5 things to know on Friday

March for Life 2022 is expected to bring crowds to the National Mall

Anti-abortion activists will move into downtown Washington DC on Friday for the 49th annual March for Life, held every year on the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. The rally will kick off at noon on the National Mall and will include a live concert and speaker remarks, followed by a 1 p.m. march from Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court building. Speakers at the event this year they include actor Kirk Cameron, best known for his role on the comedy Growing Pains; Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Los Angeles; Rep. Chris Smith, RN.J.; Toni McFadden, founder of Relationship Matters, a youth education program, and Lisa Robertson of the reality show “Duck Dynasty,” among others.

Biden, new Japanese prime minister will meet virtually

President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida they will hold their first formal talks on Friday as the two leaders face fresh concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s growing military assertiveness. The virtual meeting comes after North Korea suggested earlier this week that it could resume nuclear and long-range missile tests that have been halted for more than three years. Kishida was elected in November – the two leaders will meet for the first time. In April, Biden met in person with then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who traveled to Washington.

Rock superstar Meat Loaf dies at 74

Meatloaf, the rock superstar loved by millions for his album “Bat Out of Hell” and for anthems as dark and theatrical as “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”. )”, has died. He was 74 years old. The singer born Marvin Lee Aday passed away on Thursday, according to a family statement posted on his official account. Facebook page. No cause or other details were provided, but Aday had numerous health problems over the years. “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight,” the statement said. “We know how much it meant to so many of you and truly appreciate all the love and support as we go through this time of grief over the loss of such an inspiring artist and beautiful man… From your hearts to your souls… don never stop rocking!” He is survived by Deborah Gillespie, his wife since 2007, and his daughters Pearl and Amanda Aday.

Blinken meets in person with the Russian Foreign Minister

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Geneva on Friday. It follows a trip to Ukraine, where Blinken met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials in the capital of Kiev, saying the US and its allies had stood firm in standing behind the country and its democratic aspirations amid rising fears of a potentially imminent Russian invasion. Blinken’s meeting with Lavrov is aimed at testing Russia’s readiness to resolve the crisis diplomatically, the officials said. Blinken spoke to Russia’s foreign minister by phone on Tuesday, when Lavrov reaffirmed that Russia expects a written response this week from the United States and its allies to Moscow’s request for binding assurances that NATO will not embrace Ukraine or to any other country or ex-Soviet station its forces and weapons there. Blinken stressed to Lavrov on Tuesday that any discussion of European security “must include NATO allies and European partners, including Ukraine,” the State Department said.

Parts of the Southeast expect a flurry of winter weather

Several schools have canceled classes in coastal areas of the Carolinas and Virginia and authorities are urging drivers to stay off potentially icy roads amid snow, sleet and freezing rain forecasts. The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia declared states of emergency ahead of the latest winter storm system that hit the region on Thursday and a round of snow is expected to follow Friday night into Saturday. The winter blast could freeze a large swath of eastern North Carolina and the northeast corner of South Carolina, while dumping snow around Norfolk, Virginia, the National Weather Service said. Much of the region has been hit by a series of snow and ice events in the past three weeks, sometimes dumping more than a foot of snow in areas that often don’t see as much snow all year. Winter storm watches and warnings remained in effect for more than 25 million Americans., the vast majority in the South.

Contributing: The Associated Press