What It Takes To Stop Putin | Stranger Things' Mall Rebirth | Britney’s Big Deal

Plus: How Diesel Giant Cummins Might Beat Tesla In The Green Engine Battle

Good morning.

Sanctions announced so far in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive stance towards Ukraine have been criticized as too little, too late. We’re also covering how a dying mall featured in Netflix’s Stranger Things could get a new lease on life and why Britney Spears’ multi-million book advance is such a big deal. Finally, check out this story about how a  century-old maker of dirty diesel engines sees hydrogen as its future.

In The News Today

Ukraine announced it will declare a nationwide state of emergency as it urged its 3 million citizens living in Russia to leave the country.

A report from the United Nations Environment Program called on governments to shift their approach to preventing—rather than just fighting—wildfires, whose destructive power is expected to increase and affect new areas due to climate change.

Top Take-Aways

The U.S., the U.K., and the EU unveiled economic sanctions against Russia following President Vladimir Putin’s decision to order troops to separatist territories in eastern Ukraine. But according to six thought leaders, the measures announced so far are too little, too late. Here’s what else could be done to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The threat of military confrontation in Eastern Europe caused a spike in oil prices as well as other commodities such as aluminum and gold, prompting some analysts to warn that an inflationary surge sparked by the crisis could dampen the broader market.

The worst may be yet to come for plunging shares of tech giants like Tesla and eBay, according to Bank of America analysts, who nonetheless still see opportunity in a set of stocks with strong profit potential.

Hackers who find ways onto business or government computers and open up backdoors, charge other cybercriminals anything from $500 to $7,000 for access, with targets including a U.S. hospital and the humanitarian aid nonprofit Doctors Without Borders.

An Atlanta suburb purchased the dying mall featured in the Netflix show Stranger Things for $23 million last year, and is now crowdsourcing ideas for what to do with it. Residents see potential to turn it into a concert venue, bingo hall or homeless shelter.

Finally free from her 13-year conservatorship, Britney Spears reportedly landed a $15 million advance to write a tell-all memoir for Simon & Schuster. It’s one of the biggest book deals of all time, equal to 25% of her $60 million net worth, as estimated by Forbes in February 2021. 

Today's Must Read

In Case You Missed It

The booming stock market of late 2020 and early 2021 produced an exceptional year for college donations, but institutions with endowments of at least $1 billion returned 37% in the 2021 fiscal year, outpacing their peers thanks to their private equity and venture capital investments.

Tips You Can Trust

Persuasive communication is a leadership skill, but each leader has a particular style. Find inspiration from these four former presidents.

Pandemic-related changes to workplace routines have put a strain on culture in many organizations. These four steps can help reinvigorating it.

Today's Must Watch

Recommendations
From Beyond The Newsroom