| |  |  | The Reuters Daily Briefing | Friday, June 17, 2022 by Linda Noakes | Hello Here's what you need to know. The WTO strikes global trade deals, Britain gives the go-ahead for the extradition of Julian Assange, and Elon Musk is sued over an alleged Dogecoin pyramid scheme | | | | | Today's biggest stories  Police officers distribute aid to residents in the town of Krasnohorivka, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR The European Union's executive Commission was expected to give its blessing to membership candidate status for Ukraine and two other former Soviet states, an historic eastward shift in Europe's outlook brought about by Russia's invasion.
Ukraine applied to join the EU just four days after Russian troops poured across its border in February. Four days later, so did Moldova and Georgia - two other states contending with separatist regions occupied by Russian troops.
The United States said it was aware of reports that a third U.S. citizen is missing after traveling to Ukraine and it had not yet asked Russia about two Americans reportedly captured after going to the country to fight Russian forces.
Russian-flagged ships have been carrying grain harvested in Ukraine last season and transported it to Syria, U.S. satellite imagery company Maxar said.
The Dutch intelligence service said it had uncovered a Russian military agent attempting to use a false identity to infiltrate the International Criminal Court which is investigating accusations of war crimes in Ukraine.
Here's what you need to know about the Russia-Ukraine conflict right now
|  A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid BUSINESS & MARKETS World stocks headed for their worst week since markets' pandemic meltdown in March 2020 as leading central banks doubled down on tighter policy in an effort to tame inflation, setting investors on edge about future economic growth.
Global central bankers, who shared the limelight for skirting a pandemic-driven depression with quick action two years ago, are now stumbling through the aftermath as they try to quell an inflation surge none predicted or have been able to forestall.
A Tesla shareholder sued the electric car maker, chief executive Elon Musk and its board, accusing them of neglecting to tackle complaints about workplace discrimination and harassment, and engendering a "toxic workplace culture". In other news, Musk was sued for $258 billion by a Dogecoin investor who accused him of running a pyramid scheme to support the cryptocurrency. And in a call with Twitter staff, Musk mused on space aliens and the company's future.
The World Trade Organization agreed the first change to global trading rules in years as well as a deal to boost the supply of COVID vaccines in a series of pledges that were heavy on compromise. Here's what the conference has achieved.
Airlines expect the end of COVID testing requirements in North America to accelerate a rebound in transatlantic traffic - but soaring fares due to surging fuel costs and staffing shortages may slam the brakes on rising demand in the world's largest international travel market.
Japan's yen is at its weakest in decades and inflicting high costs of imported food and fuel on households and businesses, but also proving to be an unexpected tailwind for multinationals such as pharmaceutical giant Takeda.
|  A plane drops water onto a wildfire near Artesa de Segre, Spain, June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Albert Gea
WORLD
Three wildfires have laid waste to 1,600 hectares of pines and bushes in eastern Spain since Wednesday as a European heatwave pushes temperatures close to record highs. In neighboring France, the Gironde department around Bordeaux banned outdoor public events and those at indoor venues without air conditioning.
Authorities imposed restrictions on gatherings in a satellite city of India's capital that is home to offices of several multinational firms, and one person was killed as protests against a new military recruitment process spread.
Thailand announced it would abandon its much-criticized pre-registration process for foreign visitors and no longer require face masks to be worn in public, responding to a slower COVID spread. In other pandemic news, the Omicron variant is less likely to cause long COVID than previous variants, according to the first peer-reviewed study of its kind from the United Kingdom.
China launched its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, named after the province opposite self-ruled Taiwan, sending a statement of intent to rivals as it modernizes its military.
British interior minister Priti Patel approved the extradition of WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange to the United States to face criminal charges, bringing his long-running legal saga closer to a conclusion.
U.S.
Former President Donald Trump pressured his vice president, Mike Pence, to overturn his 2020 election defeat despite being told repeatedly it was illegal to do so, aides to Pence told the congressional committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Here are the key takeaways from the third day of hearings.
The lead Republican negotiator in Senate efforts to craft a bipartisan gun safety bill walked out of the talks, while the lead Democrat remained optimistic that lawmakers could vote on legislation before leaving for a two-week July 4 recess.
Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the Supreme Court's "mistakes" in high-profile cases can be corrected over time as she adopted a positive tone ahead of a decision in which its conservative majority is expected to curtail abortion rights.
A federal judge urged the Justice Department to decide promptly whether to seek the death penalty for a white man accused in the racially motivated shooting death of 10 Black people in Buffalo, New York last month.
Michael Avenatti, the brash lawyer known for taking on Trump, pleaded guilty to fraud and obstruction charges, in a bid to end years of defending against criminal charges that destroyed his career and led to two criminal convictions.
| | | | | | | | | | | Video of the day  Uber sends robots out to deliver food The ride-sharing service’s food division, Uber Eats, is using a network of autonomous vehicles to drop orders off to customers in a pilot project in and around Hollywood. | | | Thanks for spending part of your day with us. | | | | | |
