Doctors Without Borders has been at work in Ukraine helping to manage the COVID-19 crisis. They have teams in some of the hottest zones this week.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is trying to do exactly what the name implies. In Ukraine, CPJ is pushing all sides to give journalists access and protection.
The Kyiv Independent is a nonprofit news organization that was formed by a bunch of journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post. As CPJ explained, “Much of Ukraine’s media is owned or controlled by deep-pocketed oligarchs or politicians, who are not shy about dictating editorial content. Investigative sites and independent online newsrooms offer strong, fact-based alternatives but often struggle for financial equilibrium.”
30 of the 50 people fired from the Post started their own newsroom and you will see Kyiv Independent journalists fearlessly reporting on the ground today. They are documenting city-by-city injuries and deaths. Support them here with a donation of as small as five bucks a month. I particularly appreciate the Independent’s entire section dedicated to reporting on government corruption and bribes.
Catholic Relief Services says it is “on the ground” in Ukraine and bordering countries “ready to provide safe shelter, hot meals, hygiene supplies, fuel to keep warm, transport to safe areas, counseling support and more.”
Defense company stocks rise in wartime
Defense contractors across America saw their stocks rise Thursday even as the rest of the market tanked. Business Insider collected some examples:
Northrop Grumman was up about 3%. Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, and General Dynamics were up about 2%.
The US and European allies have supplied Ukraine with military equipment leading up to Russia's invasion. And the start of war there could increase pressure on NATO countries to boost defense spending.
Here is a list of the biggest defense contractors in the United States and background on each one. You probably have defense industries near you. Go profile them, find out what they produce and how a rise in military tensions affect their production.
Managing war, pandemic, inflation; can we do it all at once?
It seems that our nature is to focus on one crisis at a time. But we do not have that luxury.
COVID-19 vaccination drives have all but ended. The AP notes that in places where there was little interest in getting vaccinated, almost nobody is showing up now to get the shots.
The average number of Americans getting their first shot is down to about 90,000 a day, the lowest point since the first few days of the U.S. vaccination campaign, in December 2020. And hopes of any substantial improvement in the immediate future have largely evaporated.
About 76% of the U.S. population has received at least one shot. Less than 65% of all Americans are fully vaccinated.
Vaccination incentive programs that gave away cash, sports tickets, beer and other prizes have largely gone away. Government and employer vaccine mandates have faced court challenges and may have gone as far as they ever will.
The AP story quotes a January survey of 1,000 unvaccinated adults that asked what, if anything, would change their minds and persuade them to get a shot. Half said “nothing.”
Judge rejects NHL’s attempt to get $1 billion in pandemic damages
The National Hockey League wanted a court to force insurers to pay $1 billion to cover what the league lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The judge said no. But Santa Clara Superior Court Judge Sunil Kulkarni is open to hearing details of the NHL’s claim that the insurance policy had a communicable disease clause that might still lead to compensation. Factory Mutual insurance says the payout limit should be $1 million. These kinds of lawsuits are unfolding across the country as policyholders try to force insurance companies to help pay for COVID-19 losses.
Gas prices are rising. The California average is $4.75 a gallon.
