Get the Need2Know newsletter in your inbox every morning! Sign up here!

Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Monday, February 28, 2022:

RUSSIA/UKRAINE TALKS

Ukraine wants an immediate ceasefire as the two sides meet this morning, even while Russian forces continue to push toward the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed doubts that the meeting would lead to peace, but said he would make any effort to potentially end the war. Yesterday Russian President Vladimir Putin put nuclear forces on high alert, blaming "aggressive statements" from NATO. The U.N. Security Council, meanwhile, voted to convene a special session to address the crisis - just the 10th time that's happened since 1950. BBC

SWIFT SANCTIONS

Now the U.S. and Europe are coming for Russia's economy. Details about a new round of sanctions are still being worked out, but the centerpiece is a move to cut off Russia's central bank from its $600 billion reserves, which it is currently using to prop up the ruble. The West could also cut Russia off from the global payments system SWIFT, but notably, the package will likely spare oil and natural gas exports which are extremely valuable to the global economy. AP

CDC MASK MANDATE

The CDC has changed its tune on mask-wearing, now saying that mandates can be lifted in counties where the virus is waning and no longer threatens to overwhelm hospitals. By this measure, 70% of the U.S. population can now leave their masks at home. Of course, the guidelines are not binding, and rules vary greatly across state and local governments. This also doesn't change the rules for public transportation and indoor areas at major transit hubs. CDC

Party on, Wane!

[Giphy]

COVID ORIGINS

A pair of new studies mark a Wuhan seafood market as the likely starting point for the worldwide pandemic, finding that live mammals sold at the market were infected with coronavirus which then spilled over into humans. The findings have not yet been peer-reviewed or published, but together they call into question the alternate theory that COVID escaped from a lab. Some prominent scientists remain skeptical, however, due to a lack of genetic samples from that time. NY TIMES

Not peer-reviewed or published is a pretty big asterisk.

CONSUMERS KEEP SPENDING

Despite rampant inflation, supply chain snarls, and a fresh surge in COVID cases from the omicron variant, U.S. consumers kept on spending in January. Data from the Commerce Department shows a 1.5% bump in buying, which is the highest in 10 months. Purchases of durable goods (i.e. stuff rather than services) continue to drive spending, even as the hospitality sector has reawakened. How the Ukraine crisis will impact seemingly-unflappable American consumers is unclear, but some economists predict that it could curb spending. WSJ

Because we’re all buying items for our doomsday preparedness kits.

CLIMATE COURT CASE

On the docket today: The Supreme Court today will hear a case that could potentially eliminate the federal government's authority to control pollution. At stake is former President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan, which aims to limit carbon dioxide emissions across the power sector. The plaintiffs in the case, which include Republican attorneys general in 18 states and multiple energy companies, are arguing that the EPA can't regulate an entire sector, and must instead target individual plants. With a conservative supermajority presiding, many are concerned the Court will knock down the program, effectively making Biden's plan to halve emissions by the end of the decade impossible. WASH POST

[Giphy]

NFT BACKLASH

Hundreds of Salesforce employees signed an open letter criticizing the tech company's efforts to expand into NFTs, criticizing the controversial crypto assets' environmental and economic impacts. The Silicon Valley revolt comes as the NFT market deals with a high-profile scam involving the theft of hundreds of tokens from the OpenSea marketplace which were valued at well over a million dollars. CHEDDAR

CAPITOL HILL PRECAUTIONS

As a scattering of truckers make their way to Washington D.C. ahead of President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday, the U.S. Capitol Police are reinstalling fencing around Capitol Hill as a precaution. It's still unclear whether the U.S. trucker protests will rival the so-called "Freedom Convoys" that severely disrupted Canada's economy throughout February, but the federal government isn't taking any chances as the events of January 6, 2021 still loom large. In addition to the fencing, 700 unarmed National Guardsmen will be standing by. BLOOMBERG

TOM HOLLAND: BIG-SCREEN STAR

Plucky young actor Tom Holland, who is known for playing Spider-Man, has a knack for putting butts in seats. His latest film, the video game adaptation Uncharted, topped the box office for the second weekend in a row. The film's runaway success comes as Spider-Man: No Way Home continues to dominate the multiplexes. So far it's the highest-grossing film of 2021 and, for now at least, 2022 as well. Holland's one-two punch highlights a shifting landscape for U.S. movie theaters, in which a handful of blockbusters can make or break the industry. CHEDDAR

LEFTOVERS: TECH DONATIONS

NFT: As the NFT economy reels from multiple scandals, Ukraine at least is reaping the benefits of the demand for digitized cartoon apes. The country has raised more than $10 million in cryptocurrency donations, a portion of which was generated from the sale of NFTs. While the Ukrainian military was initially resistant, it now appears to have relaxed its stance on accepting the controversial form of payment. The Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov over the weekend urged crypto exchanges to block payments to Russia. CNBC

STARLINK: Another act of technological assistance came from Elon Musk, who marshaled SpaceX's Starlink satellite service on Saturday to provide internet to Ukraine. The billionaire was responding to a plea from Fedorov, who tweeted at Musk to help the country stabilize its internet service during the invasion.  CNN

Need2Know Podcast Note: The Need2Know podcast is taking a break for now. We're looking forward to bringing you more context and analysis on the big stories of the day in a few weeks. In the meantime, check out our archive on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

Share:
More In Culture
The Open Source Afro Hair Library Is Set to Create Inclusivity in Video Games
The video game industry has come a long way from the first commercialized 3D video game in 1980, but it still has a long way to go. Video game creators have recently been called out for not having realistic Black hairstyles in their games and graphic artists are now taking matters into their own hands by creating The Open Source Afro Hair Library. Jovan Wilson, 3D artist and resident for The Open Source Afro Hair Library, joined All Hands to discuss.
NewsGuard Teams Up With The American Federation Teachers Union To Help Students Decipher Fact and Fiction
The American Federation Teachers Union has announced its latest partnership with NewsGuard in efforts to help educators play a greater role in deciphering facts from fiction that students see online. They say the goal is to help students build critical-thinking skills while also teaching them the importance of media literacy. Executive Vice President of Partnerships at NewsGuard, Sarah Bandt, joined Cheddar to talk more.
Detox Your Brain and 'Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess'
Doctor Caroline Leaf has created a 21-day program, consisting of five simple, but mindful, steps designed to rid our minds of toxic thoughts, anxiety, and depression. This brain detox is scientifically proven to impact one's happiness and success. Doctor Caroling Leaf, neuroscientist, author, and speaker at Switch Your Brain, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Fmr. FBI Agent Peter Strzok On Russia, Trump, and The FBI
The memoir, "COMPROMISED: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump", tells a familiar story from a bit of a different source: Peter Strzok himself, former FBI Counterintelligence Agents and Agency Veteran who spent most of his very long career investigating some of the most controversial inquiries, most notably in recent American history. Those inquiries were Hillary Clinton's email to even Trump Russia investigations. Former FBI Agent and Author of "Compromised" Peter Strzok, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
PLNT Burger's First Brick and Mortar in NYC Debuts
Foodable Labs data shows restaurants that started offering vegan options saw a 13% increase in traffic. According to this 2018 study, 51% of U.S. restaurants now offer vegan options, and we can expect that number to keep rising. This week, one plant-based, fast-casual restaurant celebrates the grand opening of their first brick-and-mortar store in New York City: PLNT Burger. Ben Kaplan, CEO of PLNT Burger, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Runwise Raises $11 Million to Reverse Climate Change by Updating Buildings
Commercial and residential buildings account for 13% of carbon emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA, and one company says it has a solution. Runwise says it has updated the boiler and heating systems of thousands of buildings, and that its technology not only lowers carbon output but also saves landlords money. Lee Hoffman, Co-Founder and COO of Runwise, joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
What Prospective College Students Should Expect From New Digital SAT Exams
No. 2 pencils or Scantron bubble sheets are a thing of the past for the SATs. Priscilla Rodriguez, head of college readiness assessment for the College Board, joined Cheddar News Wrap to talk about the modern overhaul of the college entrance exam. On top of the change to an all-digital format and shorter time limit, the latest iteration will feature updates to help with flexibility and security. "As we've built our own digital testing platform, the app the students will do this on, we built this with security at the core," Rodriguez said. "And, in going digital we can do something we can't do today, which is, give every student who's taking the SAT, let's say in a given day, even in a given room in a school, a different version of the SAT."
Load More