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1. Ukraine
In an emotional speech to the UN Security Council yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian troops of killing civilians for “pleasure” and warned that more atrocities could occur. Zelensky’s speech came a day after he visited the Kiev suburb of Bucha, where shocking images of corpses appeared on the streets over the weekend. Separately, the top US military official told lawmakers yesterday that the world was becoming more unstable and that “the potential for significant international conflict is growing, not diminishing.” The United States will announce new sanctions on Russia later today in coordination with several other nations and the European Union, according to a government official.
2. Severe storms
More than 45 million people are under an intensified serious threat in the southeastern United States this morning, where a strong storm could pose a triple threat of wind, tornadoes and floods. Parts of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and West Carolina are likely to see catastrophic winds and some tornadoes in the coming days, according to the latest forecast. A flood watch is also in effect for about 2 million people in the area, with some isolated areas dropping about 5 inches of rain. The storm system is hitting the area at an unfortunate moment, as most areas remain in a state of recovery from recent tornadoes and insidious thunderstorms. At least two people were killed in the storms yesterday, local officials said.
3. Elimination
The Oklahoma Legislature yesterday passed an almost complete ban on abortions, making exceptions only in the event of a medical emergency. The bill would make abortion or attempted criminal proceedings punishable by a maximum fine of $ 100,000 or a maximum of 10 years in state prison or both. The bill passed the state House under the leadership of the Republicans with 70-14 votes, without discussion or questions on the floor. The bill is now being addressed to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has previously promised to sign any bill limiting abortions he encounters in his office. This comes as many state legislatures have passed bills restricting access to abortion. Last week, the Republican governor of Arizona signed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks, with no exceptions for rape and incest.
4. Student loans
The Biden government plans to extend the repayment of federal student loans until August 31. The repayment freeze, which has been in place since the beginning of the pandemic, was scheduled to end on May 1. But with increasing pressure from other Democrats and pro-consumer groups, President Joe Biden will move the date once again as inflation and supply chain problems continue to make everyday items more expensive. The rest of the borrowers have been virtually frozen for more than two years, with no payment required for most federal student loans as of March 2020. The administration is expected to announce the extension today, according to an administration official familiar with the matter.
5. Recession
Deutsche Bank is the first major bank to predict a US recession that will begin late next year. The Federal Reserve’s fight against rising inflation and the “aggressive tightening of monetary policy will push the economy into recession,” Deutsche Bank economists wrote in a new report. Hopes that inflation would fall quickly were dashed, in part because of the war in Ukraine. Energy and food commodity prices have skyrocketed since the start of the Russian invasion, and there are still growing concerns that the Fed will have to raise interest rates quickly to bring prices under control. The exact severity of the recession is uncertain, but Deutsche Bank expects it to be “mild” compared to the last two falls. Unemployment, for example, is expected to peak at 5% in 2024 – but reached much higher levels of 14.7% in 2020 and 10% in 2009 during the Great Recession.
BREAKFAST DESCRIPTION
Animal control catches fox after biting or biting 6 people in US Capitol Obviously, there are a lot of fox hideouts in the Capitol … and that’s definitely a cause for concern. McDonald’s brings back a favorite menu item for fans This product is back for a limited time and is causing a stir among fast food fans. Tip: You will want some sauce! Rare design by Michael Angelos could catch $ 33 million in discounts in Paris Take some time to enjoy the beauty of this 15th century artwork. Twitter announces that it is developing an editing capability The ability to edit tweets will probably be useful for typographical errors (and for people who may regret uploading strange things.) Man finds a 7-foot snake behind the sofa cushion At that point, just sell the whole house … with all the furniture.
IN MEMORY OF
Bobby Rydell, a teen idol from the 1960s known for songs like “Wild One” and his role as Hugo Peabody in the 1963 film “Bye Bye Birdie”, has died, according to a statement released by the its representatives. He was 79. Born Robert Ridarelli, Rydell made his Billboard 100 debut in 1959 and continued with a career that included 34 top 100 hits and more than 25 million album sales, according to the statement.
TODAY’S NUMBER
3,000
TODAY QUOTE
“They have 24 hours to get their personal belongings.” – Susset Cabrera, Communications Director for North Miami Beach, after the city ordered the evacuation of a five-story 60-unit apartment building Monday after an inspection by engineers who judged the building to be structurally unsafe. The apartment building is located about three miles north of Champlain Towers South, the Surfside apartment tower that partially collapsed last summer, killing nearly 100 people. The disaster has plagued some Florida coastal property owners and beyond, prompting North Miami Beach to begin a review of all five-story apartment buildings.
THE WEATHER TODAY
Check your local forecast here »>
AND FINALLY
The lion gives us its best roar This little one does not know yet, but one day, his little roar will turn into a loud growl. Let this short video remind you to appreciate the present – because maybe the best is yet to come for you! (Click here to view)
