Russia dangles prospect of safe corridors; Ukraine skeptical
Safe corridors intended to allow civiliansto escape war-torn Ukraine could open Tuesday, a significant move likely to be met with skepticism after similar efforts failed over the last several days. The proposal made Monday by Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia during the U.N. Security Council meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine included that those fleeing would not have to flee to Russia or its ally Belarus, a key issue Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called “just cynicism” and a propaganda effort in the country’s favor. Zelenskyy’s office would not comment on the latest Russian proposal, saying only that Moscow’s plans can be believed only if a safe evacuation begins. Russia’s coordination center for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine said Russia will begin a cease-fire at 10 a.m. Moscow time. According to the U.N. refugee agency, more than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the conflict, and many more are still trying to get out.
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Gas prices are now the highest in U.S. history
After days of dramatically rising gas prices in wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the national average for a gallon of gas is now the highest in United States history, breaking the record that stood for nearly 14 years. As of Tuesday morning, the cost of regular gas in the U.S. is $4.17, according to AAA, up from $4.06 on Monday. Last week, the average cost was $3.60. The previous national average high was $4.11, set on July 17, 2008, according to AAA. The cost for diesel is also nearing the record of $4.84, which was also set in July 2008. The current price for a gallon of diesel is $4.75, over double what it was in October 2020. One of the main components of the rising costs is the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. Tom Kloza, chief global analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, previously told USA TODAY that Russia is the second-largest oil producer in the world, behind the United States.
MLB gives the players union a Tuesday deadline to accept a new deal
Major League Baseball gave the players union a Tuesday night deadline to accept one of their options in a new proposal that would reinstate the 162-game season, with full pay, following negotiations in New York. There was no formal written offer, but MLB provided several hypotheticals that would give the union a choice of options in exchange for other tradeoffs. If no deal is reached by Tuesday night, or at least by early Wednesday, MLB officials said another week of regular-season games would be cancelled with players forfeiting pay.
Biden traveling to Texas to address burn pit exposure
President Joe Biden on Tuesday will try to pivot away from the domestic and foreign crises he currently faces to tackle a more personal issue: expanding health care for veterans who were exposed to toxins while serving abroad. Biden will travel to Texas to visit a Veterans Affairs clinic in Fort Worth, where he’ll meet with veteran health care providers and survivors and deliver remarks on the enduring health effects from exposure to burn pits, or massive, open-air ditches used to dispose of wartime waste that the president has linked to the death of his son, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015. Advocates say the president, who campaigned on a promise to help soldiers exposed to toxic burn pits, is long overdue on elevating the issue.
International Women’s Day calls on people to #BreaktheBias
International Women’s Day is observed Tuesday, celebrating the global “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” according to the International Women’s Day website. The day also calls for action to advance gender equality. This year’s campaign theme — #BreaktheBias — spotlights the individual and collective biases against women that fuel gender inequality and asks the world to call out instances of bias against women in the workplace, at school and at home. The campaign asks that people show their support for this year’s theme by posting selfies to social media posing with their arms crossed along with the hashtags #BreaktheBias and #IWD2022.
Contributing: Associated Press
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