Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Wake-Up Call: New Russian Offensive Begins In Eastern Ukraine


Russian forces have launched an all-out assault on 300 miles of territory near its border in eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian sources. The attack in the region known as the Donbas follows a series of missile and artillery strikes aimed at targets scattered around Ukraine.

Intense fighting continues in Mariupol, where a couple of thousand Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold off a Russian assault on that city.

 
More than 4.9 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the war began, according to the United Nations.

🛫JUDGE STRIKES MASK MANDATE: A federal judge in Florida has struck down the Biden administration’s mandate that passengers wear masks on planes, trains and public buses. Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the mask rule exceeded the statutory authority of the Centers for Disease Control. The White House said that the ban will no longer be enforced as a result of the ruling.


➤MALL SHOOTING SUSPECT ARRESTED: Police have arrested a second suspect and are seeking a third man in connection with the mass shooting at a Columbia, South Carolina, mall that injured 15 people. Police said yesterday that they believe the motive for the shooting was a dispute among the suspects. All of the victims survived.

➤FORECAST FOR GLOBAL GROWTH LOWERED: The World Bank has slashed its forecast for global economic growth this year from 4.1 percent to 3.2 percent. The organization cited overlapping crises including the war in Ukraine, inflation, and the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic.



➤BURIED IN SPAM: If you think you’re getting more spam text messages than you used to, you’re right. The average American received 42 spam text messages in March alone, according to Axios. In fact, we’re being hit with more spam from every direction. Spam emails and phone calls also rose during the pandemic, taking advantage of our increased reliance on devices. Many of the spam operators are running scams of various kinds.

STUDY...YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW BICKERS WITH YOU DUE TO EVOLUTION:  If you bicker with your mother-in-law it might not be your fault. Arizona State University researchers polled over 300 people about their relationships with their parents, children, and in-laws. They found participants were more likely to report poorer relationships with their mother-in-law compared to their genetic mother, and mothers reported having slightly less conflict with their daughters than with their child’s spouse. Another findings: fathers got along better with their daughter-in-law than their genetic daughter. Financial resources and childcare were the most common reasons for arguments between mother-in-laws and daughters-in-law, and researchers note this is “striking” because both are “central to long-term reproductive success as resources and time and effort spent on kin care are finite.” Researchers add that arguments with in-laws are likely “influenced by genetic conflict,” as each person “unconsciously act[s] in the interest of their genetic kin.” The scientists also say that fathers may get along better with their daughter-in-law than their genetic daughters because the father-daughter relationship may experience strain when the daughter enters a new relationship, but the strain may lessen over time if the father believes her partner strengthens the family unit.


➤DINING OUT IS GETTING PRICEY: Menu prices at restaurants increased an average 6.9 percent nationwide over the past year, according to the American Restaurant Association. That’s the biggest annual increase since 1981. Fast-food restaurant costs rose even more, by an average eight percent. Higher food and labor prices are blamed.

➤STUDY...AMERICAN MEN’S PENISES ARE THE 59TH BIGGEST IN THE WORLD:  American men fall in 59th place in terms of penis length, compared to men from across the globe. Online pharmacy From Mars analyzed Google data from 86 different countries to come up with the findings. Their data shows that men in Ecuador have the longest average erect penis length at 6.93 inches, followed by Cameroon (6.56 inches), Bolivia (6.5 inches), Sudan (6.48 inches), and Haiti (6.3 inches). The US came in 56th place with 5.35 inches (just below India with 5.4 inches, and just above Japan with 5.34 inches), while Taiwan came in 85th place with 4.24 inches, and Cambodia came in last place (86th) with 2.95 inches.
 
🏈RECORD PAYDAY FOR DENZEL WARD: Denzel Ward has reached a deal for a record-breaking $100.5 million contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, according to a report on ESPN. That makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. Ward just finished his fourth season with the Browns.

🏈BROWNS GRAB TWO FREE AGENTS: Defensive end Stephen Weatherly signed with the Cleveland Browns and defensive tackle Sheldon Day re-signed with them, the team has announced. Both players became unrestricted free agents a month ago.

🏀CELTICS’ SMART GETS TOP NBA ACCOLADE: The Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart has been named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. He’s the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton of the Seattle SuperSonics got it in the 1995-1996 season.

🏈COMMANDERS DENY POCKETING CASH DUE TO NFL: The Washington Commanders are flatly denying an allegation that they pocketed $5 million in security deposits from season ticket holders instead of returning it. Worse yet, the money wasn’t shared with the NFL under its revenue-sharing agreement. A whistle-blower made the allegations to a Congressional committee, which reported the matter to the Federal Trade Commission.

🏒NCAA HOCKEY STAR BANNED FOR DOPING VIOLATION: Dryden McKay, this year’s winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top men’s hockey player, has accepted a six-month ban from competition, according to ESPN. A drug test turned up one trillionths of a gram of a banned muscle growth drug. The Minnesota State player says it might have come from a vitamin supplement he was taking. The ban was imposed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

🏀NBA PLAYOFFS: Results from first-round games yesterday (April 18th):
  • Toronto Raptors 97, Philadelphia 76ers 112 (Philadelphia leads 2-0)
  • Denver Nuggets 106, Golden State Warriors 126 (Warriors lead 2-0)



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