May 5, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 71 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• The New York Times cites unnamed U.S. military sources as saying that actionable intelligence provided by the U.S. may have assisted Ukraine in killing up to 12 Russian generals during the invasion of the country by Russia. [more]
• The Russian defense ministry claimed today that its forces killed more than 600 Ukrainian fighters overnight in artillery strikes against multiple Ukrainian troop and equipment positions. [more]
• U.N. officials say more than 300 civilians were evacuated from in and around the city of Mariupol yesterday, as Russian efforts to eliminate all remaining Ukrainian resistance in the city intensified. [more]
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the launch of the United24 online platform, which allows global "one-click" financial donations to Ukraine. Zelensky said the platform would also be used for other global projects and programs in the future. [Zelensky launch video] [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | The U.S. Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point yesterday -- the largest such increase since 2000. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said additional half-point increases would be considered for the Fed's June and July meetings as further moves to fight inflation. [more]

CRYPTOCURRENCY | California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order yesterday calling for his state to work in coordination with the federal government to formally examine how to regulate and adapt to the development of cryptocurrency and related innovations. California is the first state to announce such coordination with a crypto study plan announced by President Joe Biden in March. [more]

WILDFIRES | President Joe Biden approved a federal disaster declaration for New Mexico yesterday, clearing the way for financial assistance to help fight the state's ongoing and widespread wildfires. [more]

JERUSALEM | The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, site of the hilltop that Jews refer to as the Temple Mount, reopened to Jewish visitors today after being closed to such visits during Muslim holidays, prompting protests by dozens of Palestinians and clashes between Israeli police and protesters. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | Reports say at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds of homes destroyed in recent days due to extreme flooding in multiple regions of Afghanistan. [more]

TURKEY | Data released by the Turkish government today shows that consumer prices in the country rose by 70% in the past year, with transportation, food, and household furnishings showing the largest increases. [more]

CLIMATE CHANGE | Stanford University announced yesterday that a $1.1 billion donation from venture capitalist John Doerr and his wife will be used to open a new school focused on climate change. The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability is scheduled to open this fall, combining several existing Stanford programs. [more]

COVID-19 | Hong Kong has announced the easing of some COVID-19-related restrictions as case numbers continue to fall. Beaches and pools in the city reopened today and restaurants now allow up to eight people at a table. Additional easing is scheduled for May 19 when bars and clubs will be allowed to reopen. [more]

GUINEA | Legal proceedings against former Guinea President Alpha Conde were filed by a court yesterday in connection with violence surrounding his bid for a third term in office in 2020. Conde arranged for changes in the country's constitution to allow him to seek another term in office and was deposed in a military coup last September. [more]

PRESS FREEDOM | Journalism organization Reporters Without Borders marked World Press Freedom Day this week by releasing its 2022 World Press Freedom Index, which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories. The 2022 index puts Norway and Denmark as having the greatest press freedom, and Eritrea and North Korea as having the least. The U.S. was ranked 42nd globally. [2022 index] [more]

ENERGY | Energy giant Shell reported a record $9.1 billion profit for the first quarter of 2022, up from $3.2 billion in the same period a year ago. [more]

MUSIC | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2022 inductees. Among this year's inductees are Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eminem, the Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Judas Priest, and Carly Simon. [full inductee info] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1945, while on a picnic on Gearhart Mountain, Oregon, six people were killed after a Japanese balloon bomb exploded; they were the only deaths by enemy action to occur in the continental United States during World War II. [more on this event] [more history]