April 24, 2023

UKRAINE | Today is day 424 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Officials in Spain say shipments containing six Leopard 2 tanks have left Spain and are expected to arrive in Ukraine within a week. [more]
• Ukrainian military officials say Russian forces and those of the Russian mercenary group Wagner have launched virtually non-stop assaults on the eastern city of Bakhmut and have made advances in the city. [more]
• A statement by Chinese ambassador to France Lu Shaye questioning the legal status of former Soviet republics, including Ukraine and NATO member countries Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as independent nations has prompted widespread international criticism.  Lu made the comments while discussing the question of whether Crimea is, legally, a part of Russia or of Ukraine. Since Lu's comments, Chinese foreign ministry officials have stated that China "respects the sovereign status of the former Soviet republics following the dissolution of the Soviet Union." [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | In multiple shooting incidents reported over the weekend:

• Police in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, say one person was killed, and four others wounded, when multiple yet-unidentified gunmen opened fire on a crowd of people attending a party at the city’s Happy Hill Park on Saturday night. [more]
• Police in Jasper County, Texas, say at least nine teenagers were wounded by gunfire at a large prom after-party Sunday morning and that a second nearby shooting is being investigated for a possible connection. [more]
• Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department says eight people were shot in two different locations in the city’s southeast region Friday night when unknown gunmen opened fire from a car into crowds of people gathered on the street. [more]

ABORTION | Overruling lower court decisions to restrict access to the abortion drug mifepristone and nullify its 2000 approval by the FDA, the U.S. Supreme Court said Friday that the drug could remain available while legal challenges proceed. [more]

PENNSYLVANIA | Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the federal death penalty trial of Robert G. Bowers, the man accused of killing 11 people at Pittsburg’s Tree of Life synagogue in October 2018. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | Reports say President Joe Biden is expected to name Julie Rodriguez, a senior White House advisor and granddaughter of late labor leader Cesar Chavez, as the head of his reelection campaign. A formal announcement of Biden’s reelection bid is expected as early as tomorrow. [more]

SUDAN | Diplomatic personnel and foreign residents from many nations, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, and Italy, began evacuating from Sudan over the weekend amidst escalating violence between Sudan’s military and paramilitary forces. Reports estimate that more than 420 people have been killed, and more than 3,700 wounded, since fighting began in the northeast African nation nine days ago. [more]

MIGRATION | Reports say an estimated 3,000 migrants — mainly from Central America, Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia — began what they call a mass protest procession from southern Mexico to Mexico City yesterday. Organizers say participants are demanding changes to the way migrants are treated as they make their way through Mexico, usually on their way to the United States border. [more]

CLIMATE | In its newly released State of the Global Climate 2022 report, the World Meteorological Organization says that melting of glaciers and sea level rise reached record levels in 2022 and that global average temperatures in the years 2015-2022 were the highest on record. [report summary] [full report] [more]

U.S. AND RUSSIA | Claiming that the U.S. has denied visas to Russian journalists who wanted to cover Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s appearance at the United Nations to mark Russia’s chairmanship of the Security Council, Lavrov said yesterday said the U.S. was not living up to its promises of freedom of speech and access to information and that Russia “will not forget and will not forgive” the U.S. slight. Reports say the U.S. State Department has yet to comment on the claim of denying the visas. [more]

GERMANY | Climate activists began a planned day of traffic disruption in Berlin, Germany, today, with some activists gluing themselves to streets and a planned march through the city to block traffic. Members of the Last Generation activist group say their efforts are aimed at urging reform of Germany’s climate and fossil fuel policies. [more]

SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN | As part of continuing efforts to improve relations between the Asian nations, South Korea announced today that it has restored Japan to its list of countries that have preferential trade status. [more]

KENYA | Investigators in Kenya’s Malindi sub-county say the bodies of fifty people have been found on land owned by local pastor Paul Makenzi, who was arrested earlier this month on charges related to cultism and to allegations that he urged members of his Good News International Church to starve themselves to death. [more]

AUSTRALIA | A government-commissioned review of Australia’s defense policy released today says the country needs to increase its defense spending, develop longer-range strike capabilities, and make munitions domestically. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the review was Australia’s most significant since World War II. [more]

PERU | Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo returned to Peru from the U.S. yesterday to face charges of corruption. Toledo is the third former Peruvian leader, along with former presidents Alberto Fujimori and Pedro Castillo, to be taken into custody in the South American nation’s investigations into official corruption. [more]

AIR TRAVEL | Airport employee walkouts over pay issues today in the German cities of Berlin and Hamburg have caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights. The strikes are expected to last through midnight tonight. [more]

BUSINESS | U.S. household goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday. The company says its 360 stores and its 120 Buy Buy Baby retailer locations remain open to serve customers, but that all sites are expected to close by June 30. [more]

GOLF | Lilia Vu beat Angel Yin on the first playoff hole of the Chevron Championship women’s golf tournament at The Club at Carlton Woods to win her second LPGA Tour event and first major. [more]

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE | "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $58.2 million in receipts, followed by "Evil Dead Rise" and "The Covenant." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1800, the U.S. Library of Congress was officially founded as U.S. President John Adams approved the $5,000 appropriated to acquire “such books as may be necessary for the use of congress." It eventually became the largest library in the world.  [more history]