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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, March 15, 2022:
EU LEADERS HEAD TO KYIV
As the war in Ukraine drags on, world leaders are stepping up their efforts. The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia are heading into Kyiv today to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy even as attacks edge closer to the center of the city. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy plans to deliver a virtual address to the U.S. Congress tomorrow. President Joe Biden is mulling a trip to Europe to meet with allies as attacks move closer to Poland, and U.S. officials said China was considering providing military support to Russia, which prompted a visit from Biden's top national security aide Jake Sullivan. Ukrainian and Russian officials concluded another round of negotiations on Monday. No real progress was made, but talks are set to resume today. Meanwhile, the pregnant woman who was photographed after the bombing of a maternity hospital in the city of Mariupol has died along with her baby. POLITICO
UN CHIEF SAYS NUCLEAR WAR POSSIBLE
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that nuclear war was now "within the realm of possibility." The bone-chilling remarks came after President Vladimir Putin put Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert over the weekend. Putin said the move was in response to sanctions and "aggressive statements" from NATO countries — as countries weigh sending additional military aid to Ukraine, and the Russian invasion grinds on. AXIOS
Some things are better kept to oneself.
MARKETS HAMMERED
Markets had a chaotic start to the week Monday: Stocks were down. Bond yields were up, and oil unexpectedly dropped below $100 per barrel. The sources of all these developments are almost too many to count: rising Covid cases in Asia, war in Ukraine, and a long-anticipated rate hike from the Federal Reserve later this week. The first two are causing additional supply chain issues and hobbling major companies (see below). On Wall Street, all the major indices dropped, with tech giants and small companies alike taking the brunt of the market volatility. AP
APPLE SUPPLIER SHUTS DOWN
Tesla isn't the only major U.S. company facing a new round of supply chain shocks. As China battles its worst Covid outbreak in two years, Apple supplier Foxconn has suspended operations amid a widespread lockdown of the Shenzhen industrial hub. The iPhone maker said supply chain issues had cost the company $6 billion in the last quarter and cited chip shortages and Covid-related supply chain disruptions in Asia as the biggest issues. Despite the added costs, CEO Tim Cook last month expressed optimism that disruptions would come to an end this quarter. That rosy outlook may need revising after this latest round of shutdowns. WSJ
MANCHIN OPPOSES FED NOMINEE
Congress usually makes quick work of confirming Federal Reserve nominees, but not this time. Sen. Joe Manchin is opposing Biden's choice for vice chair of supervision on the Federal Reserve Board. The Democrat pointed to Bloom's past comments advocating for the central bank to take a more active role in combating climate change. Most Republicans share this view and are now lining up to deny the confirmation. THE HILL
The U.S. uses the term “United” loosely.
VIOLENT SUSPECTS ARRESTED
HOMELESS MURDERS: Early this morning D.C. police announced the arrest of a suspect in the shootings of as many as five homeless men living on the streets of Washington and New York City in the last two weeks. Two of the victims died. Police released surveillance footage of the killer on Sunday night and New York Mayor Eric Adams urged all those living on the streets to seek refuge at city-owned shelters. NY POST
MOMA STABBINGS: A former Broadway usher has been arrested in Philly for stabbing two employees at NYC's Museum of Modern Art. Gary Cabana had previously been denied entry to the museum for disorderly conduct and attacked the workers when he tried to go back on Saturday. Police caught up with him in Philadelphia after he allegedly started a fire at a Best Western and was found asleep on a bench. 6ABC
MUSK CHALLENGES PUTIN
Tesla CEO Elon Musk came out of the gate strong this week with some headline-grabbing behavior on social media. First, he tweeted that supply chain issues were putting "significant inflation pressure" on Tesla and SpaceX — just days after announcing price hikes for the Model 3 and Model Y. Then he challenged Putin to "single combat." What's behind this outburst? With Musk, it's hard to say. What we do know is that Tesla does source quite a bit of aluminum from Russia for its factory in Berlin, and Musk could be bracing for more supply chain troubles as the U.S. weighs additional sanctions. READ THE TWEETS
He really is Tony Stark.
INCEL TERROR THREAT GROWS
Men who hate women are a growing threat in the U.S., according to a new government report. Since 2014, dozens have been killed in attacks inspired by the incel movement, comprised of men who call themselves "anti-feminist" or "involuntary celibates." The feds say early intervention and behavioral threat assessments could help prevent attacks. CBS NEWS
SPORTS BETTING BONANZA
The American Gaming Association is betting that this March Madness will bring yet another windfall in sports betting. The trade group said about 45 million Americans are planning to place up to $3.1 billion in bets on the college basketball championship tournament, and that fewer bettors will use brackets than in the past. This is roughly half of what the group predicted for Super Bowl LVI, but would still be the highest amount ever wagered on March Madness. AP
LEFTOVERS: DOLLY PARTON IS NO ROCK N' ROLLER
In an act of humility worthy of its own country song, Dolly Parton has withdrawn her name from the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominations. The country singer apparently didn't feel worthy of the distinction and didn't want to split the vote for the other contenders. For what it's worth, the Hall of Fame seems to take a pretty broad view of what qualifies as rock & roll. Other contenders this year include Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dionne Warwick. The 75-year-old Parton demurred but said she was now inspired to make her own rock album. CNN
Slow down, Dolly. You were only nominated.
CHEDDAR EXPLAINS
How Ukraine’s Resistance Is Stalling Russia’s Advance: When Russia invaded Ukraine in late February of 2022, many expected a quick, decisive takeover by the Russian army. That didn’t happen. As of the date of recording this video, much of Ukraine - including the capital, Kyiv - continues to resist Russian forces. The reasons why are complex and change day-by-day, so to help break it down, Cheddar spoke to two military experts. Watch the video to see their four key takeaways from the Russian invasion so far, and how it could come to an end.
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