeman was the National League MVP in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and has made five All-Star teams.

🏈VON MILLER AGREES TO DEAL WITH BILLS: Linebacker Von Miller has reached a six-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, the team announced yesterday, that's reportedly worth $120 million. The eight-time Pro Bowler was a key part of the L.A. Rams team that won the Super Bowl last month, and had two sacks of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the championship game. The 32-year-old Miller leads all active players with 115.5 sacks in his career.



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