Ukraine crisis, Super Bowl commercials, Valentine's Day: 5 things you need to know Monday
Diplomacy continues as US warns Americans to leave Ukraine
Tensions are on the rise Monday after President Joe Biden's top national security aide warned again Sunday that the Russian military has the capacity to invade Ukraine "this week.” Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke Sunday about the potential of a Russian invasion of the eastern European country. Biden reiterated during the 50-minute call that the U.S. would “respond swiftly and decisively” should Russian President Vladimir Putin send Russian forces into Ukraine, a White House statement said. Biden’s security aide warned that Russia could invade under the pretext of a "false flag" operation portraying Ukrainians as the aggressors. The Biden administration has bolstered the U.S. military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies, and has warned Americans in Ukraine to leave the country due to the threat of an invasion. Here's the latest on the crisis.
- The spark for a wider war?: Why Americans should care about Russia's aggression against Ukraine
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Ad Meter: Anna Kendrick leads Rocket Mortgage to another Super Bowl victory
Rocket Mortgage has snatched the top spot in Paste BN’s Ad Meter contest for the second straight year. The mortgage and homebuying giant leaned on the lively charisma of Anna Kendrick to corral voters and claim the top spot for Super Bowl 56 with "Dream House," in which Kendrick and a cadre of kids help Barbie settle on her forever home. Check out our Ad Meter results to find out which commercials really delivered, and then join our live discussion about all of the ads at noon ET. Host Ralphie Aversa breaks the commercials down on our YouTube channel with special guests Serena Williams and Eli Manning. Ad Meter has tracked more than 1,700 Super Bowl commercials since its creation in 1989, allowing consumers to rate their favorite ads on a scale of 1 to 10.
- Pepsi, Budweiser, Doritos: Re-watch ads from brands that dominate on Super Bowl Sunday
Four years after Parkland, gunfire on school grounds is spiking
On Valentine's Day in 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. Four years after the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history, the number of shootings on school grounds is reaching troubling new peaks, according to data from two groups that track the shootings. There were at least 136 instances of gunfire on school grounds between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31, according to the gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. That figure is nearly four times the average for that period since the group began tracking gunfire on school grounds in 2013.
- 'Double trauma': Back to in-person learning, students confront school shootings again
Russian skater Kamila Valieva cleared to compete at Beijing Olympics, despite positive drug test
Russian teen figure skater Kamila Valieva has been cleared to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics, despite a positive drug test. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Monday in favor of Valieva and the country's anti-doping agency, dismissing the provisional suspension that Valieva would have otherwise faced after she tested positive for a banned heart medication called trimetazidine. The ruling means that the 15-year-old will be able to compete in the women's individual competition, which starts Tuesday. She is favored to win gold in the event. The decision also sparked immediate backlash, including from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, whose CEO Sarah Hirshland said it was "disappointed by the message this decision sends." Valieva, the reigning Russian and European champion, helped Russia win gold in the team figure skating event at the Games last week with a pair of dazzling performances, where she became the first woman to land any quad jump at the Winter Olympics.
- IOC will not hold a medal ceremony for the team figure skating event after Kamila Valieva ruling
- Opinion: What a slap in the face the Kamila Valieva decision is for athletes who don't cheat
Get exclusive Winter Olympics access: Sign up for Paste BN’s Olympics texts to get the latest updates and behind-the-scenes coverage from Beijing
Valentine's Day is about romance, but the history behind it? Maybe not so much.
While Valentine's Day might be associated with romance the real story behind its namesake is one of heartbreak. There are multiple St. Valentines in history, and the historical origins of the figure are shaky. The most likely historical figure of St. Valentine is Valentine de Terni, according to an article in the academic journal Repertorio de Medicina y Cirugía. A Roman saint from the third century, Valentine de Terni was jailed for marrying couples against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II, who banned marriage for military personnel. His jailer, a man named Asterius, taunted Valentine de Terni about his supposed powers as a Catholic priest, saying he should make his blind daughter Julia be able to see again. By reciting a prayer, St. Valentine restored Julia's sight and an awestruck Asterius converted to Christianity and released religious prisoners from jail. The emperor decided to behead St. Valentine and Asterius on Feb. 14, 271 A.D. Valentine de Terni reportedly wrote a letter to Julia signed "from your Valentine," giving rise to the celebration of his martyrdom.
- What's your state's favorite Valentine's Day treat?
