April 18, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 54 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Russia’s defense ministry reports today that its military launched mass strikes on Ukrainian targets overnight, including air strikds on more than 100 areas of Ukrainian troop concentration and artillery strikes on 315 targets. [more]
• Ukraine says its forces in Mariupol will “fight to the end” after rejecting a Russian ultimatum to surrender the port city by 1 p.m. local time on Sunday. [more]
• At least six people were killed overnight in Russian missile strikes on the western Ukraine city of Lviv, which has been largely spared from attacks during the Russian invasion. [more]

U.S. VIOLENCE | Three multiple shootings were reported in the eastern United States over the weekend — two in South Carolina and one in Pennsylvania. Two people were killed and eight wounded in gunfire at a Pittsburgh short-term rental property house party, while nine were wounded at a nightclub  and nine others at a shopping mall in the South Carolina incidents. [more]

PHILADELPHIA | In the first such move by a major U.S. city, Philadelphia has reinstated its COVID-related indoor mask mandate today. The mandate applies to public indoor spaces, including restaurants, museums, businesses, offices, government buildings and arenas. [more]

TURKEY | Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar says Turkey launched a new ground and air cross-border offensive against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq this morning. [more]

SOUTH AFRICA | The South African National Defense Force says it is deploying more than 10,000 troops to the eastern KwaZulu-Natal region to aid in recovery from floods and landslides that have killed more than 400 people over the past week. [more]

SWEDEN | Protests and counter-protests took place in multiple Swedish towns this  weekend over planned demonstrations held by far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, who is known for burning copies of the Quran. Clashes between protesters and police left at least three people injured, according to reports. [more]

NORTH KOREA | A missile launch by North Korea on Saturday involved what state media says were missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads. The test launch coincided with the start of joint annual military training drills by U.S. and South Korean troops. [more]

JERUSALEM | At least 17 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli police on Sunday when police entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to secure passage for  Jewish visitors, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent medical service. [more]

NETHERLANDS | The 2022 Invictus Games athletic competition for wounded military personnel and veterans opened Saturday in The Hague. [more]

CHINA | Health officials in Shanghai have reported the first official COVID-19 deaths in the city since a strict lockdown was reinstated in the city of 25 million people three weeks ago. The three deaths reported all involved elderly residents with underlying health conditions. [more]

ASIAN ECONOMY | Markets across Asia are generally lower this morning on news of lower-than-expected economic expansion reported by China. China’s year-to-date economic growth was 4.8% compared to last year, below the 5.5% target level. [more]

WEEKEND FILMS | Preliminary box office returns show “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore” as the weekend’s top-grossing film, followed by “Sonic The Hedgehog 2” and “The Lost City.” [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1506, Pope Julius II laid the first stone of the new St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. [more history]