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Thursday 02.17.22

There's one thing we can all agree on -- none of us are pumped up about rising gas prices. But experts are warning that $5 a gallon may soon be the norm for people living on the West Coast. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day.
 

By Alexandra Meeks

A Ukrainian serviceman carries an anti-tank weapon during military exercises this week.

Ukraine

Russian forces along Ukraine's borders have increased by about 7,000 troops in recent days, despite claims from Moscow it was pulling back military units. That is according to a senior US administration official, who warned President Vladimir Putin's public openness to diplomacy was a guise. New estimates indicate Russia now has more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine. Western leaders have previously expressed skepticism about Moscow's assertion it was sending some troops back to base, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview Wednesday that there is "a difference between what Russia says and what it does." Separately, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this weekend to discuss new ways the US and allies can possibly deter Russia from an invasion.

Coronavirus

The US government plans to make high-quality masks available for kids, a senior adviser to the White House told CNN yesterday. The move appears to be an extension of the Biden administration's ongoing effort to distribute 400 million free N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile for the public to access at pharmacies and community health centers nationwide. About 230 million of those masks have already been delivered to those locations. Last month, the federal government began distribution of 1 billion free Covid-19 tests directly to households. More than 50 million households have already received their tests, and millions more are on the way, officials said.

Government shutdown

US lawmakers have less than two days to pass a short-term funding extension to avoid a government shutdown on Friday. It remains unclear when the Senate will vote on the continuing resolution, which would keep the government open by extending funding through March 11. Discussions about the measure are being delayed by some Republicans who are making demands tied to the vote. A group of six conservative senators specifically said they would oppose the expedited passage of the resolution unless they get a vote to defund the remaining vaccine mandates the Biden administration imposed. Complicating matters further, some Democrats are absent due to personal and family reasons, causing concern the party may be short of votes needed to defeat the Republican amendments. 

Brazil

At least 94 people have died in the Brazilian mountain city of Petropolis after heavy rains triggered landslides that washed out streets, swept away cars and buried homes, local officials said yesterday. The city, located in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, had more rain in one afternoon than the historical average for the entire month of February, the Civil Defense of Rio said. The department also declared a state of public calamity. More people are missing, but it's unclear how many at this time, Rio officials said. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently on a trip to Russia, said he had spoken to ministers and asked for "immediate assistance" to be sent to the victims. 

No-fly list

Several major US airlines are asking the federal government to create a coordinated "no-fly list" for violent and disruptive passengers, but their request is being met by pushback from GOP lawmakers. A group of Republican senators is arguing the mandate would seemingly equate unruly passengers to terrorists "who seek to actively take the lives of Americans and perpetrate attacks on the homeland," the senators wrote in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland this week. While airlines may ban an unruly passenger from their own flights, competition rules mean that information is not shared with other carriers, so unruly individuals can easily fly on different carriers after violent or disruptive incidents. Nearly 500 unruly passenger incidents have been reported in the first six weeks of 2022, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, and 80 incidents have been referred to the Justice Department to consider criminal prosecution. 

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Disney plans to build residential neighborhoods across the US

This sounds like a dream come true for Disney adults! 

NASA's newest explorer shared its very first images

This is what an exploding star looks like. So crazy.

Most remote workers don't want to go back to the office

Home sweet office! Nearly 60% of US workers want to continue working from home when the pandemic is over. 

AMC movie theaters wants to sell its popcorn at retail stores

Not to be corny, but I'm glad this idea popped into their minds... movies at home would be so much butter with this!

Uber now lets you see how many 1-star ratings you received from drivers Don't be down if you have a couple of low ratings. There's always next ride! 

Olympics update

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva is expected to take to the ice today for her free skate. The 15-year-old is at the center of a doping scandal as officials work to determine whether her team broke any rules following her positive drug test.

Follow the latest news and highlights from the Winter Olympics here.

$53 billion

That's how much revenue America's gambling industry rolled in last year. That figure breaks the previous record from 2019 by more than 20%, making 2021 the highest-grossing year ever. Despite some restrictions related to Covid-19 and the Omicron variant, gambling surged mainly due to massive increases in sports betting, online gambling and traditional gaming at casinos. 

Big Tech has brazenly failed children and betrayed its trust, putting profits above safety.

-- Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, pushing for a new bill called the Kids Online Safety Act, which aims to curb the potentially harmful impacts of social media on young people. The bipartisan legislation proposes tech companies would have to provide settings for families to protect their kids from harmful content, and those settings would have to be enabled by default. The legislation, would also force social media companies to publish annual third-party audits outlining the risks of their platforms for minors.

Bali Paradise
Enjoy a quick virtual vacation! This short exploration of Indonesia takes you on a sightseeing adventure, minus the long flight! (Click here to view)