U.S. stocks opened higher on Thursday but quickly curled up. The hotter-than-expected headline inflation served as one of the last pieces of data that could sway the Federal Reserve at its policy meeting next week.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell 0.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) shed 0.3%, or 100 points.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 ( ^IXIC ) fell 0.4% on Wednesday after dragging shares of Nvidia ( NVDA ) and Tesla ( TSLA ) .
The February producer price index rose 0.6%, beating expectations for a 0.3% increase. Investors were watching for inflation to cool fast enough to appease central bank policymakers and announce interest rate cuts. Markets played down signs of sticky inflation in Tuesday's CPI report, clinging to hopes that policy will take center stage in the summer.
Retail sales meanwhile rose 0.6%, missing estimates for a 0.8% rise. All eyes were on Thursday's data release for clues on the health of the US economy ahead of the central bank's two-day meeting next week.
In commodities, oil's revived rally continued to build after the IEA warned that supply would lag this year and US inventories would shrink. WTI crude futures (CL=F) traded above $80 a barrel, touching their highest level since November, while Brent crude futures (BZ=F) pushed towards $85.
On the corporate front, shares of Fisker (FSR) fell nearly 40% after the Wall Street Journal reported that the EV maker was considering a bankruptcy filing.
live3 updates
Stocks roll in hotter than expected inflation
Shares opened higher in early trade, but quickly turned negative.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) shed 0.4%, or about 100 points. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) also slipped below the flatline.
Nvidia ( NVDA ) opened lower for the second day in a row. Shares of the chipmaker, along with Tesla ( TSLA ), dragged shares lower on Wednesday.
February's producer price index rose 0.6%, beating expectations for a 0.3% rise. Investors were eyeing the print as the last key data point ahead of a key Federal Reserve policy meeting next week.
Stocks edged higher despite warmer than expected inflation fears
Stocks soared. Headline inflation despite warmer-than-expected heat on Thursday.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.3%, or more than 100 points. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) recovered 0.2% from yesterday's losses.
Nvidia ( NVDA ) opened lower for the second day in a row. Shares of the chipmaker, along with Tesla ( TSLA ), dragged shares lower on Wednesday.
The February producer price index rose 0.6%, beating expectations for a 0.3% increase. Investors were watching the print amid expectations that Fed policymakers will reiterate their desire to cut rates sometime this year after next week's meeting.
Retail is making a comeback
Retail sales rebounded in February after the previous month saw the steepest decline in nearly a year.
Retail sales rose 0.6% in February from the previous month Census Bureau data. Economists were expecting a 0.8% increase in spending, according to Bloomberg data. January retail sales previously posted a surprise -1.1% decrease.
February sales, excluding autos and gas, rose 0.3%, according to estimates.
Vladimir Ovshinnikov's street art adorns Borovsky's walls — except when it gets too political.
As I walked around Borovsk, two things struck me about this town 60 miles (100 km) from Moscow.
First, there is no sign of a presidential election coming up this weekend.
I see some election banners or billboards and political flyers being handed out.
No wonder, really. The lack of election preparations reflects the lack of drama surrounding a stage-managed event that could hand Vladimir Putin a fifth term in the Kremlin.
Another thing you can't overlook in Borovsk is the street art. It's everywhere.
Much of it was created by street artist Vladimir Ovsinikov. His work looks down from walls and buildings across the city.
Most of his paintings are controversial. Like a giant globe describing the history of the city. Or a picture of a famous football player.
However, when Vladimir paints a picture of today's Russia, it becomes much darker.
“I call it the height of ambition,” the 86-year-old artist tells me. A painting he shows me at home shows a man in a martial arts uniform walking a tightrope over human skulls.
“This is what the ambition of one in power leads to.”
More dramatically, his image of two meat grinders dismembering people – one titled 1937 (Stalin's Year of the Great Terror); Another special military operation (Russia's war in Ukraine).
“We haven't learned any lessons,” Vladimir concludes.
After the artist graffitied similar meat grinders on a wall, he was fined for “insulting” the Russian military. His street art, which shows missiles falling on a woman dressed in the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine, has the same effect.
Vladimir uses his art not only to comment on the present, but also to shine a light on Russia's dark past – the repressions of the Stalin era. The authorities did not like his graffiti criticizing the war in Ukraine. It is painted fast.
“My paintings make people think: are we right or wrong in this conflict?” Vladimir tells me. “I believe this is an offense against the territorial integrity of a neighboring state. If I remain silent I will forgive it.”
“Many remain silent because they fear repression, losing their jobs and being criticized by others.”
After opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison, Vladimir painted Mr Navalny's portrait on a local memorial stone honoring victims of political repression.
“Someone wiped it out that same day,” Vladimir tells me. “But at home I drew a rough draft on cardboard. Then I took this and put it on the monument.”
image caption,
Vladimir says his paintings make people think about the conflict in Ukraine
How does Vladimir see the future of Russia?
“Some people are still predicting repression, and we're headed for totalitarianism and totalitarianism,” he says.
A picture of the President
Vladimir Ovchinnikov tells me he doesn't watch television.
If he does, he will see a very different picture of Russia on state television.
Version of Vladimir Putin.
No human skulls. No meat grinder. Not to mention Alexei Navalny.
It is Russia's aggression abroad and not oppression at home. This is Russia with a glorious past and an equally glorious future. A Russia of knights and patriots rallying around the flag to defend the motherland from outside aggression.
It is a Russia that loves its current leader.
image source, Good pictures
image caption,
Vladimir Putin is set to win the election for the fifth time
A few days ago Russia Channel 1's evening news bulletin seemed to worship Putin fans greeting the president like a pop star.
“Take care of yourself,” cried a woman, before kissing him.
“Long live!” A man shouted.
If you only rely on Channel 1 for news, you might conclude that Vladimir Putin has no chance of winning a landslide victory in the presidential election.
But context is just as important as paintings.
And the context here is important.
The Kremlin not only controls television in Russia, but also controls the entire political system, including elections.
As President Putin seeks a fifth term in office, he faces no serious challenge. His most vocal critics have been exiled or imprisoned at home. His bitter rival, Mr Navalny, is dead.
But the Kremlin likes to boast that Russia has the “best democracy” in the world. So, Mr Putin is on the ballot with three officially recognized contenders from Russia's Kremlin-friendly parliament.
I met one of them recently. It was a different experience.
“Why do you think you would be a better president than Putin?” I asked Nikolai Kharidonov, the Communist Party candidate.
“It is not for me to say,” replied Mr. Kharidonov. “That wouldn't be right.”
image caption,
Presidential candidate Nikolai Kharidonov (left) believes he cannot say whether he would make a better president than Putin.
“But you think your election manifesto is better than Putin's?” I continued.
“That's up to the voters to decide.”
“It doesn't matter what I think. That's what the voters want.”
Instead of talking about himself, Mr Kharidonov praised the incumbent.
“Today Vladimir Putin is trying to solve many of the problems of the 1990s that dragged Russia into wild capitalism,” Mr Kharidonov said. “He is trying to unify the nation for victory in all areas. This will happen!”
Something tells me Nikolai Kharidonov's heart isn't in this match.
One politician who tried unsuccessfully to get on the ballot was anti-war politician Boris Nadeshtin.
“It is absolutely impossible to say that our presidential elections are fair and free,” Mr Nadeshtin tells me. He claims he was banned from competing because his anti-war message was becoming so popular.
“Polls show that about 30-35 percent of people in Russia want to vote for a candidate who talks about peace like me. This is an absolutely impossible decision for our government.”
Picture on the street
Back in Borovsk I enjoy the view from the bridge over the Brotva River.
From here the city looks like a painting: I could imagine a picture of Russia hanging in the Hermitage. There is a beautiful church on a hill, with snow-covered houses below. Bundled up in warm coats, people are walking carefully along icy paths.
I, too, tread carefully when visiting town to gauge the mood. On the streets of Borovsk, what do people think about the war, the election and their president?
“No matter how you vote, everything is predetermined,” a young woman named Svetlana tells me. “There's no point in me participating.”
But many here, especially older Russians, tell me they will vote. When I talk to people, it's clear that the Russia they see on TV has many supporters.
image caption,
Russia wants its citizens and the world to believe it has everything figured out
“I hope that Vladimir Putin will win the election and that will end the war,” Lyudmila tells me. “Many young people have been killed. Many countries will finally understand that Russia cannot be defeated when there is peace.”
“Why do you want Mr Putin to win?” I am asking. “After all, he was the one who initiated the special military operation.”
“There are many opinions,” Lyudmila admits. “Some say the war should never have been started. Some say he is right. I won't judge him now. We don't know all the political nuances.”
“Mr Putin has been in power for almost a quarter of a century,” I point out. “In a country of 145 million people, is there no one else to do his job?”
“Damn, we have many capable leaders who, in an emergency, can run the country,” Lyudmila replied.
Nikolai will vote for the current president, apparently unfazed by Putin's two and a half decades in power.
“So what? We had long-reigning tsars,” says Nikolai. “There were good czars and bad ones. We had Stalin and Brezhnev. You can change a leader, but it makes little difference in our lives.”
The judge overseeing the election interference case against Donald Trump in Georgia has thrown out some criminal charges but left most in place.
Judge Scott McAfee found 6 counts of the 41-count indictment against Mr. Trump and some of his co-defendants, including Rudy Giuliani, unaccounted for.
But he said the charges could be filed again at a later date.
Mr Trump is one of 19 people charged with conspiring to alter the state's 2020 election results.
“The lack of detail on an essential legal element is, in the opinion of the undersigned, fatal,” Judge McAfee wrote in his order Wednesday.
He said the charges did not provide enough information for the accused to prepare their legal defense “intelligently”, adding that “this does not mean that the entire charge has been dismissed”.
Mr McAfee accidentally appointed the Trump case in 2023, six months after he was appointed to the judgeship by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican.
He previously worked as a prosecutor, including Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis, a Democrat who led the investigation into the former president.
Mr McAfee's ruling affects three of the 13 charges against Mr Trump.
They relate Mr Trump's call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger, in which he said: “I want to do this. I want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have.”
The former president has been accused of defying his oath of office and soliciting government officials to break the law.
But Mr McAfee said the allegation was not enough about what Trump wanted officials to do.
Other dismissed charges apply to some of his main co-defendants: Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and Mark Meadows.
video title,
Donald Trump: “I want to find 11,780 votes”
In his order, Judge McAfee said the charges “contain all the essential elements of the crimes, but fail to set forth sufficient particulars as to the nature of their commission, namely the underlying offense charged.”
It was a victory for Mr Trump and his co-defendants, who filed to dismiss the charges. Prosecutors can now choose to refile the charges with additional information in their case or let the ruling stand and focus on other charges.
The group initially faced 41 charges. The former president faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of Georgia's most serious fraud charge.
In a statement, Mr Trump's lawyer in the Georgia case, Steve Sado, said the ruling was “a proper application of the law because the prosecution failed to allege any wrongdoing on that count”.
“The entire case against President Trump constitutes political, electoral interference, and should be impeached.”
Mr Trump, who is running for president against Joe Biden in November, has slammed the case as politically motivated.
A Georgia ruling did not stop the defense's bid to fire Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis on ethics grounds that she had an improper relationship with a prosecutor hired on the case.
Mr McAfee is expected to rule on the ethics complaint soon. If he finds that his former employer should be removed from the case, the trial could be delayed for months.
Mr Trump is a defendant in four criminal cases and several civil cases.
On Tuesday, a judge accepted a $92 million (£72 million) bond from Mr Trump in a defamation suit brought by author E Jean Carroll, while the former president appealed the ruling. A jury in January found that Mr Trump owed the former columnist millions of dollars for defamation when he denied sexually assaulting her.
The bond ensures Ms Carroll will be paid if she loses the appeal.
He has also been ordered to pay more than $450 million to the state of New York after it was discovered that he defrauded banks by lying about the value of his assets.
Years of mismanagement and poor store conditions have hurt Family Dollar's brand.
New York CNN
—
Family Dollar, a struggling discount chain that caters mostly to low-income customers in cities, will close about 1,000 stores.
Family Dollar will close 600 locations this year and 370 more over the next few years as store leases expire. Family Dollar has about 8,000 U.S. stores.
Dollar Tree, which owns Family Dollar, also said it will close 30 stores as leases expire.
Years of mismanagement and poor store conditions have hurt Family Dollar's brand. The company struggled as discount rivals such as Dollar General, Walmart and others grew. More recently, inflation has hurt Family Dollar customers and the chain's profits.
“Continued inflation and reduced government incentives continue to put pressure on low-income consumers, who comprise a significant portion of the household dollar,” CEO Rick Drieling said on a call with analysts on Wednesday.
The closure will improve the company's profitability. But they leave a void for Americans with already limited shopping choices. Family Dollar stores are often located in areas with few supermarkets, big box stores and other retail options.
Shares of Dollar Tree fell more than 13% to their lowest level of the year in early trading on Wednesday.
Understaffed and dangerous shops
Dollar Tree, which focuses more on middle-income shoppers in the suburbs, acquired Family Dollar in 2015 for $8.5 billion.
The combined company hopes that by joining forces, it can grow its customer base, cut costs and fend off big retailers like Dollar General, mainly in rural areas.
But Dollar Tree has struggled to consolidate Family Dollar and has closed hundreds of Family Dollar stores in recent years.
Dollar Tree was in worse shape than expected when Family Dollar Stores bought the business, analysts say. Although Family Dollar has renovated thousands of stores in recent years, many stores are still poorly maintained. Stores are often understaffed and boxes clog the aisles.
Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Dollar General and other discount stores have long had theft problems, sometimes operating stores with few affected employees. Violent robberies and other crimes.
Dollar Tree employees have complained about unsafe working conditions, and OSHA criticized the company last year for its “consistent disregard for human safety,” suggesting that the company “sees that profits are more important than people.”
Family Dollar was hit with record fines this year for violating product safety standards after selling products full of live, dead and rotting rodents at a rat-infested warehouse in West Memphis.
The Justice Department said the $41.6 million fine was “the largest monetary criminal penalty ever in a food safety case.”
Last year, Dollar Tree announced a review of its entire portfolio of Family Dollar stores.
As Family Dollar struggled, rival Dollar General took off: Dollar General opened about 1,000 stores a year, making it the fastest-growing retailer in the United States. The company has around 18,000 stores.
New Mexico's first human fatality since 2020 is a plague-related death, health officials say.
The New Mexico Department of Health said the man, who lived in Lincoln County, located in the southeastern part of the state, had been hospitalized before his death. Press release Last week.
No other information about him was available, including his name, age or race/ethnicity.
Plague is treatable with commonly available antibiotics and if the patient seeks medical help early, the chances of a full recovery are high. CDC.
NMDOH said staff will reach out to residents in the area and conduct an environmental assessment in the community to determine risk.
The last human plague case in the state was in 2021 in a Torrance County resident, according to the health department. In 2020, there were four human cases, including one in Santa Fe County, two in Torrance County, and a fatal case in Rio Arriba County.
Although the plague is often associated with killing millions of Europeans in the Middle Ages, it was not an exterminated disease, state public health veterinarian Dr. Erin Phipps told ABC News.
“It's the same bacteria that caused the Black Death that wiped out Europeans, and it's actually still there. It's still spreading today,” he said.
Plague is a disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis. It occurs naturally in the western United States, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It commonly affects wild rodents including wood mice, rock squirrels, ground squirrels, rats, prairie dogs and chipmunks. Humans can acquire the disease through the bite of a rodent carrying the bacterium or through direct contact with an animal infected with plague, which includes pets.
Phipps said there are three types of plague: bubonic plague, which is associated with enlarged lymph nodes called bubos; septicemic plague, which occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream; and pneumonic plague, when the infection enters the lungs.
Other symptoms usually include headache, fever, chills and weakness.
“Bubonic plague consists of enlarged lymph nodes, otherwise symptoms are present [of plague] Like many other diseases,” Phipps said. “That's some of the challenges. Because it's rare, it's not always on people's radar.”
That's why it's so important to get a diagnosis from a trained doctor and get treatment, he said.
Before antibiotics, according to Phipps, two-thirds of people infected with the plague died from the disease. Currently, about 10% of people die from plague, he said.
To reduce the risk of plague, the NMDOH recommends cleaning areas where rodents live near the home, preventing pets from roaming and hunting, keeping pet food away from attracting rodents, and keeping hay and wood away from the home as much as possible.
Additionally, get a sick pet checked out by a veterinarian right away, and talk to your doctor if you have unexplained signs of illness.
“People don't realize that [plague] This is not a disease of the past,” Phipps said. “Every year we get cases in the western United States. We believe that by increasing awareness, we can encourage early diagnosis and compliance.”
He added: “It's not something to worry too much about, but by making sure it's on the radar, it will help … people take action if they live in wild areas or near wild rodents, especially with indoor and outdoor pets.”
News of the New Mexico man's death comes a month after an Oregon resident contracted plague, possibly from their cat. Health authorities In the state.
A man was hospitalized with bad migraines, only to discover they were caused by parasitic tapeworm larvae in his brain – and researchers believe he was infected by eating undercooked pork.
An unidentified 52-year-old American man consulted doctors about changes in his regular migraines over a four-month period. American Journal of Case Reports Published on Thursday. Migraines are frequent, severe and unresponsive to medication.
The patient was admitted to the hospital for examination. CT scans revealed numerous cystic foci, fluid-filled sacs in the brain. Cysticercosis cyst antibody tests came back positive, and the man was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, according to the study.
Neurocysticercosis is a form of parasitic tissue infection caused by larval cysts of the pork tapeworm found in the brain. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention condition.
A person gets cysticercosis by ingesting larval cysts from infected feces, which is usually caused by a lack of hand washing, according to the CDC. The disease is prevalent in developing countries due to poor sanitation.
The only link to the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis was the fact that the patient had no recent travel to high-risk areas, and his “habit of eating lightly cooked, undercooked pork most of his life.”
“This is speculative, but given our patient's prognosis with undercooked pork and benign exposure history, we prefer that his cysticercosis was transmitted by autoinfection after his dietary exposure to taeniasis and improper hand washing,” the report concluded.
Recommended
The patient was successfully treated with anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory drugs. His brain lesions regressed and his headaches improved.
Patients with neurocysticercosis are “extremely rare” in the United States, but the study's findings may change that perception.
“Encountering infected pork in the United States is historically very unusual, and our case may have public health implications,” the report said.
Symptoms of neurocysticercosis range from headaches to seizures, depending on which structures and tissues are affected. According to the CDC, this disease is fatal.
Aaron Jones is expected to sign a one-year, $7 million deal with the rival Minnesota Vikings a day after being released by the Green Bay Packers, his agents told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Jones spent seven seasons with Green Bay and ranks third all-time among the franchise's leading rushers. He was released Monday to make room for Josh Jacobs, who reached a four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers.
Jones, 29, will join a revamped Vikings offense that will seek to replace quarterback Kirk Cousins, who agreed to sign a four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday out of Minnesota.
Minnesota also agreed to a one-year deal with quarterback Sam Darnold, sources told ESPN earlier Tuesday.
The Vikings are looking to add to their running back room after releasing Alexander Mattison last week. Minnesota's running back corps is currently led by Ty Chandler, who showed promise last season with 327 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the Vikings' final four games.
Despite his struggles with injuries last season, Jones could provide an upgrade for Minnesota after rushing for 226 yards and three touchdowns in Green Bay's surprising two-game postseason run.
Jones is coming off his least productive season (142 carries, 656 yards, 2 touchdowns) since his rookie year in 2017. Jones, a 2020 Pro Bowler, averaged 5.0 yards per carry, 5,940 yards and a run over 97 career games. 63 total touchdowns (45 rushing, 18 receiving). He also caught 272 passes for 2,076 yards.
A Russian gas pipeline explodes amid a series of Ukrainian attacks.
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Ukraine has summoned a Vatican envoy at the suggestion of Pope Francis that Kiev “show the courage of the white flag”.
Apostolic Nuncio Visvaltas Gulpokas was told Kiev was “disappointed” as Ukraine urged the pope to refrain from statements that “legitimize the right to power and encourage further disregard for the norms of international law,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The Pope sparked outrage after a transcript of an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI was released ahead of next week's broadcast.
Meanwhile, Russian lawmakers are seeking to overturn the Soviet decision to transfer Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954. The move appears to be an attempt by Vladimir Putin to rewrite history and justify his illegal annexation of the peninsula in 2014.
It comes as Russia said Ukraine launched 25 drones overnight, including one shot down outside Moscow.
Operations at an oil refinery in western Russia have been halted after a drone strike caused a fire in the city of Kstovo.
A massive fire broke out at an oil refinery in western Russia after a drone strike
A major fire broke out at an oil refinery in the city of Kstovo in western Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region after the drone strike, the regional governor said.
Gleb Nikitin said the fuel and energy complex was hit by unmanned aerial vehicles. Russia's Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery is located in the city and is believed to have started the fire.
Work at the refinery was temporarily halted due to the “incident,” the oil company said. Russia's RIA state news agency said.
“In the morning, the Kstovo industrial zone, the fuel and energy complex, was attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles,” Mr Nikitin said on the Telegram messaging app.
Russian politicians submit draft bill to cancel 1954 annexation of Crimea
Russian politicians have submitted a draft bill that seeks to rewrite history by overturning the Soviet decision to transfer Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954.
The move appears aimed at establishing a legal basis for Russia to argue that Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula it claims was annexed from Ukraine in 2014, is not actually part of Ukraine.
A draft submitted by a politician from both houses of Russia's parliament describes the 1954 handover as arbitrary and illegal because no referendum was held.
No announcement has been made as to when the debate will be held.
Vladimir Putin has condemned the 1954 handover of Crimea under then-Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev as a violation of the legal norms of the time.
Crimea residents voted in favor of independence with the rest of Ukraine when the Soviet Union broke up, and Russia and Ukraine later recognized each other's borders. But Moscow seized military control of Crimea in 2014 and annexed it after a referendum that Ukraine and Western governments declared illegitimate.
Doss says Russia arrested South Korean man for spying
A South Korean man has been arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
The man, identified as Baek Won-soon, was being held in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok before being transferred to Moscow for “investigative proceedings,” the law enforcement agency said.
The state news agency said it was the first case of its kind against a South Korean national. It did not provide any details on the nature of the alleged spying.
An official approached by South Korea's foreign ministry had no immediate comment.
Russia views South Korea as an “unfriendly” country due to Seoul's support for Western sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine, while maintaining close ties with North Korea.
The Tory MP accused the government of cutting defense spending
A former Conservative defense minister has said the government should be “ashamed” of making “deeply disgraceful” cuts to defense spending.
Mark Francois, a member of the cross-party defense committee, told the Commons: “The Red Book, the budget bible, shows very clearly in tables 2.1 and 2.2 that next year's core defense budget has been cut by £2.5 billion. That is true.
“It would be wrong for any government, let alone one that calls itself a conservative party, to try to take one-off payments for Ukraine or higher spending in the nuclear budget from the consolidated fund and pretend they are part of the defense budget when everyone in this House knows they are not.
“So I say to the government, if not for a minister whom I hold in high esteem as the son of a D-Day soldier, in anger rather than sadness, what the government has done is more disgraceful and they should be ashamed of themselves. about themselves.”
Defense Secretary James Cartlidge responded: “When we talk about spending to support nuclear weapons or to support Ukraine buying weapons and ultimately giving them weapons to defend ourselves, I think those are legally described as defense spending.
“After all, how else are we going to pay them, from which budget?”
Russian lawmakers are proposing a draft bill to repeal the Soviet transfer of Crimea to Ukraine
Russian lawmakers have submitted a draft bill to the State Duma that would rewrite a chapter of history by overturning the 1954 Soviet decision to transfer Crimea from Russia to Ukraine.
The move appears aimed at establishing a legal basis for Russia to argue that Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula it claims was annexed from Ukraine in 2014, is not actually part of Ukraine.
A draft submitted by a lawmaker from both houses of Russia's parliament described the 1954 handover as “arbitrary” and “illegal” because no referendum was held and Soviet authorities had no right to transfer territory from one constituent republic to another without approval. .
There is no word on when it will be debated by parliamentarians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the 1954 handover of Crimea under then-Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev as a violation of the legal norms of the time.
Ukraine Invites Vatican Ambassador After Pope's White Flag Comments
Ukraine has summoned an ambassador to the Vatican to express its “disappointment” at the Pope's suggestion that Kyiv should have the “courage of a white flag” and negotiate a conflict with Russia.
The papal envoy to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaltas Kulbokas, was invited on Monday, the foreign ministry said.
“Ukraine was informed that Viswaldas Kulbokas was disappointed by the Pope's words,” it said in a statement.
He said the pope should refrain from statements that “legitimize the prerogative of power and encourage further disregard for the norms of international law.”
“The Pope is expected to convey to the world community the need to immediately join forces to ensure the victory of good over evil,” the statement said.
Russia says its air defense systems have destroyed a drone flying from Ukraine to Moscow.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyan said on the Telegram messaging app that there were no casualties and damage at the site in the Ramensky district where the drone debris fell.
Russian student jailed for pro-Ukraine Wi-Fi network name
A Russian student has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for naming his Wi-Fi after a pro-Ukrainian slogan, the latest case of an ordinary citizen in Vladimir Putin's crackdown on free speech surrounding the war. My colleague reportsShweta Sharma.
A court in Moscow on Thursday found Oleg Tarasov guilty of spreading propaganda and “publicly displaying Nazi symbols” that sent him to prison, state-run RIA reported. Despite having a democratically elected Jewish leader in Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kremlin accuses the Ukrainian government of being made up of neo-Nazis.
Tarasov, a student at Moscow State University, calls his Wi-Fi network “Slava Ukraini!” He named it, a popular anti-war slogan that translates to “Glory to Ukraine” in English, independent Russian Telegram news channel Ostoroshno Novosti reported.
The student was arrested after a police officer reported the WiFi network to authorities on Wednesday morning.
NFL free agency is here! Stay up to date with Yahoo Sports and learn everything you need to know right here.
Hypothetical Reaction to NFL Free Agency
What do all the moves mean from a fantasy perspective? Here's their live reactions from Yahoo Sports' fantasy experts.
When does the period of 'lawlessness' begin?
The NFL's “correction” period begins today at noon ET and ends Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. ET. During this 52-hour window, teams are allowed to contact and negotiate contracts with players' certified agents who operate free of charge. Agents in the new league year.
Players not represented by NFLPA certified contract counsel are permitted to communicate with teams' front office officials regarding contract negotiations, but No The head coach or other members of the coaching staff.
When does NFL free agency start?
NFL free agency begins Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. ET, marking the start of the NFL's new league year.
No contracts are allowed to be signed until free agency officially begins.
Who are the best free agents?
Check out Yahoo Sports NFL writer Frank Schwab's top 25 NFL free agents here.
Check out Schwab's top five free agents at each position here.
What is the NFL salary cap this season?
The salary cap is $255.4 million, a $30 million increase from 2023. Here's Yahoo Sports' Jory Epstein with an overview of the jump.
How much cap space does each team have and what are their needs?
Check out our team-by-team NFL offseason primers on what affects each franchise's cap situation and where they should spend their money.
Which players received an NFL franchise tag?
Dee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals WR; L'Jarius Sneed, Kansas City Chiefs CB; Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers edge; Justin Madupuike, Baltimore Ravens TD; Antoine Winfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers S; Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars edge; Jaylen Johnson, Chicago Bears CB; and Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts WR
long live117 updates
Lions trade for Bucs CB Carlton Davis
Detroit didn't finish loading up the defense
Lions move for NFC North pass rusher
The Browns make another move on the D-line
Browns TD Maurice Hurst is re-signing with Cleveland on a one-year deal worth $3.2 million, per source.
LB Frankie Luvu has reportedly signed a 3-year contract with the Chiefs
Report: Chargers sign TE Will Disley
The Bucs are reportedly bringing back DL Greg Gaines
Brian Giants Burns?
We may be nearing a resolution with star pass rusher Brian Burns, who was franchise-tagged by the Panthers.
Barring a last-minute, complete breakdown in negotiations, Brian Burns will remain a New York Giant. I will update after the proposed compensation is confirmed.
Will Lutz hits the Jaguars with a steel chair and decides to return to the Broncos instead.
Lutz previously agreed to terms with Jacksonville. Then he changed his mind. BAH GAWD
First free-agent change: Kicker Will Lutz, who agreed to terms with Jacksonville earlier in the day, changed his mind and remains in Denver. The Broncos are getting their kicker back and the Jaguars need one now. pic.twitter.com/g7joMDg2QP
Around 50 people were injured on a LATAM Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand on Monday, prompting a massive response from emergency services.
Chilean airline LATAM said in a statement that flight 800 had a “technical event” that “caused a strong movement”. The airline expressed deep regret for the inconvenience and inconvenience caused to passengers in this situation.
The plane – a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – was making a stopover in Auckland before heading to its final destination in Santiago, Chile. Local media reports And this The tracking website is FlightAware. LATAM said the flight landed at Auckland International Airport “as scheduled” at 4:26pm local time.
A Boeing spokeswoman said, “We are working to gather more information about the aircraft and will provide any support our customer needs.”
Haddo Hone St John Ambulance Service said in a statement that its crews responded to an incident involving an inbound flight at Auckland International Airport on Monday afternoon local time. After seven ambulances and other vehicles and crews arrived at the scene, they “assessed and treated approximately 50 patients,” one in serious condition and the rest in moderate to minor condition, it said.
A passenger on board said Radio New Zealand reported that the flight was smooth for about two-thirds of the three hoursEn route to New Zealand, the plane “just went down.”
Passenger Brian Jocutt told the outlet that several passengers were thrown up to the ceiling of the plane, parts of the cabin were broken on impact, and others injured themselves when they hit the ground.
“Then people started screaming. I felt the plane nose down — it felt like it was at the top of a roller coaster, and then it flattened out again,” Jokat said. The entire incident lasted only “split seconds”.
Another passenger, Priscilla Waller-Supridsky, said The New Zealand Herald said the plane lost altitude and “several passengers and crew members were thrown onto the roof of the aircraft”. “The crew was injured and could not help,” he told the injured passengers.
LATAM said in its statement that it planned a new flight for Tuesday, departing from Auckland at 8pm local time to Santiago. The airline said it was “providing food and accommodation services to affected passengers”.
Twelve patients were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries, Haddo Hohn St. John said. Latham, in its statement, said seven passengers and three crew members were “sent to hospital for medical checks, and no serious injuries were reported”.
