Thursday, March 10th, 2022
Airstrikes Hit Hospitals, Biden’s Crypto Order & Famous Shipwreck Found
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Seed.com/newsworthy and BetterHelp.com/newsworthy
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want to peruse the latest happenings.
Ukrainian Hospital Airstrikes
This week, Russian airstrikes hit three Ukrainian hospitals. Two of them happened about three hours west of the capital. The third was at a maternity and children’s hospital in the southern port city of Mariupol. At least 17 people were hurt in that strike alone. Mariupol has seen some of the most intense fighting this week. Escape routes out of that city are blocked, and the people left behind have been without food, water, and power for several days. Meanwhile, Russian forces are stepping up their attacks in the second most populous Ukrainian city, Kharkiv, and they’ve been inching closer to the capital of Kyiv.
Read more: CBS News, WSJ, CNN, Reuters, Axios, President Zelensky
Russia Could Launch Chemical Attack
Russia accused the U.S. of helping Ukraine with biological weapons research. The White House calls that “preposterous.” Biden administration officials say Russians may be making those accusations as a way to justify their own biological or chemical attacks in the future. Through it all, the U.S. secretary of state says he’s still convinced Russian President Putin will fail in Ukraine, given Ukraine’s strong resistance and the unity of the West. Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers are set to meet today in another round of high-level talks.
Read more: The Hill, NBC News, Fox News, WH Press Secretary
VP Harris in Poland/Jets Disagreement
Vice President Harris is waking up in Poland this morning. Originally, she made the trip to thank the Polish people for taking in more than a million Ukrainian refugees so far, and she was supposed to highlight America’s commitment to addressing Ukraine’s military and humanitarian needs. However, she’s facing more tension now because Americans and Poles are in a disagreement over fighter jets. Essentially, the U.S. rejected a proposal from Poland to send Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine by way of a U.S. airbase. The Pentagon said it would create a “high risk” of sparking a more direct conflict with Russia.
Read more: AP, BBC, CNN, Reuters, The Hill, Politico
Bipartisan Funding Deal
Negotiators in Congress say they’ve finally reached a bipartisan deal to fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year. It’s worth $1.5 trillion, and it just passed the House last night. It includes nearly $14 billion in response to the war in Ukraine. That’s more than double the amount President Biden requested. This deal could also increase spending here at home by nearly 7%, boosting programs like education, transportation, and science programs. The bill still has to pass in the Senate, but Senators are planning to vote before the week is out.
Read more: NBC News, WaPo, Axios, Reuters, US House
Biden Signs Crypto Order
The U.S. government is going to look into the risks and benefits of cryptocurrencies. President Biden signed an executive order that directs several agencies to research digital money. So, the Federal Reserve will explore whether it should create its own cryptocurrency. The Commerce Department is supposed to come up with a strategy to help the U.S. innovate new technologies so America can have a competitive edge on the world stage. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department will study how cryptocurrency impacts financial stability and national security. It’s supposed to come up with recommendations to help people avoid fraud or a volatile market.
Read more: Politico, CNBC, WSJ, AP, White House
107-Year Old Sunken Ship Found
One of the most famous shipwrecks in history was found off the coast of Antarctica. 107 years ago, explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship sank, forcing the crew to jump ship and drift on ice for months before being rescued. Well, yesterday, organizers of an expedition announced they found the historic ship, and it’s in great condition. The name of the ship, The Endurance, can still be seen clearly across the stern. The crew used underwater drones to track down the ship. It was just four miles away from its last known place. Now the ship will be studied and filmed.
Read more: People, NY Post, NY Times, Falklands Maritime Trust
Travis Scott’s Project Heal
Rapper Travis Scott is pledging $5 million to make events safer and create opportunities for at-risk youth in the wake of the Astroworld tragedy. He announced a charity initiative called Project Heal. The money will go to community-based programs like free mental health programs for vulnerable kids, a scholarship program, and Scott’s creative design program. Plus, he plans to get input from several industry experts about how to make events as safe as they can be.
Read more: WaPo, Fox News, Rolling Stone, TMZ, Billboard, Travis Scott
Hollywood Letter Slams Oscar Changes
More than 70 Hollywood heavy-hitters wrote an open letter, slamming controversial changes to the Oscars. We’re talking about Oscar-winners like director James Cameron and composer John Williams. It’s about what the Academy announced last month. It plans to pre-record eight award categories before the telecast. Then, edited versions of those moments will be weaved into the broadcast. Well, the letter argues that the move would “degrade some nominees to the status of second-class citizens.” The Academy insists all honorees will be treated with respect.
Read more: Variety, LA Times, Deadline, Forbes
More MLB Games Canceled
The start of baseball was pushed back once again. The MLB canceled 93 more games last night because the two sides can’t strike a deal. The league’s commissioner said the games had to go because of the logistical realities of the calendar. The player’s association fired back at the cancellations, though, calling them unnecessary. One key sticking point is reportedly the international draft. The league wants it, but the players’ union is against it. Now, Opening Day won’t happen until April 14th at the earliest.
Read more: AP, CBS Sports, CNBC, MLB, MLBPA
Tiger Woods Inducted into World Golf HOF
The greatest golfer of his generation took his place with the best of all time last night. Tiger Woods was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame. In a sweet moment, he was introduced by his 14-year old daughter. Woods has won a record 82 victories on the PGA Tour and 15 Majors wins. He was celebrated for his massive influence on the game and generations of players. While Woods was the headliner, four other people were inducted into the Hall of Fame, including 3-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Susie Maxwell Berning.
Read more: Golf Channel, Golfweek, People, AP, World Golf HOF
Thing to Know Thursday: War in Ukraine Threatens World Food Supply
The Russia-Ukraine conflict could impact the world’s food supply. That’s because together, Ukraine and Russia account for nearly ⅓ of the world’s wheat and barley exports, plus a slew of other staples. For example, Ukraine is also a major supplier of corn and sunflower oil, which is used in food processing. However, since Ukrainian farmers are having to fight or flee in the war, they’ve had to neglect their fields. If the supply is cut off, it could drive up food prices that are already at record levels. And if the war drags on, there are concerns that countries that count on affordable wheat exports could face shortages this summer.
Read more: AP, NPR, Yahoo Finance, FAO