Russian Ruble Nearly Worthless as US-European Sanctions Take Effect

World

The Russian ruble has lost at least thirty percent of its value since economic sanctions imposed by the West and its allies took effect in the wake of a Russian invasion into Ukraine. The Associated Press is reporting that the ruble's value fell about thirty percent as a result of the sanctions, and over the weekend into Monday morning, Russian citizens were lined up at ATMs across the country.

World Leaders Question Putin’s Mental State as Fighting in Ukraine Intensifies

World

Multiple senior intelligence officials who have personally known Putin for "decades" say that Putin "has been isolated for months" and that he interacts solely with a group of "advisers and cronies." Other reports say that Putin never uses a cell phone (at least not a smart phone) nor does he utilize the internet, which some pundits say could further contribute to isolation.

Talks Between Russian and Ukrainian Delegation Conclude, Meanwhile Shelling in Kyiv and Kharkiv Continues

World

On Monday, delegations from both Russia and Ukraine met near the Belarus-Ukrainian border. While no definitive conclusions were expected today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that a second round of peace talks to take place "in the near future."

Report: China Shared U.S. Intel with Russia

U.S. Politics

The New York Times is reporting that senior Biden Administration officials held at least six meetings with Chinese officials "in which the Americans presented intelligence showing Russia's troop buildup around Ukraine and beseeched the Chinese to tell Russia not to invade.

Report: Russia and Ukraine Agree to Talks, Putin Puts Russian Nuclear Forces on High Alert

World

Talks between Russia and Ukraine were taking place in Belarus on Monday. The talks were set up "without preconditions." Zelenskyy related his belief regarding the talks: "I do not really believe in the outcome of this meeting, but let them try, so that later not a single citizen of Ukraine has any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war."

What is SWIFT? Why is there support for Cutting Russia from this financial system?

Economy

SWIFT is an acronym which stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications. In essence, SWIFT is not a financial institution itself, but rather a global messaging system that connects international financial institutions.

Russia threatens to deorbit International Space Station in response to sanctions

World

As Western allies have steadily ramped up economic sanctions on Russia, President Vladimir Putin's top space official has threatened that Russia could deorbit the International Space Station. Currently, two Russian astronauts are on the ISS, as are four Americans and one European. Should Russia decide to do so, the station could go into an uncontrolled deorbit and eventually crash.

What can be done to combat Mental Illness in America?

U.S. Politics

Mental illness is on the rise in America, and this phenomenon is due to a multitude of causes. In fact, the World Health Organization says that mental health conditions "are increasing worldwide." Some experts blame the pandemic, and, certainly, issues such as depression and anxiety have grown due to lockdowns, loss of employment, and financial instability.

Gun ownership and gun violence in America – Is More Gun Control the Answer?

U.S. Politics

In states where gun control laws are fairly strict, such as New York, sixty percent of inmates shared that they "illegally procured" the gun used in the incident. Dr. Daniel Webster is a director of Gun Policy and Research at Johns Hopkins, and he stated that "In the 13 states with the fewest restrictions on gun ownership, forty percent of inmates illegally obtained the gun they used. Only thirteen percent purchased the gun in question from a store or pawn shop."

Ukrainian Capital Under Siege; President Zelenskyy in Undisclosed Location

World

As Russian forces drew closer to the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said earlier that Kyiv has been subjected to "horrific Russian rocket strikes." Fox News says that Russian troops have "descended on Kyiv," and officials are still saying that Kyiv could be taken over the weekend.