March 7, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 12 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Updates include [more]:

• Russian officials say their forces in Ukraine will observe a cease-fire today along selected routes to enable civilians to leave conflict areas in the cities of Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Sumy. Ukrainian officials have rejected the Russian statement, saying that previous offers of such humanitarian corridors have been violated by Russian forces and have criticized the plans for funneling refugees to Russia and its ally Belarus. Details of the cease-fire, including whether fighting beyond the humanitarian corridors would also pause and when the cease-fire would end, were not made clear in the Russian offer.

• Ukraine has asked the U.N.’s International Court of Justice to order Russia to immediately suspend its invasion of Ukraine. Commentators note that were the court to rule for the suspension and Russia not comply, an escalation of the case to the U.N. Security Council would almost certainly fail due to the fact that Russia holds a veto position on the high council.

• United Nations officials say more than 1.5 million people have fled the violence in Ukraine for neighboring countries, and have described the exodus as the “fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.”

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday addressed about 300 members of the U.S. Congress via video conference. Zelensky, who has remained in the capital Kyiv throughout the Russian invasion, emphasized his country’s need for warplanes to defend itself, and called for western countries to cease all imports of Russian oil.

• Reuters cites independent monitors as saying more than 4,300 people were arrested in cities across Russia on Sunday for taking part in protests against the invasion of Ukraine.

COVID-19 | Researchers at Johns Hopkins University say that, as of today, the global death toll from COVID-19 has passed 6 million.   [more]

GAS PRICES | The price of oil rose sharply in early global trading today to more than $125 per barrel. Over the weekend, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose to $4.00 per gallon — the highest level since the all-time high per gallon price of $4.10 was set in July, 2008. [more]

NORTH KOREA | International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told the Agency’s Board of Governors today that the purpose of an annex being built next to a suspected uranium enrichment plant at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear site remains unclear. Grossi noted that the IAEA does not have access to the facility for inspections. [more]

DC PROTESTS | Police in Virginia and Maryland say vehicles participating in the “People’s Convoy” drove below the speed limit in one lane of the capital beltway, which surrounds Washington, DC, on Sunday. The convoy — modeled on the recent trucker protests in Canada — is protesting against COVID-19 restrictions in the United States. [more]

U.S. ELECTION LAW | Axios cites sources as saying that the Democratic-leaning 65 Project intends to begin filing complaints this week in an effort to have more than 100 lawyers disbarred nationwide for their roles in former President Donald Trump's post-election lawsuits aimed at overturning the 2020 election results. Lawyers targeted by the group — which gets its name from the number of lawsuits filed on behalf of the Trump campaign — say the group’s efforts constitute blatant political intimidation. [more]

TORNADOES | At least seven people were killed in central Iowa on Saturday when multiple tornadoes struck in Madison and Lucas counties. [more]

FILM | “The Batman” led the weekend’s North American box office returns, with $128.5 million in gross revenues, according to studio estimates, followed by “Uncharted” and “Dog,” with $11 million and $6 million, respectively. [more]

SOCCER | The Mexican Soccer Federation cancelled top-division league games scheduled for Sunday after at least 23 people were hospitalized due to fighting among fans at a Saturday match between the Queretaro and Atlas teams. [more]

AUSTRALIA FLOODING | Reports from Australia say the death toll from more than a week of heavy rainfall and flooding in the eastern portions of the country now stands at 17.  [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1965, state police used nightsticks and tear gas to attack American civil rights activists as they crossed a bridge in Selma, Alabama, during their attempted march to the state capitol in Montgomery.