March 24, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 29 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates [more]:

• Ukrainian officials say they have reached an agreement with Russia to open nine humanitarian routes to evacuate refugees in the Kyiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions of the country.
• The U.N. Security Council yesterday rejected a resolution proposed by Russia that called for addressing humanitarian needs in Ukraine, but did not mention the role that Russia’s invasion played in creating the crisis. Only Russia and China voted for the resolution, with the remaining 13 Security Council members abstaining.
• The U.K. is set to announce a major new military support package for Ukraine today at a meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels. According to a Downing Street report, the package will include some 6,000 missiles and £25 million ($33 million) in financial backing for the Ukrainian military.
• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday that the Biden administration has made a formal determination of war crimes having been committed by Russian troops in Ukraine and that documentation of the war crimes would be compiled  for use in potential future prosecution efforts.
• Reuters cites NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as saying that he expects NATO members to agree today to increase forces on the alliance’s eastern flank, and that Russia's invasion of Ukraine shows the need for NATO to  reset its long-term deterrence and defense posture.
• Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy today called for people worldwide to participate in public gatherings to show support for his country in the face of Russia’s invasion.
• Limited trading on the Moscow stock exchange resumed today — the first such trading since western sanctions against Russia caused trading to be suspended on February 25.

R.I.P. | Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright died of cancer yesterday at the age of 84. Albright was the first female U.S. secretary of state, serving in the administration of former President Bill Clinton from 1996 to 2001. [more]

NORWAY | Reports say new surveys in Finland show a majority of the country’s population support joining NATO, and that such support has increased significantly since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. [more]

NORTH KOREA | Officials in Japan and South Korea say North Korea fired a suspected long-range missile today — the 12th missile test by North Korea this year. Japanese Defense Minister Makoto Oniki says the missile could be a new type of ICBM. [more]

SUPREME COURT | Reports say the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court nomination on April 4. [more]

FUEL PRICES | California Governor Gavin Newsom  yesterday proposed giving vehicle owners in the state up to $800 as a refund on gas taxes to help offset high gas prices. Newsom’s proposal would require approval by the state legislature to be implemented. [more]

ABORTION | Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a measure into law yesterday that bans abortions in the state after about six weeks of pregnancy. Reports say the law, which will go into effect in 30 days, is based on a similar measure implemented in Texas. [more]

TRUMP INVESTIGATION | Mark Pomerantz, the attorney who co-led the Manhattan district attorney’s office investigation into the business dealings of former President Donald Trump, resigned from the role in February due to decisions by the district attorney to not seek an indictment against Trump. Pomerantz’s resignation letter was published by the New York Times yesterday and included a statement that there was "evidence sufficient to establish Mr. Trump's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” referring to allegations of falsification of financial statements used to secure loans. [more]

COVID-19 | Vaccine maker Moderna says a new study suggests that its COVID-19 vaccine provides  the same level of protection against coronavirus infection in children under the age of 6 as it does in adults. The company is expected to seek regulatory approval for its vaccine to be used in young children in the coming weeks. [more]

ECONOMY | U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said yesterday that new forms of digital currency such as cryptocurrencies and stablecoins represent risks to the U.S. financial system and will require new regulations to protect consumers. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1945, with the debut of the Billboard magazine pop album chart, American pianist and singer Nat King Cole's “King Cole Trio” became the first record album to appear at No. 1. [more history]