Russia v Ukraine The Story All eyes are on Russia’s escalations of war. What’s the latest? Tensions are rising. Last week, Russia kicked off a five-day referendum in the occupied Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine. The question on the ballot: “Do you wish to secede from Ukraine?” Ukraine and Western countries including the US have condemned the vote as a sham. Ukrainians report that Russian soldiers are going door-to-door, coercing people “under a gun barrel” to vote in favor of annexation. The ‘results’ are expected tomorrow. It comes as Russia announced a troop surge of 300,000 and its first draft since World War II. And amid mounting nuclear concerns. Explain. Over the weekend, Russia’s top diplomat told the UN that any annexed region would have Russia’s “full protection.” Meaning, including with nuclear weapons. That wasn’t the only threat made. Last week, Putin accused the West of “nuclear blackmail” and said Russia is capable of doing the same — potentially code for ‘this is an apocalyptic threat.’ What are people saying? Experts fear Russia will double down: the US and other NATO countries have supplied Ukraine with weapons, and after annexation Putin could claim those weapons are being used to attack Russian territory. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned that Putin might not be bluffing and called on the West to continue putting on pressure in order to deter him. And US officials warned of “catastrophic consequences” if Putin reaches into his nuclear arsenal. theSkimm Between a troop surge, nuclear threats, and so-called votes to annex parts of Ukraine, Russia’s moves in the last week have the world on edge. And Also...This Where voting could have ripple effects… Italy. Today, Italians are poised to elect the most far-right government since fascist Benito Mussolini. Giorgia Meloni — who’s slated to be the country’s first female prime minister — and her party’s right-wing coalition are projected to have won about 45% of the vote. She co-founded the Brothers of Italy party, which has neo-fascist roots and gained popularity with anti-immigration policies. It has also proposed shrinking LGBTQIA+ and abortion rights in the predominantly Catholic country. It will be weeks before a new gov is fully formed, meaning a more complete picture of Italy's future could emerge in the days to come. But Meloni’s likely win already has many ringing the alarm, since far-right parties in other European countries have also recently made gains (see: Sweden and France). Cuba. Yesterday, Cubans voted on whether to legalize gay marriage. The vote on a 100-page family code is bringing to the forefront a set of issues that have long been debated on the island. In addition to legalizing same-sex marriage, the overhaul would also allow surrogate pregnancies and for same-sex couples to adopt children. Under former leader Fidel Castro, gay men were considered undesirables and sent to work camps. In 1979, homosexuality was decriminalized in Cuba although many reportedly say they still faced discrimination. If the code passes, Cuba will join a handful of other Latin American countries that allow same-sex marriage. Results are reportedly expected today. What people are watching… Hurricanes. Yesterday, troops in Canada were deployed to help with recovery efforts as Fiona made landfall in Eastern Canada. One fatality was reported, as the storm swept across Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec, destroying homes and leaving thousands without power. It's considered one of Canada’s costliest natural disasters. And comes after the storm crippled Puerto Rico and Bermuda on its path through the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Florida has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Storm Ian. What’s got us starstruck… A cosmic collision. Tonight, a NASA spacecraft will slam into an asteroid about 7 million miles from Earth. But don't worry — this asteroid was never headed our way. It’s all part of NASA’s test to help develop a method to divert any asteroids that might turn in our direction in the future. And avoid another extinction, like what happened 65 million years ago. The spacecraft will hit at 7:14 pm ET. ...Oh and for sky gazers looking for some extra fun, tonight Jupiter will be the closest to Earth it's been in nearly 60 years. And it'll appear especially big and bright since it will be opposite the sun from our POV down on Earth. Who's saying 'the category is mental health'... Megan Thee Stallion. What will 'forever' stand the test of time... This Costco combo. What's saying two is better than one? Amazon's Prime Day.