1 Ukrainians Continue Fighting Hard Against Russian Invaders
Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues as the humanitarian crisis there explodes – at last check nearly one-million Ukrainians have fled or been displaced. The EU expects that number will rise to seven-million. Russian missiles have hit a variety of non-military targets – including the site of a Holocaust memorial. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted "what is the point of saying 'never again' for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar?" Russia has also attempted to block Ukrainian communications – hitting a TV tower in Kyiv. Fortunately for Ukrainians, all major telecommunications companies are now offering free phone calls to and from Ukraine. Still, while nations around the world say they support Ukraine, no one is willing to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukrainian skies (something a woman confronted Britain’s PM Boris Johnson about yesterday). The US has said American skies are closed to Russian aircraft.
2 President Biden Addresses The Nation
President Biden says the U.S. stands firmly with Ukraine, which is under assault by Russia (though he won’t assist with a No-Fly Zone). During last night’s State of the Union address, Biden praised the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people for standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a more memorable gaffe, however, the President mistakenly referred to Putin's inability to "gain the hearts and souls of the Iranian people." Biden insisted that tough international sanctions are working. He added, "Russia's economy is reeling and Putin alone is to blame." Biden said Russia's invasion was "premeditated and unprovoked." He also announced that the U.S. is closing its airspace to Russian planes. The President said getting inflation under control is a top priority. He argued that he has a plan to combat rising prices and urged companies to lower costs, not wages. Biden said the costs of prescription drugs must be reduced and argued that drug companies "will still do very well." He said many more products should be made in America and insisted that the U.S. must become less reliant on foreign supply chains. Biden again argued that the nation's wealthiest corporations and individuals must start paying their "fair share" of taxes. Biden spoke optimistically about moving on from the two-year COVID pandemic. He said COVID "need no longer control our lives." Biden also warned that it's not over yet and said the nation must "stay on guard" and prepare for the possibility of new variants. The President praised his nomination of federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. If confirmed by the Senate, she will be the first Black woman to ever serve on the high court. Biden also addressed the violent crime wave in the U.S. and pledged to invest more in crime prevention. He also called for the hiring of more experienced cops who can "restore trust and safety."
3 IEA Countries To Release 60 Million Barrels Of Oil
The International Energy Agency says member countries have agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves as prices soar. The agency says the aim is to send a message to global oil markets that "there will be no shortfall as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine." White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has praised the announcement. She said it's another example of allies around the world "condemning Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and working together to address the impact of President Putin's war of choice."