Russia continues attack, DeSantis vs. Disney, 'Weed Day': 5 things to know Wednesday
Ukraine to resume evacuations out of Mariupol as Russia continues assault
Ukrainian authorities say evacuation efforts to bring some civilians out of the port city of Mariupol will resume Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said there is a "preliminary" agreement to operate a so-called humanitarian corridor route westward to the Ukraine-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia. It will apply to women, children and older people, she said in a statement on the messaging app Telegram. She added that Mariupol was the focus of Ukrainian efforts to help civilians because of the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the city. The Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement that defeating the last resistance in the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol remains Russia's top priority. Ukrainian forces said Russia was dropping heavy bombs to flatten the remains of the plant and also hit a hospital where hundreds were staying. Ukrainian and Russian officials – and a U.S. Defense Department official – acknowledged Tuesday the war had entered a new phase.
- Graphics: As Russian forces close in on Mariupol, a steel factory is at the center of the conflict
- 'The more we can all help, the better': Tech CEO and family spend spring break helping colleagues in war-ravaged Ukraine
- 'It's time to take action': Author and frequent MSNBC guest Malcolm Nance takes up arms in Ukraine
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Gov. DeSantis wants legislators to end Disney's special status
Gov. Ron DeSantis' battle with Disney continues Wednesday during a special legislative session on redistricting in the state of Florida. DeSantis expanded the scope of the session Tuesday, announcing that lawmakers will consider repealing the governing structure for Disney's Florida properties. This move could end special privileges the company has long enjoyed – and appears aimed at punishing Disney for speaking out against the so-called "Don't Say Gay" law. The legislation, HB 3C and SB 4-C, the "Independent Special Districts" bill, quickly advanced in the House and Senate. Republicans on the House State Affairs Committee slammed Disney as "perverted by a woke mob" and "goofy with power" before the measure passed by a 14-7 vote and headed to committees. DeSantis has been aggressive in going after Disney in the wake of the company's criticism on HB 1557, the legislation officially known as the Parental Rights in Education act but derided by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
- Gov. DeSantis attacks Disney over company's lobbying against 'Don't Say Gay' bill
- 15 weeks: Florida's DeSantis signs Mississippi-style abortion ban into law
- Potential legal battles: New Florida laws championed by DeSantis face scrutiny
Hundreds of thousands in Northeast still are without power after nor'easter
Hundreds of thousands of people still don't have power Wednesday morning after heavy, wet snow blanked swaths of the northeast from New England to West Virginia Tuesday. The nor'easter dumped 18 inches of heavy snow on Virgil, in central New York, while parts of eastern Pennsylvania received up to 14 inches of snowfall, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Snow fall was measured in states including Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia, the agency reported. The storm interrupted power to more than 350,000 utility customers in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said. By early Wednesday morning, that number dropped to about 139,000, according to poweroutage.us, a website that tracks power outages across the country. At one point, around 47,000 customers were without power in northeast Pennsylvania, and about 27,400 remained without power by 1:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, poweroutage.us also reported.
- Previous coverage: February in April? Winter storm hits northeastern US with snow, rain, wind, cold
- What is a nor'easter? Storms can batter East Coast with snow, impact millions of people
What's the buzz? It's 420, the unofficial 'Weed Day'
Wednesday is April 20, or 4/20, or "420," a day that has become known internationally as an unofficial celebration of all things cannabis-related. The somewhat-hazy origins of 420, also known as "Weed Day," can be traced back to 1971, when a group of California high schoolers agreed to meet at 4:20 p.m. with map in hand to search for a plot of marijuana plants that had been abandoned by its owner. Civic festivities are planned for many cities, including a party in Weed, California. In places where cannabis is legal, many dispensaries will offer promotions and discounts.
- Marijuana laws: House passes bill decriminalizing the drug
- From the archive: The best stoner movies and TV shows (2020)
Celebrities return to the witness stand in high-profile civil trials
Two celebrities in the middle of high-profile civil trials – Johnny Depp and Black Chyna – will return to their respective witness stands Wednesday. Depp will answer more questions in Virginia after he told jurors Tuesday he felt compelled to sue his ex-wife Amber Heard for libel out of an obsession for the truth after she accused him of domestic violence. The lawsuit is about whether Heard libeled Depp when she wrote a 2018 op-ed piece in The Washington Post. In Los Angeles, Black Chyna, a model and ex-reality star whose legal name is Angela White, returns to the witness chair Wednesday in a trial over whether the Kardashian family worked together to smear her reputation and ruin her television career. Chyna's lawyer Lynne Ciani said Tuesday "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" matriarch Kris Jenner used three of her daughters including Kim Kardashian to cancel the E! show "Rob & Chyna." Chyna and Rob Kardashian, who is Kris' son and Kim's brother, were once engaged and the two have a daughter together.
- Johnny Depp, Amber Heard libel trial: Everything from court, including Depp on the stand
- Hulu series: Kim and Khloé Kardashian reveal hardest moment to film for their new show
Contributing: The Associated Press