Get the Need2Know newsletter in your inbox every morning! Sign up here!
UKRAINE CRISIS: RUSSIA NARROWS FOCUS
Nearing the three-month mark of the war in Ukraine, Russia has gained complete control of Mariupol. Now, the focus has shifted almost entirely to eastern and southern Ukraine. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia renewed an attack on the eastern city of Severodonetsk, launching an offensive from several directions overnight before a successful counterattack pushed it back to its previous positions. In other developments, Ukraine’s Parliament voted to extend martial law another 90 days, and Lithuania completely cut off imports of Russian energy supplies including oil, electricity and natural gas. AL JAZEERA
BIDEN ‘NOT CONCERNED’ ABOUT NORTH KOREA
President Joe Biden said he is "not concerned" about potential weapons tests from North Korea, after White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had previously warned that North Korea may conduct a long-range missile or nuclear weapon test during Biden’s visit to South Korea. Biden and South Korea’s recently sworn-in President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed to consider expanding joint military operations to deter any threats from North Korea. Afterward, when Biden was asked if he had a message for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Biden simply replied, "Hello… period." Later in Tokyo, Biden also said the U.S. is willing to use force to defend Taiwan against China. REUTERS
Mr. President… His name is Kim, not Period.
Mr. President… His name is Kim, not Period.
BIDEN IS CONCERNED ABOUT MONKEYPOX
While Biden isn’t concerned about North Korea, he says “everybody should be concerned” about the monkeypox outbreak. “It is a concern in that if it were to spread, it would be consequential,” the president said in his first comments on the disease. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. has a vaccine supply “that is relevant to treating monkeypox.” So far, 80 confirmed cases worldwide include at least two in the United States. Infectious disease experts say an outbreak similar to the magnitude of Covid is unlikely, and the current circulating strain appears to be a milder type with a fatality rate of around 1%. AXIOS
FIRST FORMULA SHIPMENT ARRIVES
The first wave of relief for America’s baby formula shortage is here. A military plane carrying enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles has touched down in the United States. President Joe Biden recently authorized “Operation Fly Formula,” which allows the use of Air Force planes to carry formula from other countries to ease the shortage, and yesterday, the first of several flights expected from Europe landed in the U.S. with 78,000 pounds of formula. Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, said consumers should see “more formula in stores starting as early as this week.” CNBC
Can we just start measuring everything in baby bottles?
Can we just start measuring everything in baby bottles?
NYC SUBWAY SHOOTING
A man was shot and killed on a New York City subway yesterday. Shortly before noon, Daniel Enriquez, 48, was shot in the chest while riding a Q train that was pulling into the Canal Street station in Lower Manhattan. Police said the suspect fled the scene and has not been identified. Officials are still working to gather details about what led to the shooting, though sources say the gunman chose the victim at random. The homicide comes just six weeks after a different gunman shot 10 people aboard a subway train in Brooklyn, leaving dozens injured. NY POST
AUSTRALIA ELECTS LABOR CANDIDATE PM
Anthony Albanese will be the next prime minister of Australia. With incumbent PM Scott Morrison conceding defeat, Albanese and the Labor Party end nine years of conservative rule Down Under. Analysts say personality was a deciding factor for Albanese, who promised to be more collaborative — contrary to Morrison’s stubborn style. The race also became known as the “climate election.” While Morrison has favored Australia’s coal industry despite its harsh environmental impact, Albanese has pledged to “end climate wars,” signifying a potential major shift in climate policy for a country that is one of the biggest per capita carbon emitters in the world. REUTERS
PEANUT BUTTER RECALLS
Certain types of Jif peanut butter are being recalled by J.M. Smucker after some of its products were linked to a Salmonella outbreak that has left 14 people ill and two people hospitalized. The company said the recall includes more than 45 products including creamy and crunchy peanut butters, peanut butter to-go packs and the natural squeeze pouch. So how do you know if your peanut butter is part of the recall? Check the codes next to the “best if used by” date on the product’s packaging; if it has lot codes between 1274425 to 2140425, you should throw the product out immediately. THE RECALL
Conspiracy theory: Nutella is the mastermind behind this.
Conspiracy theory: Nutella is the mastermind behind this.
PGA: WOODS WITHDRAWS, THOMAS WINS
After posting his worst score ever in the PGA Championship Saturday, Tiger Woods withdrew from the event. The golf legend shot a 79, which put him at +9 on the day for the third round. The PGA Championship was only Woods’ second tour event since he was seriously hurt in a car crash in February 2021. His status moving forward is up in the air, with his next chance to win a major coming in mid-June at the U.S. Open. This weekend, though, Justin Thomas won the PGA Championship for the second time, defeating Will Zalatoris in a playoff to hoist the trophy. ESPN
SPORTS CATCHUP
SOCCER: In an electrifying English Premier League final, Manchester City erased a 2-0 Aston Villa lead to win 3-2 in the EPL championship, one of soccer’s most coveted titles. Man City scored the three winning goals during a dramatic span of five minutes late in the game, and after the victory, chaos ensued as fans stormed the field in glory. The title is Man City’s fourth in five years. AP
TENNIS: Wimbledon will essentially be an exhibition this year. In an unprecedented move, the men’s and women’s tennis tours responded to Wimbledon’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players (due to the invasion of Ukraine) by stripping the event of ranking points this year. The controversial move means that players are unable to boost their rankings by winning at the major event. Meanwhile, another grand slam tennis event kicked off yesterday as the French Open began in Paris. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic is the unsurprising favorite, while top-ranked Iga Swiatek is expected to win the women’s draw. ESPN
TENNIS: Wimbledon will essentially be an exhibition this year. In an unprecedented move, the men’s and women’s tennis tours responded to Wimbledon’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players (due to the invasion of Ukraine) by stripping the event of ranking points this year. The controversial move means that players are unable to boost their rankings by winning at the major event. Meanwhile, another grand slam tennis event kicked off yesterday as the French Open began in Paris. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic is the unsurprising favorite, while top-ranked Iga Swiatek is expected to win the women’s draw. ESPN
SNL DEPARTURES
In its season finale hosted by actress Natasha Lyonne, "Saturday Night Live" said goodbye to departing cast members Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney. McKinnon, who has developed into a mainstay of the cast, said goodbye (and thank you) as fan-favorite character Ms. Rafferty, the rough-around-the-edges woman who shares her experiences being abducted by aliens. Davidson, whose SNL tenure went from relatively unknown teenage stand-up comic to celebrity gossip headliner, said his goodbyes on the Weekend Update desk. McKinnon was on SNL for 11 seasons, Bryant for 10, Mooney 9 and Davidson 8. VARIETY