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Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 764

As the war enters its 764th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Friday, March 29, 2024. Fighting At least three people were killed in Russian shelling and aerial attacks. One of the dead was a taxi driver in southern Kherson whose car was hit by a missile. His two passengers were injured and taken to hospital. Two people were injured by falling debris in southern Zaporizhzhia after Russia launched drone attacks on eastern, southern and southeastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military said it shot down 26 of the 28 Iranian-designed attack drones. Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said security measures in the Ukrainian capital would be tightened, particularly around large gatherings, after a spate of Russian ballistic missile attacks and threats of escalation. Politics and diplomacy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on the phone with Mike Johnson, speaker of the House of Representatives, telling him it was “vital” for the United States Congress to pass a $60bn military aid package for Kyiv that has been held up for months. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba arrived in New Delhi for talks on Kyiv’s 10-point peace formula ahead of a proposed summit in Switzerland. The plan demands the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Moscow has dismissed the initiative as a non-starter. Matthew Axelrod, a senior official in the US Commerce Department, said the US was asking American companies to stop shipping goods to more than 600 foreign parties over fears the items could be diverted to Russia for use in Ukraine. Russian human rights group Memorial warned the health of Oleg Orlov, its 70-year-old leader, was deteriorating, and accused prison authorities of subjecting him to inhumane treatment. Orlov was jailed last month for two and a half years over his criticisms of the war in Ukraine. He has filed an appeal. A court in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad jailed journalist Mikhail Feldman for two years for criticism of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. A Russian military court in Yekaterinburg jailed 31-year-old self-described anarchist Azat Miftakhov for four years on charges of “justifying terrorism” over comments made to inmates while serving a six-year sentence for breaking a window at a local office of President Vladimir Putin’s political party. Prosecutors said Miftakhov had told other prisoners he would “avenge” a friend who died fighting for Ukraine and expressed support for the bombing of a regional office of Russia’s FSB security service in 2018. The French Defence Ministry said authorities took down a fake website recruiting volunteers to fight for Ukraine against the Russian invasion. The site had claimed that 200,000 French people were invited to “enlist in Ukraine”, with immigrants given priority. Weapons Ukraine’s defence minister asked allies for more air defences at an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council and said some 97 percent of Russian missile, drone and guided bomb attacks so far this year had been on civilian infrastructure. Sergey Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), visited Pyongyang this week to deepen bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. North Korea has been accused of sending weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. Adblock test (Why?)

Biden administration OKs $60m in aid for Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster

Maryland Governor Wes Moore warns of ‘very long road ahead’ to recover from deadly bridge collapse. United States President Joe Biden’s administration has unveiled $60m in emergency funds to support cleanup and reconstruction efforts in the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster in Baltimore. The Federal Highway Administration said on Thursday it provided the “quick release” funds to rebuild the collapsed bridge within hours of receiving a request from the Maryland Department of Transportation. The swift disbursement of the funds came after Biden earlier this week said he had directed the government to “move heaven and earth” to quickly rebuild the bridge, which collapsed on Tuesday after being struck by a cargo ship. “No one will ever forget the shocking images of a container vessel striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing its collapse and the tragic loss of six people,” US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “The federal emergency funds we’re releasing today will help Maryland begin urgent work, to be followed by further resources as recovery and rebuilding efforts progress. President Biden has been clear: The federal government will do everything it takes to help rebuild the bridge and get the Port of Baltimore back open.” The announcements of the funds came as Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned of a “very long road ahead” to recover from the disaster as experts consider how to remove the Singapore-flagged Dali from the mangled wreckage of the bridge. “The Dali is almost as long as the Eiffel Tower and the Dali has the Key Bridge on top of it. We’re talking 3,000 or 4,000 tonnes of steel that’s sitting on top of that ship,” Moore said. Authorities have said they need clear wreckage from the ocean floor to reach the bodies of four missing workers believed to be trapped in their vehicles in a “superstructure” of concrete and other debris. Divers on Wednesday recovered the bodies of two workers from a pick-up truck near the bridge’s middle span. Federal officials have told Maryland lawmakers the final cost of reconstructing the bridge could reach $2bn, Roll Call reported, citing a source familiar with the discussions. Adblock test (Why?)

Life Magazine set for revival by Karlie Kloss and husband’s media company

Magazine known for photography of major 20th century events ceased print publication in 2007. Life magazine, the American magazine known for its iconic photography capturing major events of the 20th century, is set to be revived under a deal struck by fashion model Karlie Kloss’s media company. Bedford Media, which Kloss owns with her venture capitalist husband Joshua Kushner, said in a statement on Thursday that the magazine would be relaunched in print and digital form after it secured publishing rights in an agreement with Dotdash Meredith. The financial details of the deal and the relaunch date were not immediately disclosed. “Josh and I are honored to continue @LIFE’s legacy ❤,” Kloss said on Instagram. Joshua Kushner, the founder of Thrive Capital, is the brother of Jared Kushner, former president Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Life, launched in 1883, was a mainstay of American journalism for much of the 20th century, featuring history-defining photography such as the iconic image of a United States Navy sailor kissing a stranger on the day Japan surrendered to the US in WWII. After a period of decline, the magazine switched from weekly to monthly publication in the late 1970s before ceasing publication in 2000. Publisher Time Inc resuscitated the magazine as a supplement in 2004 before ending the print edition for good three years later and launching a website to display its archives. Adblock test (Why?)

Texas appeals court overturns Crystal Mason’s conviction, 5-year sentence for illegal voting

Mason gained national attention after she was convicted for voting while under supervised release for felony tax fraud. She said she didn’t know she was ineligible to vote.

Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest: Section 144 imposed in UP, son Umar Ansari claims ‘father was given slow poison’

Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s brother and Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari had on Tuesday alleged that he was being subjected to ”slow poisoning” in jail, a charge denied by the authorities.

Biden’s star-studded NYC fundraiser to raise more than $25M where photo with him, Clinton, Obama costs $100K

President Biden appeared with his predecessors — former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton — at a star-studded fundraiser in New York City on Thursday night expected to fetch more than $25 million toward his re-election campaign.  The one-night event was held at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. More than 5,000 people were expected at the sold-out gala. The event isn’t cheap.  Organizers charged a minimum of $250 to attend and up to $500,000 for a more intimate, exclusive reception. For $100,000, guests can get a photo with all three presidents taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Stephen Colbert, host of “The Late Show,” will moderate a discussion with Biden and two former commanders-in-chief in front of thousands of guests. BIDEN MINGLES WITH OBAMA, CLINTON AT RITZY NYC FUNDRAISER ON SAME DAY FALLEN COP IS MOURNED JUST 40 MILES AWAY Entry to a smaller, virtual event with Biden, Clinton and Obama costs $25. Musicians Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele are slated to perform, Reuters reported.  Biden, who has routinely raised more campaign cash than former President Trump, raised more than $53 million in February, and $10 million in the 24 hours following his March 7 State of the Union address.  “This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice-President [Kamala] Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood film mogul who serves as Biden campaign co-chair, said in a statement.  BIDEN CHOOSING FUNDRAISER OVER NYPD WAKE ‘INSULTING,’ SAYS EX-FBI AGENT “Unlike our opponent, every dollar we’re raising is going to reach the voters who will decide this election — communicating the president’s historic record, his vision for the future and laying plain the stakes of this election. The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to re-elect the Biden-Harris ticket.” Obama is still very popular with young voters and progressives, who have voiced disdain over Biden’s support for Israel after its response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. Thursday’s fundraiser was met with pro-Palestinian protests outside Radio City Music Hall.  As Biden was preparing for the event Thursday, Trump was some 40 miles away on Long Island to attend the wake for slain New York police officer Jason Diller, who was fatally shot this week during a traffic stop in Queens.  After the service, Trump emphasized law and order.  “Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “We need law and order.” The White House offered its condolences to Diller’s family and NYPD, saying Biden has stood law enforcement his entire career. “The President has stood with law enforcement his entire career and continues to stand with them as they put their lives on the line for their communities,” she said. “Under his leadership, we will continue to support police officers and ensure that they have resources they need to continue — to continue to do the work — the all-important that — work that they have to do on behalf of the community.”

Biden highway climate rule struck down by Texas judge: ‘Unauthorized’

A U.S. judge ruled against the Biden administration in a decision about a highway climate rule on Wednesday. The rule was issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in December 2023. It requires states to measure and report the greenhouse gas emissions from any vehicles using the U.S. highway system. The rule also asked states to establish declining carbon dioxide targets, and to report back about progress on those goals. Texas sued the DOT in response. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of Texas and wrote on Wednesday that “the rule was unauthorized.” TEXAS GOVT PUSHING ACTION THAT COULD ‘KNEECAP’ NEW FOSSIL FUEL GENERATION, DESTABILIZE GRID, EXPERTS WARN While issuing the rule three months ago, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that it “will provide states with a clear and consistent framework to track carbon pollution and the flexibility to set their own climate targets.” In a December statement, the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that the DOT “does not have the statutory authority to institute such a rule, and the mandate violates the Administrative Procedure Act.” “Further, the rule is arbitrary and capricious and violates the Spending Clause by impermissibly restricting the use of federal funds by requiring TxDOT to implement the greenhouse gas measure.” CALIFORNIA’S GRID FACES COLLAPSE AS LEADERS PUSH RENEWABLES, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, EXPERTS SAY Texas is also suing the Biden administration over a climate-related reason in a separate lawsuit. Last week, a group of 16 Republican states filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy (DOE)’s pause of major liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal projects. “Biden’s unilateral decree disregards statutory mandates, flouts the legal process, upends the oil and gas industry, disrupts the Texas economy, and subverts our constitutional structure,” Paxton said on Mar. 21. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOT for comment. Reuters and Fox News Digital’s Thomas Catenacci contributed to this report.

Youngkin vetoes Virginia bills mandating minimum wage increase, establishing marijuana retail sales

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed two top Democratic legislative priorities on Thursday: bills that would have allowed the recreational retail sales of marijuana to begin next year and measures mandating a minimum wage increase. The development did not come as a surprise. While Youngkin had not explicitly threatened to veto either set of bills, he told reporters he didn’t think the minimum wage bill was needed and had repeatedly said he was uninterested in setting up retail marijuana sales. VIRGINIA GOVERNOR VETOES DOZENS OF GUN CONTROL BILLS THWARTING DEMOCRAT LEGISLATORS In 2021, Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana, adopting a policy change that allowed adults age 21 and up to possess and cultivate the drug. But the state didn’t set up retail sales at the time and still hasn’t, due to shifts in partisan power and policy differences since then. Advocates say the disconnect is allowing the illicit market to flourish, while opponents have safety health and safety concerns with further expanding access to the drug. In a statement, Youngkin said he shared those worries. “States following this path have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue. It also does not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis, nor guarantee product safety,” he said in a veto statement attached to the bills. Currently in Virginia, home cultivation and adult sharing of the drug are legal. And patients who receive a written certification from a health care provider can purchase medical cannabis from a dispensary. Under the bills, the state would have started taking applications on Sept. 1 for cultivating, testing, processing and selling the drug in preparation for the market to open May 1, 2025, with products taxed at a rate of up to 11.625%. The legislation was supported by a range of industry interests and opposed by religious and socially conservative groups. Virginia first took on legalization at a time when Democrats were in full control of state government. Elections later that year changed that, with Youngkin winning and Republicans taking control of the House of Delegates for two years, though Democrats are now back in full control of the statehouse. While there has been some Republican legislative support since the 2021 session for setting up legal recreational sales, bills to do so have failed in 2022 and 2023. As for the wage legislation, which would have increased the current $12-per-hour minimum wage to $13.50 on Jan. 1, 2025, and then to $15 on Jan. 1, 2026, Youngkin said the bills would “imperil market freedom and economic competitiveness.” The bills would “implement drastic wage mandates, raise costs on families and small businesses, jeopardize jobs, and fail to recognize regional economic differences across Virginia,” he said in a news release. Virginia Democrats began an effort to increase the minimum wage in 2020. They passed legislation that year — which took effect with a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic — establishing incremental increases up to $12, with further bumps requiring another Assembly vote. They and other advocates have argued the legislation would help working families afford basic necessities and keep up with inflation. Youngkin took action on a total of 107 bills Thursday, according to his office. He signed 100, including measures that his office said would “strengthen law enforcement’s ability to prosecute child predators and expand Department of Corrections inmate access to quality health services.” Besides the marijuana and wage bills, he vetoed three others. One would have removed an exemption for farmworkers from the state’s minimum wage law. Another would have required that approximately 315 individuals incarcerated or on community supervision with a felony marijuana conviction receive a sentencing review, according to Youngkin’s office. “Ninety-seven inmates convicted of a violent felony offense, such as first and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and robbery, would be eligible for a reduced sentence under this proposal,” he said in his veto statement. Thursday’s final veto came for a bill that dealt with the type of evidence that can be considered in certain workers’ compensation claims. The governor said current law provides a “balanced approach” while the proposal would “create a disproportionate imbalance in favor of one party.” The part-time General Assembly adjourned its regular session earlier this month and will meet again in Richmond for a one-day session April 17 to consider Youngkin’s proposed amendments to legislation. They could also attempt to override one or more vetoes, a move that requires a 2/3 vote of both chambers, which are only narrowly controlled by Democrats. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The marijuana legislation advanced mostly along party lines, and the minimum wage bills passed strictly on party lines, meaning any override attempt would be almost certain to fail. Youngkin announced the vetoes a day after the public collapse of one of his top legislative priorities: a deal to bring the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards to Alexandria. The teams’ majority owner announced they would instead be staying in D.C.

Kentucky bill calling for harsher criminal penalties heads to governor’s desk

Republican lawmakers in Kentucky wrapped up work Thursday on a sweeping criminal justice bill that would deliver harsher sentences to combat crime. Opponents making a last stand before final passage warned the measure would carry a hefty price tag with no assurances that a tougher approach will lower crime. The House voted 75-23 after another long debate to send the measure to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. The massive legislation is a priority for many in the GOP supermajority legislature. The governor has signaled he likes aspects of the sprawling bill but dislikes other sections, including provisions to create the crime of unlawful camping, which critics say would criminalize homelessness. KENTUCKY SENATE APPROVES EXPANDING ACCESS TO PAID FAMILY LEAVE “It’s hard to comment on a bill that tries to do this many things,” Beshear said recently. “I think it properly should have been split into different bills.” House Bill 5 — one of the most contentious of the legislative session — would make a multitude of changes to the state’s criminal code, enhancing many current penalties and creating new offenses. Supporters portrayed the bill as a necessary policy shift that would do more to hold criminals accountable and to make communities safer. “If you get convicted of a violent crime, you’re going to the big house and you’re going for a long time,” Republican Rep. Jason Nemes said in defending the bill against blistering criticism from Democrats. One prominent feature would create a “three-strikes” penalty that would lock up felons for the rest of their lives after committing a third violent offense. Opponents said the measure failed to delve into the root causes of crime and warned of potential skyrocketing costs by putting more people behind bars for longer sentences. “To increase the penalties may make us on paper look like we feel safer. I do not know that it will make us actually be more safe,” said Democratic Rep. Tina Bojanowski. To bolster public safety, she suggested such alternatives as temporarily taking guns away from people experiencing mental health crises, better protecting domestic violence victims and improving access to housing — things not addressed by the legislation. Other critics said more effective ways to combat crime would be to raise the minimum wage and spend more on rehabilitative services. The bill’s supporters focused mostly on urban crime in pushing for tougher policies. A law enforcement report released last year showed that overall serious crime rates fell across Kentucky in 2022, with declines in reports of homicides, robberies and drug offenses. Opponents said the prospect of more criminal offenders serving longer sentences will saddle the Bluegrass State with significantly higher corrections costs and put more strain on overcrowded jails. The fiscal note attached to the bill said the overall financial impact was “indeterminable” but would likely lead to a “significant increase in expenditures primarily due to increased incarceration costs.” The measure would add to the list of violent crimes that require offenders to serve most of their sentences before becoming eligible for release. Another key section aims to combat the prevalence of fentanyl by creating harsher penalties when its distribution results in fatal overdoses. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid seen as a key factor in the state’s high death toll from drug overdoses. The section stirring some of the most heated debate would create an “unlawful camping” offense applied to the homeless. It means people could be arrested for sleeping or setting up camp in public spaces — whether on streets, sidewalks, under bridges or in front of businesses or public buildings. A first offense would be treated as a violation, with subsequent offenses designated as a misdemeanor. People could sleep in vehicles in public for up to 12 hours without being charged with unlawful camping. Several thousand people experience homelessness in Kentucky on a given night, advocates say. The bill would create a standalone carjacking law with enhanced penalties. Another provision would offer workers and business owners criminal immunity in cases where they use a “reasonable amount of force” to prevent theft or protect themselves and their stores. The bill’s lead sponsor is Republican Rep. Jared Bauman and the measure drew dozens of cosponsors.

Deceased North Dakota AG’s emails found, released

Thousands of emails of North Dakota’s late attorney general have been released by his successor — long-sought records mired in controversy and previously thought gone forever. Attorney General Drew Wrigley released about 2,000 emails with redactions on Wednesday. Another 6,000 emails and untold text messages remain to be reviewed and released, he said. The late Wayne Stenehjem’s emails were presumed lost forever, deleted at the direction of his executive assistant, Liz Brocker, days after Stenehjem died in January 2022. The deleted emails and a building cost overrun of over $1 million incurred under Stenehjem — both disclosed by Wrigley — shocked state lawmakers and government watchdogs. CASE OVER DELETION OF DECEASED NORTH DAKOTA AG’S EMAILS WILL NOT BE PROSECUTED Now the emails are part of an investigation into an ex-lawmaker. The emails appear fairly routine, encompassing staff messages and office meetings, and cover much of 2021 to 2022. Also, Stenehjem apparently conducted state business on a private email account, which is lawful but “does not defeat open records provisions,” Wrigley said Thursday. Wrigley’s office recently recovered the emails. They were preserved in a backup of Stenehjem’s personal cellphone, extracted soon after his death and found as investigators prepared for the trial of former state Sen. Ray Holmberg, a Republican. Holmberg, 80, of Grand Forks, is charged with traveling to Europe with the intent of paying for sex with a minor and with receiving images depicting child sexual abuse, according to a federal indictment unsealed last fall. He has pleaded not guilty. A trial is set for September. Holmberg and Stenehjem were friends and served for decades in the Legislature together. Holmberg resigned in early 2022. Wrigley has said Stenehjem did not recuse himself from the Holmberg case, and he was viewed as a witness and was questioned at one point. Stenehjem wasn’t accused of any crime in connection with Holmberg. Media sought Stenehjem’s emails in mid-2022, soon after Wrigley disclosed the cost overrun. Lawmakers raised concerns about trust and how the building project was handled. The project was for consolidating divisions of the attorney general’s office in one location in Bismarck. Reporters’ records requests led to the discovery of Stenehjem’s email account being deleted, as well as that of his deputy, Troy Seibel, after he resigned. Brocker resigned around the time reporters found out about the deletions done at her direction. In February, a special prosecutor declined to press charges in connection with the deleted emails. The emails are being reviewed in conjunction with records requests, the Holmberg case and the cost overrun, Wrigley said.