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Today’s edition of quick hits:
* An important declaration: “Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially announced Wednesday that Russia has committed war crimes since invading Ukraine. Citing numerous credible reports of indiscriminate attacks, he said several attacks deliberately targeted civilians including people in a Mariupol maternity hospital, a theater, apartment buildings and schools.”
* NATO’s expectations: “NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday he expects the leaders of member states will add additional troops along the alliance’s eastern flank, deploying four new battle groups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.”
* The latest ominous warning: “President Joe Biden has said that Russia’s potential use of chemical weapons against Ukraine was a ‘real threat.’ Biden made the comment after being asked about the possibility of Russia using chemical weapons in its invasion of Ukraine as he prepared to depart for Europe, Reuters reported.”
* A notable resignation: “An adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin has become the first senior Kremlin official to quit since the invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s spokesman said Wednesday. Anatoly Chubais left his role as Russia’s envoy to international organizations and sustainable development of his own accord, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax news agency.”
* Leahy’s right; Graham went too far: “Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), president pro tempore of the Senate and a veteran of 20 Supreme Court nominations, told reporters that Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) aggressive questioning — and frequent interrupting — of Ketanji Brown Jackson on Wednesday was unprecedented during his 48 years in the Senate.”
* The latest out of New Orleans: “Louisiana’s governor declared a state of emergency on Wednesday after tornadoes sliced through the New Orleans area Tuesday night, lifting homes off their foundations, leaving thousands without power and killing at least one person.”
* Trade: “The United States and Britain ended a four-year dispute over U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs on Tuesday, pledging to work together to counter China in a deal that also removes retaliatory tariffs from U.S. motorcycles, whiskey and other products.”
* Manafort is making headlines again: “Former Trump adviser Paul Manafort was removed from a plane at Miami International Airport before it took off for Dubai because he carried a revoked passport, officials said Wednesday.”
* The passing of a great patriot: “Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state, died Wednesday, her family said in a statement. She was 84. She died of cancer, her family said, adding that she was ‘surrounded by family and friends’ at the time.”
See you the day after tomorrow.