U.S. and world news for Feb. 28

Ukrainian drones: Russia says it shot down a Ukrainian drone that had flown into Russia and that other Ukrainian drones staged attacks inside Russia that caused only minor damage. At the same time, Russian television and radio programs were interrupted to sound air raid alarms. The airport serving the Russian city of St. Petersburg was shut down for awhile, but Russian authorities did not say why.

Murdoch deposition: A deposition given under oath by Fox New boss Rupert Murdoch in the Dominion Voting Systems libel case reveals that Murdoch admitted he could have ordered Fox News hosts to stop telling the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump but Murdoch declined to do so. Texts and emails among Murdoch and Fox executives reveal that on Jan. 5, the day before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Fox executives discussed whether to have hosts Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham issue a joint statement admitting that the stories they’d been telling Fox viewers about the election having been stolen from Trump were not true.

Northeast weather: More than 450 flights were cancelled and another 650 delayed in the Northeast as a result of the winter storm that brought up to eight inches of snow to parts of the region. Many school systems closed for the day. It was the New York Metro area’s first major snow of the season.

Student loans: The Supreme Court is hearing arguments today on challenges to President Biden”™s plan forgiving student loan debt. Six Republican controlled states, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas and South Carolina have sued to stop the federal government from forgiving up to $20,000 in student loan debt..

DeSantis vs. Disney: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that takes away Walt Disney World’s special status to act as its own government. Disney World was granted the right to govern itself in a special taxing district set up in the 1960s as an incentive for it to build in Central Florida. DeSantis has been battling Disney, which came out against a law signed by DeSantis that blocks teachers from talking about gender identification in Florida’s elementary schools.

Ogles lied: Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee has admitted that he lied about being an economist and does not have a degree in economics. Television station WTVF in Nashville reported finding more untruths in Ogles’ resume about his education and career.

Cover photo by Gage Skidmore / Flickr Creative Commons