Good morning.
Russia is not showing any signs of easing up its attack on Ukraine. More than 70 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the eastern city of Okhtyrka after a Russian missile strike on a military base, in what is thought to be the biggest loss of life in a single incident in Moscow’s invasion.
The death toll – reported by Ukrainian officials in the city – follows a sharp intensification of the Russian bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including the use of multiple-launch rocket systems against civilian areas, which has led to increasing casualties.
Meanwhile, satellite images taken yesterday show a Russian military convoy north of Kyiv that stretches for about 40 miles (64km) in an area north-west of Kyiv. The convoy is substantially longer than the 17 miles (27km) reported earlier in the day, according to the US company Maxar.
What do we know on day six of Russia’s invasion? At least nine people had been killed, including three children, and 37 wounded in one day after the shelling in Kharkiv, the city’s mayor said. Here’s what else we know.
Has Russia committed war crimes? There are grounds for an investigation, according to the prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) in The Hague. He has announced that he will launch an investigation into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
Trump appeals against ruling requiring him to testify in New York investigation
Donald Trump’s legal troubles are continuing to drag on. The former president has appealed against a judge’s decision requiring he answer questions under oath in New York state’s civil investigation into his business practices – a widely expected move that’s likely to prolong the fight over his testimony by months.
Lawyers for the former president and his two eldest children filed papers on Monday with the appellate division of the state’s trial court, seeking to overturn Manhattan judge Arthur Engoron’s 17 February ruling.
They argue ordering the Trumps to testify violates their constitutional rights because their answers could be used in a parallel criminal investigation.
In an eight-page ruling, Engoron set a 10 March deadline for Trump and his children Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr, to sit for depositions. Lawyers for the Trumps asked the appellate court for a stay to spare them from questioning while it considers the matter.
When will the court hear the arguments? The court did not set a date for arguments. It typically issues decisions several months after that, but could be inclined to rule on an expedited basis given the urgency of New York attorney general, Letitia James’s investigation and the Trumps’ desire to swiftly overturn Engoron’s ruling.
Pfizer vaccine significantly less effective in children aged five to 11, study shows
The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is less effective in children aged five to 11 than in adolescents and adults, according to data from New York state health officials.
The research was announced shortly after federal authorities relaxed masks guidance and a day after Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, said he would probably follow governor Kathy Hochul in ending a mask mandate in city schools.
The study was carried out during the Omicron variant surge but was made public at a time of rapidly dropping cases and hospitalizations in New York and elsewhere.
In the study released yesterday, not yet peer-reviewed, six New York state public health scientists analyzed cases and hospitalization rates from 13 December 2021 to 30 January 2022 among 852,384 fully vaccinated children aged 12 to 17 and 365,502 fully vaccinated children aged five to 11.
What did the study find? Results revealed that vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization during the Omicron variant surge declined from 85% to 73% for children aged 12 to 17. Among children aged five to 11, effectiveness fell even more significantly, from 100% to 48%.
In other news …
Nasa is exploring ways to keep the international space station in orbit without Russian help, but does not see any immediate signs Moscow is withdrawing from the collaboration. The space agency says Northrop Grumman and SpaceX could assist after Russia raises the prospect of pulling out over sanctions punishing its invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted responses from the cultural sphere, with Russian artists feeling the repercussions of decisions taken by the Kremlin. Performances and exhibitions are being cancelled across the world including at the Venice Biennale and Royal Opera House.
Pressure is mounting on Israel to conclude the trial of a Gazan aid worker accused of funnelling relief money to Hamas in a six-year-old case widely derided as “not worthy of a democratic state”. Mohammed El Halabi, remains in detention, despite serious flaws in the Israeli case.
Cartier sued Tiffany & Co yesterday, accusing its luxury rival of stealing trade secrets concerning its high-end jewelry from an employee it lured away. Tiffany is accused of hiring away an underqualified junior manager to learn more about Cartier’s “High Jewelry” collection, where pieces typically cost $50,000 to $10m.
Stat of the day: Carbon emissions from deforestation double in just two decades
Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation this century are far higher than previously thought, doubling in just two decades and continuing to accelerate, according to a study. The findings contrast with previous assessments, such as the Global Carbon Budget 2021, which had suggested a slight decline in carbon loss from deforestation. Since 2000, the world has lost about 10% of its tree cover, becoming a major driver of global heating.
Don’t miss this: pandemic, war and a rocky economy loom large over Biden’s first state of the union
Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address today before a bitterly divided Congress, seeking to inspire a pandemic-weary nation deeply unhappy with its leaders and government, while projecting strength to the world after Russia unleashed the largest land war in Europe since the second world war. The prime-time address comes at a precarious moment for Biden and the world, writes Lauren Gambino.
… or this: Why Vladimir Putin has already lost this war
With each passing day, it is becoming clearer that Putin’s gamble is failing, writes Yuval Noah Harari. The Ukrainian people are resisting with all their heart, winning the admiration of the entire world – and winning the war. Many dark days lie ahead. The Russians may still conquer the whole of Ukraine. But to win the war, the Russians would have to hold Ukraine, and they can do that only if the Ukrainian people let them. This seems increasingly unlikely to happen.
Climate check: California debates naming heatwaves to underscore deadly risk of extreme heat
Climate scientists from around the world issued dire warnings in the latest IPCC report on the dangers posed in the unfolding climate crisis. Among them is extreme heat, a crisis that on average already claims more American lives than hurricanes and tornadoes combined. Some policymakers and environmentalists are pushing for new ranking systems to help elevate awareness around the issue or assign heatwaves names, much like federal agencies do for hurricanes.
Last Thing: complaints about New Yorkers’ noisy sex are rising
Urban dwellers tolerate screeching subways, traffic and noisy bars. But late-night sounds of coital revelry are the breaking point, according to data. A wave of “sex mayhem” has apparently been sweeping New York City, prompting residents to lodge an increasing number of noise complaints to the government helpline. “To get a sense of how disruptive they are, I’ve slept through earthquakes and fires in my life … I couldn’t sleep through this,” one resident wrote last April.
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