February 24, 2022

UKRAINE | Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine overnight, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying the military operation is intended to demilitarize Ukraine. U.S. and European leaders have strongly condemned the action and have promised crippling economic sanctions against Russia. Ukrainian officials have reported Russian missile strikes on military command and control centers in the capital Kiev, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared martial law in the country.  [more]

NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials announced this morning that NATO members will strengthen defensive land and air forces in Eastern Europe to increase force readiness to “respond to all contingencies” in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [more]

ECONOMY | Russian stock markets have fallen approximately 31% and oil prices have risen to record highs in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. European and U.S. market futures are also down significantly. [more]

MYANMAR | A new report from an independent United Nations human rights expert says Russia and China have been supplying Myanmar’s military junta with weapons with the full knowledge that the weapons would likely be used in attacks against civilians. [more]

WIND POWER | A record $1.5 billion in bids were offered yesterday on the first day of a U.S. auction of offshore wind power development rights for areas off the coasts of New York and New Jersey, according to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. [more]

COVID-19 | The Ugandan Parliament's Committee on Health has announced that it is considering legislation that would impose fines and possible imprisonment on the East African country’s citizens who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19. [more]

BASEBALL | Major League Baseball officials said yesterday that games will be canceled if a labor agreement with the league’s players’ association is not finalized by this coming Monday, February 28. [more]

TRUMP INVESTIGATIONS | The Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that two top prosecutors in the Office’s criminal fraud probe of the Trump Organization have resigned. No reason was given for the resignations of prosecutors Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne. [more]

FLORIDA | The Florida House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on a Republican-backed bill that would prohibit discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state’s schools. [more]

CRYPTO | Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced yesterday that the state will become the first to accept cryptocurrency payments for state taxes and fees. [more]

CIVIL RIGHTS | Closing arguments were heard yesterday by the federal jury in the trial against three former Minneapolis police officers accused of violating George Floyd's civil rights.  [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional in the case of Marbury vs. Madison, establishing for the first time that federal courts had the power to overturn an act of Congress on the grounds that it violated the U.S. Constitution. [more]