The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, on charges of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. The ICC's pre-trial chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime, and this is the latest development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The warrants are a significant step in the international community's efforts to hold those responsible for war crimes accountable.
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SVB Financial Group, the former parent of Silicon Valley Bank, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after the tech-reliant bank was shut down by regulators due to a run on the financial institution. The filing does not include Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Securities, SVB Capital's funds, or its general partner entities. The company, its CEO, and its chief financial officer were targeted this week in a class action lawsuit that claims the company didn’t disclose the risks of future interest rate increases. The FDIC is expected to provide more information in the coming days.
The FDA's independent advisory committee has voted in favor of full approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 pill, Paxlovid, for the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 in adults at high risk for severe disease. The drug, a combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, has been available under emergency use authorization since December 2021 and has been used by over 8 million people in the US. The FDA is expected to make a decision on full approval of the drug in the coming weeks.
Mike Pence defended a joke he made about Pete Buttigieg at the Gridiron Dinner, claiming that Buttigieg "can't take a joke". The White House had called the joke "homophobic", but Pence shrugged off the criticism, noting that the dinner is a roast. His remarks have been met with mixed reactions, with some applauding his sense of humor and others criticizing him.
The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Maria del Carmen Lopez, a 63-year-old US and Mexican citizen who was kidnapped from her home in Mexico on February 9. The Colima Attorney General's office is working with the FBI on the investigation, and the public is being asked to be aware of any suspicious activity that may be related to the case. The kidnapping is the latest in a series of violent incidents involving Americans in Mexico, prompting the US State Department to issue a travel advisory warning US citizens to exercise increased caution when traveling to Mexico.
Protests have erupted in France in response to the government's decision to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote. Opposition parties are now calling for a no-confidence vote on the government, while labor unions have argued that the move will hurt workers and retirees. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that 310 people were detained across the country in response to the protests.
Key takeaways: Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Russia to show support for Russian President Vladimir Putin amid rising tensions between East and West. US…
Key takeaways: Xcel Energy is currently cleaning up a 400,000 gallon radioactive water leak from its Monticello nuclear power plant. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency…