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1. Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the immediate “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens in an escalation of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine and pledged to use “all means” to defend the country and its people. The mobilization would mean that Russian citizens in reserve and those with military experience could enlist to serve in the country’s military. According to Russian officials, about 300,000 reservists will be called up as part of the mobilization. In a televised address earlier today, Putin also referred to the possible use of nuclear weapons, saying “those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the prevailing winds can turn in their direction.” A senior UK official, however, claims that Putin’s announcement is an acknowledgment that Moscow’s invasion is “failing”.
2. Hurricane Fiona
Hurricane Fiona has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm and continues along its destructive northward path today. Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic now face a protracted recovery process after devastating floods and raging winds destroyed critical water and power infrastructure. Fiona’s sustained winds reached 130 mph with gusts reaching 155 mph, the National Hurricane Center said today. Fiona is still expected to strengthen as it moves away from Turks and Caicos today and reaches Bermuda by the end of the week.
3. Mar-a-Lago
The first hearing with the Mar-a-Lago special investigator took place on Tuesday as former President Donald Trump’s team continues to signal resistance to some revelations about any moves to declassify the seized documents. Judge Raymond Dearie, a senior judge tasked with reviewing the roughly 11,000 documents seized from Trump’s Florida home, expressed skepticism about Trump’s arguments about how the review should proceed and emphasized a desire to move quickly in order to complete its revision to the end. of November. While Dearie continues to review the documents, the Justice Department is asking an appeals court to reopen its criminal investigation into the materials marked classified.
4. Social media
FDA Warns of Increase in Teens and Young Adults Participating in Dangerous Challenges on Social Media. A recent challenge posted on social media encouraged people to cook chicken in NyQuil and similar over-the-counter cough and cold medications. “Boiling a drug can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways,” the FDA said. The agency also pointed to a challenge by TikTok to dare people to hallucinate by taking large doses of the over-the-counter drug Benadryl. The FDA cited reports of teenagers who ended up in hospital emergency rooms or died after taking part. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents talk to their children about social media ventures and discuss them “calmly and without judgment,” while encouraging them to think about any negative outcomes.
5. India
Movie theaters in Indian-controlled Kashmir have reopened their doors, more than two decades after they were forced to close during an armed insurgency that saw multiple threats and attacks on crowded public spaces. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the disputed region’s newest cinema on Tuesday in a ceremony marked by much publicity and fanfare. “[The opening] it is a reflection of a new dawn of hope, dreams, trust and aspirations of the people,” Sinha said, calling the day “historic”, according to local media in the region. Kashmir is one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints and has has been the focus of more than 70 years of violent territorial struggle between its nuclear-armed neighbours.
IT HAPPENS LATER
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce a rate hike today The Federal Reserve is expected to make history today by raising interest rates by 0.75% for the third time in a row. Analysts say the Fed hopes to keep inflation under control with this series of hikes that are likely to extend into next year. But many economists say there’s still a risk the hikes could push the U.S. into recession.
BREAKFAST DESCRIPTION
Otter takes the surfer’s board Sea otters are super cute… until they steal your surfboard with their sharp claws and refuse to give it up. Watch this surfer’s close encounter here. Tim McGraw falls off stage during concert The country music icon lost his balance and fell into his own crowd — but then turned it into a special moment to bond with his fans. Adam Levine denies having an affair, but admits he ‘crossed the line’ The Maroon 5 frontman is speaking out after allegations he cheated on his pregnant wife with a model on Instagram. Researchers in China have cloned a wild arctic wolf Some scientists now hope that this controversial technology can be used to help save other species from extinction. ‘SNL’ Announces Season’s First Three Guest Hosts Live from New York… it’s Saturday night! These celebrities are booked as guest hosts for the show’s upcoming 48th season.
TODAY’S NUMBER
20 sq That’s how many ants there are on Earth at any given time, a new study has calculated. That’s 20,000 trillion people. This data could help monitor environmental changes by looking at increases or decreases in ant numbers, according to a co-author of the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday.
TODAY QUOTE
“This was a brazen scheme of shocking proportions.” — U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, announcing charges Tuesday against 47 people accused of stealing $250 million from a federal program designed to provide meals to needy children during the pandemic. According to prosecutors, the Minnesota-based nonprofit Feeding our Future claimed to feed thousands of children a day. However, investigators found that the funds were used to buy real estate, luxury cars, jewelry and to finance international travel. The Department of Justice said the scheme is the largest Covid-related scam uncovered to date.
THE WEATHER TODAY
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AND FINALLY
Happy Peace Day Countries around the world are celebrating the International Day of Peace today. Hear Grammy-winning a cappella group Pentatonix sing a beautiful cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” — a song that has become an anthem for world peace. (Click here to view)
