
(AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces pounding the port city of Mariupol shelled a mosque sheltering more than 80 people, including children, the Ukrainian government said Saturday as fighting also raged on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv.

Concern grows over traffickers targeting Ukrainian refugees
As millions of women and children flee across Ukraine’s borders in the face of Russian aggression, concerns are growing over how to protect the most vulnerable refugees from being targeted by human traffickers or becoming victims of other forms of exploitation.


Oil, sanctions, jets: How Congress pushes Biden on Ukraine
At first, the White House resisted calls from Congress to ban Russian oil imports to the U.S. And then, it did just that.


Zelensky warns of ‘new wave of terror’ after mayor abducted by Russian invaders - Washington Examiner
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a "new wave of terror," citing the abduction of Melitopol's mayor. In a video message posted on the social media platform Telegram, Zelensky also vowed to send vital supplies to Mariupol after Russian troops surrounded the port city on the Sea of...

Zelenskyy denounces abduction of Melitopol mayor, reports 1,300 Ukrainian troops lost: LIVE UPDATES
The Russian military broadened its attacks on Friday, targeting an airfield in the west and a major industrial hub in the east. The Ukrainians also said the Russians shelled a cancer hospital south of Kyiv and a mosque in Mariupol where more than 80 people were hiding.


March 12, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news | CNN
Russian forces are expanding their offensive in Ukraine to the west for the first time. Major cities, including Dnipro and Lutsk, were struck Friday, Ukrainian officials said, as fighting intensified closer to Kyiv. Follow here for live news updates.


Ukraine raises stakes for Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is emerging as a serious test for former President Trump and his “America First” approach to the world, as rising public support in the U.S. for the effort to counter M…


Live updates: Zelenskyy warns against 'pseudo-republics.'
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is trying to create new “pseudo-republics” to break his country apart.


Latest Ukraine updates: Moscow threatens Western arms shipments
Ukraine-Russia news from March 12: Moscow says arms shipments to Ukraine ‘legitimate targets’, intensifies Kyiv attacks.

Russia strikes near Ukraine's capital; mosque reported hit
New commercial satellite images appeared to capture artillery firing on residential areas between Russian forces and the capital.


Justice Thomas slams cancel culture, 'packing' Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says he's worried about efforts to politicize the court or add additional justices
Fighting rages near Kyiv; Moscow threatens weapons shipments
Britain's defense ministry said in an intelligence briefing that Russian forces were around 15 miles from Kyiv's center.


California GOP House candidate Kevin Kiley says Ukrainian-Americans have 'powerful perspective' on freedom
California state Assemblyman and congressional candidate Kevin Kiley says the Ukrainian-American community in Sacramento has a "powerful perspective to offer" voters this midterm election cycle – either let freedoms continue "slipping away" or return to the "founding principles" of the United...

Russia steps up Ukraine offensive as U.S. increases economic pressure
Russian forces appeared to be moving toward a new ground offensive against Kyiv, while widening their aerial campaign against Ukraine’s cities to the west of the capital.

People Can't Agree What's Most Bonkers About Marjorie Taylor Greene’s New Ad
A Republican group asked for “the most ridiculous part” of the video and folks had thoughts.

Ukraine siege leaves lawmakers horrified, unified — and feeling helpless
PHILADELPHIA — Russia’s escalating violence on Ukrainian cities has united America and Congress behind Washington’s frantic effort to bolster Ukraine’s defenses and minimize the c…

‘Cynical, craven’ Republicans out to bash Biden, not Putin, over gas prices
Critics say party has seized on price hikes to exploit war in Ukraine for its own benefit – ‘an unconscionable act of political cowardice’ Joe Biden in the Roosevelt Room of the White House earlier this week. ‘Republicans just seem to operate in a purely craven political dynamic,’ Kurt Bardella...
Kinzinger says his "biggest regret" is voting against Trump's first impeachment
Retiring Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said Friday that his "biggest regret" during his time in Congress was voting against the first impeachment of former President Trump.Why it matters: Trump was impeached and later acquitted on two articles — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress —...

Ukraine accuses Russian forces of abducting Melitopol mayor
Ukraine official says Russian troops put a bag over Ivan Fedorov’s head before leading him away to an unknown location.

Russian air strike hits military range; Moscow warns that convoys are targets: March 12 recap
Russia appears to be regrouping from recent losses. President Joe Biden called for a removal of normal trade relations with Russia. Live updates.
www.usatoday.com

War has brought the world to the brink of a food crisis | CNN Business
Svein Tore Holsether says the world is careening toward a food crisis that could affect millions of people.


War in Ukraine: How Russia is recruiting mercenaries
Social media channels and private messaging groups are being used to recruit, the BBC has learned.


How a Ukrainian dam played a key role in tensions with Russia
Shortly after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine built a concrete dam cutting off 85 percent of the peninsula’s water supply. So one of Moscow’s first strategic moves after invading the…


US, by limiting technology exports, hurting Russia's ability to wage war in Ukraine: Officials
Two Commerce officials spoke to ABC News about the impact of sanctions on Russia.

Global wheat supplies in peril as war brings risk of food shortages worldwide
Prices soaring are soaring, raising the risk of severe food shortages and hunger in some regions of the globe and threatening to further ratchet up food costs in the United States.


‘Risk worth taking’: US rushes shoulder-fired missiles to Ukraine
Washington sending highly sensitive items such as portable air defence systems to Kyiv, senior US defence official says.

Russia's war in Ukraine upends Democrats' gathering — and election-year agenda
Biden and fellow Democrats say they're making American working families a priority, but a bloody, televised crisis abroad continues to sap their time and political capital


Agenda languishing, Democrats press Biden to go it alone
Top Democrats are pleading for President Joe Biden to act alone on some of the party’s core legislative priorities.


Anxiety about Brittney Griner’s freedom mounts amid Russia-Ukraine conflict
Anxiety is mounting over the status of WNBA star Brittney Griner’s freedom after reports surfaced last week that she had been detained in a Russian airport on charges of possession of hashish oil.&…


Kyiv rocked by ‘nonstop volley’ as Russian forces encircle capital - Washington Examiner
Kyiv was rocked by a "nonstop volley" overnight as Russian forces escalated their attack on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, according to a reporter on the scene.Although Kyiv itself remains in Ukrainian control, CNN's Clarissa Ward said there were several minutes of "just heavy booms in...


Georgia state Senate passes bill targeting ‘divisive concepts’ in schools | CNN Politics
The Georgia state Senate on Friday passed a bill that prohibits teaching certain concepts related to race and ethnicity in Georgia schools and state agencies.

Republicans Hit With Scathing Questions About Russia In Viral Ad
Progressive PAC Really American recalls a controversial GOP visit to the Kremlin in its #PartyOfTreason spot.

Crossing Trump: 2 SC Republicans take different approaches
Two lifelong Republicans representing neighboring congressional districts in South Carolina are unlikely players in the fierce debate over the future of their party.


Barr warns China is 'biggest threat' to US, warns of 'highly aggressive' tech plan
Former Attorney General Bill Barr warned that China is the "biggest threat" facing the United States, warning that Beijing has a "highly aggressive plan" to take control of "key" technologies of the future.

Democrats plot strategy to defy expectations, limit midterm losses
PHILADELPHIA — Facing stiff headwinds in the midterm elections, House Democrats gathered in the city this week to plot their legislative future, recalibrate their campaign message and salvage …


Ukraine war: Fact-checking Russia's biological weapons claims
The BBC finds no evidence for Russian claims that Ukraine is developing biological weapons with US support.

A dramatic shift is happening: Biden is tapping more and more Black prosecutors for US attorney posts
While Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court nomination has drawn the spotlight, Biden has also worked to install a diverse class of U.S. attorneys.

Turkmenistan votes, president’s son expected to win
Nine candidates are on the ballot but Serdar Berdymukhamedov, son of the incumbent, is expected to triumph.

'Status quo is not an option': Democrats discuss changes to calendar that could leave Iowa caucuses out
The Democratic National Committee discussed a broad framework its members hoped would govern which states are selected to lead off the process.
www.usatoday.com

As companies leave Russia, their assets could be seized
Hundreds of foreign brands have suspended operations in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine began. Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he favors bringing in outside management and potentially transferring the ownership of companies whose foreign owners shut down production.

Biden Can’t Let Putin Draw a Red Line Over Aid to Ukraine
Win McNamee/GettyPresident Joe Biden has drawn a line in the sand, and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is criticizing its placement. After building an impressive coalition to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion, Biden is now taking friendly fire for failing to send MiG fighter jets to...

Inmate-produced radio station streams beyond prison walls
Inside Wire, available 24/7 to incarcerated people in Colorado and to online listeners around the world, is said to offer a chance for prisoners and those they harmed to heal.


Gender-affirming care is being debated in more than a dozen states. Providers say it isn’t up for discussion
“I don’t think that I am using a hyperbole when I say lives will be lost.”


Russia-Ukraine updates: US sanctions Russian military shipbuilder, diamond miner
Updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Biden administration says it will not expel migrant children following court order
A federal court last week had ruled that the administration could not exempt unaccompanied children from a Trump-era border restriction.


Ukraine war: Elderly couple stands ground against Russian soldiers, earning praise from US Embassy
An unarmed, “elderly” Ukrainian couple who stood up to a group of Russian soldiers on their property is gaining international praise after video of the encounter went viral.
AIPAC Is All In on Support for ‘Stop the Steal’ Candidates
Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a powerful lobby for pro-Israel candidates in the U.S., has endorsed dozens of Republicans who have endorsed the Big Lie that Donald Trump won the 2020 election. Some of them even voted against certifying...

Strava ending service in Russia, Belarus
Athletic social networking service Strava announced on Friday it is ending services in Russia and Belarus due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, joining numerous other businesses…


War in Ukraine: Instagram banned in Russia over 'calls to violence'
Instagram owner Meta has allowed users in some countries to call for violence against Russia's army.


EXPLAINER: What the EU is doing to help Ukraine refugees
Around 2.5 million people have fled Ukraine in the two weeks since Russia invaded. Most have fled to the European Union.


Russians strike near Kyiv, block aid convoy; port city reels
Russian forces are pounding the port city of Mariupol, shelling its downtown as residents hide

Texas judge blocks probes of transgender kids' parents statewide
A Texas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from investigating parents who provide their transgender children with gender-transitioning medical treatments that Governor Greg Abbott calls "child abuse."


Russia to block Instagram over ‘death to invaders’ posting rule
Moscow opens criminal case into Instagram’s owner, Meta, for allowing posts calling for violence against Russian forces.
Newspaper Asks Sen. Josh Hawley To Quit Using Its Photo Of Him On Campaign Merch
Politico, which owns the paper, says the Missouri Republican's campaign is "on notice" that its use of the image is unauthorized.

Ukrainian family shot at checkpoint while trying to flee
The Russian soldiers she encountered “truly believe that everyone around is a Nazi,” said Tetyana Vlasenko.


Stanford University cancels $1.7M Russian contract after Fox News inquiry
Stanford University is "in the process" of terminating a $1.7 million contract with a Russian entity.

Analysis: After over three decades of covering Russia, I leave in despair | CNN
There is a burning rage when you see what’s happening in both Ukraine and Russia, knowing innocents will suffer, and you find your voice strangled and struggling to shout against the obvious concocted insanity of Putin’s justification for the war.


Bill Maher: Why Putin invaded Ukraine under Biden, not Trump, is 'worth asking'
"Real Time" host Bill Maher closed his show Friday night by suggesting it's worth pondering why Russian President Vladimir Putin took action in Ukraine during the Biden presidency instead of the Trump presidency.

Off-duty police officer accused of kneeling on 12-year-old girl's neck while stopping fight
An off-duty police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is accused of kneeling on the neck of a 12-year-old girl while trying to stop a fight that the girl was involved in.

DNC officials discuss demoting Iowa and changing early-voting state mix in presidential nominating calendars | CNN Politics
Democratic Party officials charged with setting the presidential nominating calendar argued Friday for major changes that would move more diverse and competitive states earlier in the process and would favor primaries over caucuses.


Jeffrey Epstein estate nearing settlement with US Virgin Islands
Disputes remain over the estate's legal fees and other expenses.

NYC luxury real estate market sees influx of Russian sellers liquidating fast ahead of possible US sanctions
New York City’s real estate market is flooded with Russian oligarchs and sellers trying to liquidate their assets ahead of possible U.S. sanctions.

Families of ‘Citgo 6’ see release of one as a hopeful sign for the rest | CNN Politics
Gustavo Cárdenas’ years-long “nightmare” came to an end Tuesday night when he and another American citizen were freed from detention in Venezuela.


March 12, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news | CNN
Russian forces are expanding their offensive in Ukraine to the west for the first time. Major cities, including Dnipro and Lutsk, were struck Friday, Ukrainian officials said, as fighting intensified closer to Kyiv. Follow here for live news updates.


California cakewalk? No big-name rivals for Gov. Newsom
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is in an enviable position as he heads into a reelection campaign

Maher rejects liberal 'Don't Say Gay' uproar over Florida bill: Maybe young kids shouldn't think about sex
The "Real Time" host suggested there's a "kernel of truth" behind the education reform effort in the Sunshine State.

US to release al Qaeda operative from Guantanamo Bay
A U.S. official has ended the prison sentence of a former Baltimore resident who confessed to becoming an al Qaeda courier, the Department of Defense announced Friday.

Las Vegas officer accused of robbing casino with department-issued gun
Caleb Rogers, 33, was detained at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino after allegedly robbing it at gunpoint. Federal prosecutors say he also robbed two other casinos.


Iowa takes criticism at DNC but hangs onto its spot — for now
Party officials criticized the first in the nation caucus state at a Friday meeting.


Texas AG Paxton seeks to preserve ability to classify gender-affirming care as child abuse
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed to appeal a Friday evening ruling from a judge that prevents gender-affirming care to children in the state from being investigated as child abuse.
Biden addresses House Democrats concerned about political landscape
President Biden warns that without Democratic majorities in Congress, he would be left with only a veto pen, and urges lawmakers to tout achievements.
Businesses Assail Texas Move to Classify Care for Trans Teens as 'Child Abuse'
More than 60 major businesses, including household names in technology and retail, have signed onto a new advertising campaign in Texas protesting a move by the state’s governor to label as “child abuse” medical treatments that are widely considered to be the standard of care for transgender...


Covid long-haulers turning to unproven treatments
Many Covid long-haulers are desperately seeking answers as the U.S. adapts to a “new normal.” NBC News' Kate Snow reports on IncellDx, a company that says it has treated thousands of patients by recommending medications that are FDA-approved for other conditions, but some doctors argue there's...


A 2nd booster may come this fall. It might not be the same shot you got last time.
Moderna is developing a so-called bivalent vaccine that combines an omicron-specific shot with the company’s original Covid-19 vaccine.


China is facing its biggest COVID-19 outbreak since 2020
The novel coronavirus continues to spread throughout China in massive waves.


Pandemic at two years: Covid-19 news no longer dominates front pages | CNN Business
Remember “we are all in this together?” That’s what we were saying to each other two years ago this week. Was it true?


Ivermectin not a ‘miracle drug’ in COVID-19, new study shows
New research indicates that ivermectin has 'no place' in COVID-19 treatment, as it does not slow disease progression.


Opinion | Three rules to remember when reading news on Covid-related deaths
While the rising number of deaths has caused anxiety, it’s important to differentiate chronology and correlation from causation and to remember that an event may be the result of multiple factors.


Long COVID: Nerve damage may arise from immune system dysfunction
A new, small scale study concludes that neuropathic symptoms in long COVID may arise from immune system dysfunction.


LA County’s COVID hospitalizations slide below 600
There were 588 patients with the coronavirus in county hospitals, down 45 from the previous day, according the latest state data. Of those patients, 108 were in intensive care, five fewer than Thur…


The Covid cloud is starting to lift – but two years on, its legacy of grief lingers
US could be turning the corner on the pandemic, but not if you are one of the many people who has lost loved ones or is suffering post-coronavirus symptoms known as long Covid

Pfizer plans to submit data on a 4th Covid shot to FDA
Federal health officials are continuing to monitor whether another booster dose will be needed and, if so, when.


Covid infections rising again across UK - ONS
A form of Omicron called BA.2 is now the most common variant in most of the UK, figures suggest.


A near-death experience with Covid changed her whole life | CNN
Two years into the pandemic, there’s no single story of surviving severe Covid that can speak for everyone. But for people like Paige Deiner, a brush with death led to a spiritual transformation she never anticipated.


Coronavirus: Covid News: China Dismisses 2 Mayors and Shanghai Closes Schools as Case Numbers Rise (Published 2022)
Two years after saying that the coronavirus outbreak had become a pandemic, the W.H.O. says it isn’t over yet. One American public health expert noted, “This virus has fooled us every time.”

COVID remains dangerous for immunocompromised patients: UW Health
UW Health experts say while many Americans are celebrating the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, there are millions of others with compromised immune systems for whom the pandemic is far from over.