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IMPORTANT
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State of the Union
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Biden stresses unity, denounces ‘dictator’ Putin
As Russian airstrikes rocked Ukrainian cities, President Joe Biden began his Tuesday night speech by promising Russian President Vladimir Putin would “pay a price” for the invasion. While Biden drew bipartisan ovations for condemning Putin and praising the strength of the Ukrainian people, he didn’t do as well on domestic issues. He tried to rally support for stalled programs in his Build Back Better plan, reframing them as ways to fight inflation, and urged unity between the parties. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds delivered a scathing rebuttal foreshadowing Republicans’ midterm strategies of blaming Biden for inflation, crime and foreign policy “weakness.” (Source: NYT, The hill, NPR)
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Blitz continues
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Russian forces defeat Kiev, paratroopers land in Kharkiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Russian attacks on civilian targets in major cities as war crimes as airstrikes hit an opera house, a TV tower and a Holocaust memorial. In Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, Russian paratroopers attacked overnight after a missile hit the town square on Tuesday, killing at least six people. The port city of Mariupol, in the south, is deprived of electricity and comes under heavy bombardment. And while the huge 40-mile Russian convoy bound for Kiev is said to have encountered logistical problems, the United States warns that Russia has yet to use its full military strength and should not be underestimated. (Source: The Guardian, PA, BBC)
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Open the floodgates
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International Energy Agency to release 60 million barrels of oil
Oil prices soared to over $100 a barrel as the Russian invasion tightened markets. In an effort to drive down prices, IEA member countries have agreed to release millions of barrels of oil from their own reserves. US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said America was ready to take additional steps to help diversify European energy sources and “protect the world from Putin’s attempts to weaponize energy supplies”. Russia currently exports about 5 million barrels of oil per day, and the IEA’s “initial” infusion, 4% of members’ stocks, will amount to 2 million barrels per day for 30 days. (Source: Axios)
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Bring in the lawyers
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House committee investigates January 6 subpoenas by Trump lawyers
Six of former President Donald Trump’s lawyers have been subpoenaed by the committee for their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Documents and testimony have been sought from Cleta Mitchell, Kurt Olsen, Katherine Freiss, Phillip Kline , Kenneth Chesebro and Christina Bobb. The committee believes that the lawyers have knowledge of different facets of various schemes to prevent certification of President Biden’s victory in Congress. Bobb, a One America News host, reportedly helped draft a draft executive order ordering federal agencies to seize voting machines in states Biden narrowly won. (Source: The Guardian)
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Briefly
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Right here are some things you should know today:
A fire in a shopping center in Damascus kills 11 people. The fire in the Syrian capital has killed many security guards and staff on night duty. (Source: AlJazeera) Apple pulls products from Russia. A company spokesperson announced that all sales would be suspended in Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. (Source: The hill) Honduras will ban surface mining. Newly sworn-in President Xiomara Castro will rescind environmental permits for mining operations, citing its danger to public health and access to water. (Source: BBC)
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Catch the latest episodes of
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INTRIGUING
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Speak Up for Babies
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Report shows infant formula being marketed inappropriately
New mothers deciding how to feed their babies face a shocking amount of misinformation, according to a new report from UNICEF and the World Health Organization. The $55 billion infant formula industry is often aggressive and deceptive in its marketing campaigns to pressure new mothers to use breastmilk substitutes. The WHO says this is problematic because of a strong body of evidence showing that exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months after birth can significantly improve a child’s health. Despite this, only 44% of babies under six months are exclusively breastfed. (Source: NPR)
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Go out, refuel
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Chef José Andrés provides meals to Ukrainian refugees 24/7
Thousands of displaced Ukrainians have crossed the Polish border, and since last Friday many have been greeted with a hot meal from the chef’s nonprofit World Central Kitchen. On Monday, they increased the service to 24 hours a day. The organization is also looking to start operations at border crossing points in Romania, Moldova, Slovakia and Hungary. The Hispanic-American chef took to Twitter to describe a warm community coming together despite freezing temperatures. WCK plans to enter Ukraine when it is safe to do so, but in the meantime it is partnering with Ukrainian restaurants to provide funding and support. (Source: The hill, BNC News)
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Method in madness?
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Bill Barr’s Tell-All book shares the secret behind Trump’s tweets
The book of the former head of the Ministry of Justice, One Fucking Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General, will be released on March 8. Based on details leaked earlier this week, it appears Barr is ready to turn on his former boss and oppose another Trump run for the White House. He writes about how he and administration lawyers tried to deal with the former president’s “legally problematic” ideas and outlines all the ways he considered Trump unfit for office. In one particularly revealing story, Barr recalled Trump saying the “secret to a really good tweet” was “just the right amount of crazy.” (Source: The Guardian)
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cybernetic lock
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Big Tech finally tackles Russian state propaganda
After the European Union called for a ban on Russian state media, tech companies finally felt the pressure to act, at least in Europe. YouTube and TikTok have blocked content from RT and Sputnik for European users, while Meta has promised to ban them on both Instagram and Facebook in the EU. Outside of Europe, tech companies have taken baby steps. Twitter labels content from the Russian government and others limit advertising revenue from state media. It is, however, a dangerous balancing act: if they irritate the Kremlin too much, Russia could shut down citizens’ access to social media at a critical time. (Source: PA, Bloomberg)
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Taekwon-No
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World Taekwondo strips Putin of his black belt
The Russian president was awarded an honorary taekwondo black belt in 2013, but now the organization has revoked it after Russia invaded Ukraine. World Taekwondo said the “brutal attacks on innocent lives” violate the sport’s spirit of respect and tolerance, and the organization’s own motto, “Peace is more precious than triumph”. It will also ban the Russian flag and anthem at events, following the example of the International Olympic Committee. The International Judo Federation also stripped Putin of his status as honorary president and ambassador. Although purely symbolic, these reproaches are particularly personal for a man who has long maintained an image of physical strength. (Source: ESPN)
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COMMUNITY
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