May 13, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 79 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• British intelligence officials say Ukrainian forces appear to have destroyed a pontoon bridge and portions of a Russian armored column as it tried to cross a river in northeastern Ukraine. [more]
• EU officials are reported to have agreed on a new 500 million euro military and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine. [more]
• Russia yesterday imposed sanctions on European subsidiaries of the state-owned Gazprom energy supplier, causing a surge in European benchmark gas prices. [more]

NATO | Reports say the Finnish parliament could begin a formal debate and hold a subsequent vote on joining NATO as early as this coming Monday. Russia has warned of unspecified retaliatory steps it may take if Finland does join NATO. [more]

NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION | EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell suggested today that enough progress has been made in consultations between the EU and Iran to formally re-start stalled talks on limiting development of Iran's nuclear capabilities. [more]

MIDDLE EAST | The United Arab Emirates announced this morning that its longtime ruler, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has died and that the country will begin a 40-day period of mourning. [more]

2ND AMENDMENT | A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that California's ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. [more]

COVID-19 | After acknowledging a COVID-19 outbreak for the first time in the pandemic yesterday, North Korea has reported the death of at least six COVID-19 patients and 350,000 infections. [more]

TRUMP INVESTIGATIONS | The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a grand jury investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified documents by former President Donald Trump related to findings earlier this year that he took boxes of documents to his Florida home when leaving the White House. [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | Officials from the U.S. Justice Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suggested yesterday that artificial intelligence technology used to screen job candidates or monitor worker productivity could unfairly discriminate against people with disabilities in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. [more]

FEDERAL RESERVE | The Senate voted yesterday to confirm Jerome Powell for a second four-year term as chair of the Federal Reserve. [more]

POLICE FUNDING | President Joe Biden is expected to urge increased funding for public safety measures today when he meets with mayors and police officials from across the U.S. to discuss how cities are using funds allocated to police departments in the 2021 coronavirus relief package. [more]

JANUARY 6 | The House panel investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol issued subpoenas yesterday to five Republican lawmakers, including House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, who have refused to testify before the panel voluntarily. [more]

WILDFIRES | Officials in California say at least 900 households are under evacuation orders amidst wildfires that have burned about 200 acres near the city of Laguna Niguel in southern California's Orange County. [more]

IRAN | Iranian state media reports today that at least 22 people participating in protests against increased food prices were arrested in cities in southern Iran. [more]

BREXIT | British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said yesterday that the U.K may have no choice but to revoke parts of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland if the EU remains inflexible on issues involving the border with the Republic of Ireland that are complicating the formation of a new Northern Ireland government. [more]

SOCCER | The top four Russian soccer league clubs have reportedly filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport over their ban from next season’s European competitions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [more]

HORSE RACING | Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not participate in the upcoming Preakness race, according to owner Rich Dawson. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1940, British politician Winston Churchill addressed the House of Commons for the first time as prime minister with his famous “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat” speech. [listen to the speech] [more history]