The Federal Trade Commission today
 took action against online customized merchandise platform CafePress 
over allegations that it failed to secure consumers’ sensitive personal 
data and covered up a major breach. The FTC alleges that CafePress 
failed to implement reasonable security measures to protect sensitive 
information stored on its network, including plain text Social Security 
numbers, inadequately encrypted passwords, and answers to password reset
 questions. The Commission’s proposed order requires the company to 
bolster its data security and requires its former owner to pay a half 
million dollars to compensate small businesses.

“CafePress employed careless security practices and concealed 
multiple breaches from consumers,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the 
FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “These orders dial up 
accountability for lax security practices, requiring redress for small 
businesses that were harmed, and specific controls, like multi-factor 
authentication, to better safeguard personal information.”

In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/temporary?file=CafePress-Complaint.pdf">complaint</a>&nbsp;filed
 against Residual Pumpkin Entity, LLC, the former owner of CafePress, 
and PlanetArt, LLC, which bought CafePress in 2020, the FTC alleged that
 CafePress failed to implement reasonable security measures to protect 
the sensitive information of buyers and sellers stored on its network. 
In addition to storing Social Security numbers and password reset 
answers in clear, readable text, CafePress retained the data longer than
 was necessary. The company also failed to apply readily available 
protections against well-known threats and adequately respond to 
security incidents, the complaint alleged. As a result of its shoddy 
security practices, CafePress’ network was breached multiple times.

According to the complaint, a hacker exploited the company’s security
 failures in February 2019 to access millions of email addresses and 
passwords with weak encryption; millions of unencrypted names, physical 
addresses, and security questions and answers; more than 180,000 
unencrypted Social Security numbers; and tens of thousands of partial 
payment card numbers and expiration dates. Some of the information was 
later found for sale on the Dark Web.

After being notified a month later that it had a security 
vulnerability and that hackers had obtained consumer data, CafePress 
patched the vulnerability but failed to properly investigate the breach 
for several months despite additional warnings, the complaint alleged. 
This included a warning in April 2019 from a foreign government, which 
notified the company that a hacker had illegally obtained CafePress 
customer account information and urged the company to notify affected 
customers. The company, however, withheld this essential information, 
and instead only told customers to reset their passwords as part of an 
update to its password policy.

The complaint alleges CafePress did not inform affected customers 
until September 2019—one month after the breach was reported widely. The
 company’s lax security practices, however, still left many consumers at
 risk. For example, the company continued to allow people to reset their
 passwords on the website by answering security questions associated 
with customer email addresses—the same information that had been 
previously stolen by hackers.

According to the complaint, CafePress was aware of problems with its 
data security prior to the 2019 data breach. Through at least January 
2018, when CafePress determined that certain accounts of shopkeepers had
 been hacked, CafePress closed the accounts and charged the victims a 
$25 account closure fee. The company also experienced several malware 
infections to its network prior to the 2019 hack but failed to 
investigate the source of such attacks.

In addition to its security failures, the FTC alleged the company 
misled users by using consumer email addresses for marketing despite its
 promises that such information would only be used to fulfill orders 
consumers had placed.

As part of the proposed settlement, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Residual%20Pumpkin%20Agreement%20Containing%20Consent%20Order.pdf">Residual Pumpkin </a>and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/temporary?file=PlanetArt%20Agreement%20to%20Containing%20Consent%20Order.pdf">PlanetArt</a>
 will be required to implement comprehensive information security 
programs that will address the problems that led to the data breaches at
 CafePress. This includes replacing inadequate authentication measures 
such as security questions with multi-factor authentication methods; 
minimizing the amount of data they collect and retain; and encrypting 
Social Security numbers.

In addition, the proposed settlement requires Residual Pumpkin to pay
 $500,000 in redress to victims of the data breaches. PlanetArt will be 
required to notify consumers whose personal information was accessed as a
 result of CafePress’s data breaches and provide specific information 
about how consumers can protect themselves. Both companies will be 
required to have a third party assess their information security 
programs and provide the Commission with a redacted copy of that 
assessment suitable for public disclosure.

The Commission voted 4-0 to issue the proposed administrative complaint and to accept the consent agreement with the companies.

The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package 
in the Federal Register soon. The agreement will be subject to public 
comment for 30&nbsp;days after publication in the Federal Register after 
which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent 
order final. Instructions for filing comments will appear in the 
published notice. Once processed, comments will be posted on 
Regulations.gov.

NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative 
complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is 
being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in
 the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a 
final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions.
 Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to 
$46,517.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe Federal Trade Commission today
 took action against online customized merchandise platform CafePress 
over allegations that it failed to secure consumers’ sensitive personal 
data and covered up a major breach. The FTC alleges that CafePress 
failed to implement reasonable security measures to protect sensitive 
information stored on its network, including plain text Social Security 
numbers, inadequately encrypted passwords, and answers to password reset
 questions. The Commission’s proposed order requires the company to 
bolster its data security and requires its former owner to pay a half 
million dollars to compensate small businesses.“CafePress employed careless security practices and concealed 
multiple breaches from consumers,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the 
FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “These orders dial up 
accountability for lax security practices, requiring redress for small 
businesses that were harmed, and specific controls, like multi-factor 
authentication, to better safeguard personal information.”In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/temporary?file=CafePress-Complaint.pdf">complaint</a>&nbsp;filed
 against Residual Pumpkin Entity, LLC, the former owner of CafePress, 
and PlanetArt, LLC, which bought CafePress in 2020, the FTC alleged that
 CafePress failed to implement reasonable security measures to protect 
the sensitive information of buyers and sellers stored on its network. 
In addition to storing Social Security numbers and password reset 
answers in clear, readable text, CafePress retained the data longer than
 was necessary. The company also failed to apply readily available 
protections against well-known threats and adequately respond to 
security incidents, the complaint alleged. As a result of its shoddy 
security practices, CafePress’ network was breached multiple times.According to the complaint, a hacker exploited the company’s security
 failures in February 2019 to access millions of email addresses and 
passwords with weak encryption; millions of unencrypted names, physical 
addresses, and security questions and answers; more than 180,000 
unencrypted Social Security numbers; and tens of thousands of partial 
payment card numbers and expiration dates. Some of the information was 
later found for sale on the Dark Web.After being notified a month later that it had a security 
vulnerability and that hackers had obtained consumer data, CafePress 
patched the vulnerability but failed to properly investigate the breach 
for several months despite additional warnings, the complaint alleged. 
This included a warning in April 2019 from a foreign government, which 
notified the company that a hacker had illegally obtained CafePress 
customer account information and urged the company to notify affected 
customers. The company, however, withheld this essential information, 
and instead only told customers to reset their passwords as part of an 
update to its password policy.The complaint alleges CafePress did not inform affected customers 
until September 2019—one month after the breach was reported widely. The
 company’s lax security practices, however, still left many consumers at
 risk. For example, the company continued to allow people to reset their
 passwords on the website by answering security questions associated 
with customer email addresses—the same information that had been 
previously stolen by hackers.According to the complaint, CafePress was aware of problems with its 
data security prior to the 2019 data breach. Through at least January 
2018, when CafePress determined that certain accounts of shopkeepers had
 been hacked, CafePress closed the accounts and charged the victims a 
$25 account closure fee. The company also experienced several malware 
infections to its network prior to the 2019 hack but failed to 
investigate the source of such attacks.In addition to its security failures, the FTC alleged the company 
misled users by using consumer email addresses for marketing despite its
 promises that such information would only be used to fulfill orders 
consumers had placed.As part of the proposed settlement, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Residual%20Pumpkin%20Agreement%20Containing%20Consent%20Order.pdf">Residual Pumpkin </a>and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/temporary?file=PlanetArt%20Agreement%20to%20Containing%20Consent%20Order.pdf">PlanetArt</a>
 will be required to implement comprehensive information security 
programs that will address the problems that led to the data breaches at
 CafePress. This includes replacing inadequate authentication measures 
such as security questions with multi-factor authentication methods; 
minimizing the amount of data they collect and retain; and encrypting 
Social Security numbers.In addition, the proposed settlement requires Residual Pumpkin to pay
 $500,000 in redress to victims of the data breaches. PlanetArt will be 
required to notify consumers whose personal information was accessed as a
 result of CafePress’s data breaches and provide specific information 
about how consumers can protect themselves. Both companies will be 
required to have a third party assess their information security 
programs and provide the Commission with a redacted copy of that 
assessment suitable for public disclosure.The Commission voted 4-0 to issue the proposed administrative complaint and to accept the consent agreement with the companies.The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package 
in the Federal Register soon. The agreement will be subject to public 
comment for 30&nbsp;days after publication in the Federal Register after 
which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent 
order final. Instructions for filing comments will appear in the 
published notice. Once processed, comments will be posted on 
Regulations.gov.NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative 
complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is 
being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in
 the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a 
final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions.
 Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to 
$46,517.

FTC takes action against CafePress for alleged data breach coverup

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have made two arrests.

Just before 7a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp;responded the 1600 block of SW 37th Terrace on the report of a possible robbery that occurred at a different location earlier in the day, according to Lt. John Trimble.

Officers arrived on scene and were able to determine the robbery took place in the 3800 block of SW Topeka Blvd. Officers responded to that location where they were able to locate a crime scene and suspects involved.

Police brought those suspects to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews and arrested&nbsp;29-year-old Taurean Ross on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Robbery, Possession of Methamphetamine,&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They also arrested 37-year-old Christina Wallace on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and Promoting the Sale of Sexual Relations, according to Lt. Trimble.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647271920834.png" alt="Ross-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Ross-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have made two arrests.Just before 7a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp;responded the 1600 block of SW 37th Terrace on the report of a possible robbery that occurred at a different location earlier in the day, according to Lt. John Trimble.Officers arrived on scene and were able to determine the robbery took place in the 3800 block of SW Topeka Blvd. Officers responded to that location where they were able to locate a crime scene and suspects involved.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647272244514.png" alt="Wallace-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wallace-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police brought those suspects to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews and arrested&nbsp;29-year-old Taurean Ross on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Robbery, Possession of Methamphetamine,&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They also arrested 37-year-old Christina Wallace on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and Promoting the Sale of Sexual Relations, according to Lt. Trimble.

Suspects jailed for robbery, promoting prostitution in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend accident have identified the victim as 9-year-old&nbsp;Armani Saucedo of Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

Just after 10p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a three-car&nbsp; injury accident on eastbound Kellogg at Seneca, according to a statement from Wichita Police.&nbsp;

Investigators learned a 2007&nbsp; Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old man was eastbound on Kellogg and side swiped a 2017 Ford F-150, causing the truck to collide with a 2004 Dodge Ram. 

The driver of the Ford Focus lost control of the car. It struck a bridge abutment and 9-year-old&nbsp;Saucedo was ejected. The boy was pronounced dead at the the scene, according to Macy. EMS transported a 27-year-old man to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police reported no other injuries.&nbsp;Police continue investigating the cause of the accident.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend accident.

The driver of the Ford Focus lost control of the car. It struck a bridge abutment and a 9-year-old boy was ejected. The boy was pronounced dead at the the scene. EMS transported a 27-year-old man to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police reported no other injuries.&nbsp;Police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor. Names of the victims have not been released.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend accident have identified the victim as 9-year-old&nbsp;Armani Saucedo of Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.Just after 10p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a three-car&nbsp; injury accident on eastbound Kellogg at Seneca, according to a statement from Wichita Police.&nbsp;Investigators learned a 2007&nbsp; Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old man was eastbound on Kellogg and side swiped a 2017 Ford F-150, causing the truck to collide with a 2004 Dodge Ram. The driver of the Ford Focus lost control of the car. It struck a bridge abutment and 9-year-old&nbsp;Saucedo was ejected. The boy was pronounced dead at the the scene, according to Macy. EMS transported a 27-year-old man to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police reported no other injuries.&nbsp;Police continue investigating the cause of the accident.-----------SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal weekend accident.Just after 10p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a three-car&nbsp; injury accident on eastbound Kellogg at Seneca, according to a statement from Wichita Police.&nbsp;Investigators learned a 2007&nbsp; Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old man was eastbound on Kellogg and side swiped a 2017 Ford F-150, causing the truck to collide with a 2004 Dodge Ram. The driver of the Ford Focus lost control of the car. It struck a bridge abutment and a 9-year-old boy was ejected. The boy was pronounced dead at the the scene. EMS transported a 27-year-old man to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police reported no other injuries.&nbsp;Police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor. Names of the victims have not been released.

Police ID 9-year-old Kan. boy who died in 3-vehicle crash

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — An investigation has begun to determine what caused a fire that badly damaged several buildings in downtown Hastings.

Firefighters were called just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of a fire on the awning of Bert’s Pharmacy.

 A news release from the city said a tenant in an upstairs apartment made it out safely.

By the time fire crews arrived, the wall of the pharmacy was in flames. The structure’s roof partially collapsed and the fire spread to the Hastings Visitor Center, causing severe damages. 

Businesses as far as three buildings to the west sustained smoke damage. Mayor Corey Stutte says the downtown suffered “a devastating loss,” but he's thankful no one was hurt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647291987106.png" alt="Photo: Hastings Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo: Hastings Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — An investigation has begun to determine what caused a fire that badly damaged several buildings in downtown Hastings.Firefighters were called just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of a fire on the awning of Bert’s Pharmacy. A news release from the city said a tenant in an upstairs apartment made it out safely.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647292023986.png" alt="Photo: Hastings Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo: Hastings Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>By the time fire crews arrived, the wall of the pharmacy was in flames. The structure’s roof partially collapsed and the fire spread to the Hastings Visitor Center, causing severe damages. Businesses as far as three buildings to the west sustained smoke damage. Mayor Corey Stutte says the downtown suffered “a devastating loss,” but he's thankful no one was hurt.

Fire damages several buildings in downtown Hastings

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-boris-johnson-business-europe-united-nations-bf2bcfb3a499d688e3075f2d4cf54989">invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;has given the smaller nation’s embassy in Washington an unexpected role: recruitment center for Americans who want to join the fight.

Diplomats working out of the embassy, in a townhouse in the Georgetown section of the city, are fielding thousands of offers from volunteers seeking to fight for Ukraine, even as they work on the far more pressing matter of securing weapons to defend against an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-evacuations-kharkiv-01693b3373cf8bcf2400ae29af992bbe">increasingly brutal Russian onslaught</a>.

“They really feel that this war is unfair, unprovoked,” said Ukraine’s military attaché, Maj. Gen. Borys Kremenetskyi. “They feel that they have to go and help.”

U.S. volunteers represent just a small subset of foreigners seeking to fight for Ukraine, who in turn comprise just a tiny fraction of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-philanthropy-7a08176a4b6c6822fcbfc0afc548969a">international assistance</a>&nbsp;that has flowed into the country. Still, it is a reflection of the passion, supercharged in an era of social media, that the attack and the mounting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-lifestyle-kyiv-ed0e4c3b29d4b287afaa4e43aead4f0e">civilian casualties</a>&nbsp;have stirred.

“This is not mercenaries who are coming to earn money,” Kremenetskyi said. “This is people of goodwill who are coming to assist Ukraine to fight for freedom.”

The U.S. government discourages Americans from going to fight in Ukraine, which raises legal and national security issues.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">the Feb. 24 invasion</a>, the embassy in Washington has heard from at least 6,000 people inquiring about volunteering for service, the “vast majority” of them American citizens, said Kremenetskyi, who oversees the screening of potential U.S. recruits.

Half the potential volunteers were quickly rejected and didn’t even make it to the Zoom interview, the general said. They lacked the required military experience, had a criminal background or weren’t suitable for other reasons such as age, including a 16-year-old boy and a 73-year-old man.

Some who expressed interest were rejected because the embassy said it couldn’t do adequate vetting. The general didn’t disclose the methods used to screen people.

Kremenetskyi, who spoke to The Associated Press just after returning from the Pentagon for discussions on the military hardware his country needs for its defense, said he appreciates the support from both the U.S. government and the public.

“Russians can be stopped only with hard fists and weapons,” he said.

So far, about 100 U.S. citizens have made the cut. They include veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with combat experience, including some helicopter pilots, the attaché said.

They must make their own way to Poland, where they are to cross at a specified point, with their own protective gear but without a weapon, which they will get after they arrive. They will be required to sign a contract to serve, without pay, in the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government says about 20,000 foreigners from various nations have already joined.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj, a former Liberal lawmaker in Canada who is helping to facilitate recruitment there, said about 1,000 Canadians have applied to fight for Ukraine, the vast majority of whom don’t have any ties to the country.

“The volunteers, a very large proportion are ex-military, these are people that made that tough decision that they would enter the military to stand up for the values that we subscribe to,” Wrzesnewskyj said. “And when they see what is happening in Ukraine they can’t stand aside.”

It’s not clear how many U.S. citizens seeking to fight have actually reached Ukraine, a journey the State Department has urged people not to make.

“We’ve been very clear for some time, of course, in calling on Americans who may have been resident in Ukraine to leave, and making clear to Americans who may be thinking of traveling there not to go,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters recently.

U.S. citizens aren’t required to register overseas. The State Department says it’s not certain how many have entered Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

Under some circumstances, Americans could face criminal penalties, or even risk losing their citizenship, by taking part in an overseas conflict, according to a senior federal law enforcement official.

But the legal issues are only one of many concerns for U.S. authorities, who worry about what could happen if an American is killed or captured or is recruited while over there to work for a foreign intelligence service upon their return home, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters.

The official and independent security experts say some of the potential foreign fighters may be white supremacists, who are believed to be fighting on both sides of the conflict. They could become more radicalized and gain military training in Ukraine, thereby posing an increased danger when they return home.

“These are men who want adventure, a sense of significance and are harking back to World War II rhetoric,” said Anne Speckhard, who has extensively studied foreigners who fought in Syria and elsewhere as director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism.

Ukraine may be getting around some of the potential legal issues by only facilitating the overseas recruitment, and directing volunteers to sign their contracts, and receive a weapon, once they arrive in the country. Also, by assigning them to the territorial defense forces, and not front-line units, it reduces the chance of direct combat with Russians, though it’s by no means eliminated.

The general acknowledges the possibility that any foreigners who are captured could be used for propaganda purposes. But he didn’t dwell on the issue, focusing instead on the need for his country to defend itself against Russia.

“We are fighting for our existence,” he said. “We are fighting for our families, for our land. And we are not going to give up.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-boris-johnson-business-europe-united-nations-bf2bcfb3a499d688e3075f2d4cf54989">invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;has given the smaller nation’s embassy in Washington an unexpected role: recruitment center for Americans who want to join the fight.Diplomats working out of the embassy, in a townhouse in the Georgetown section of the city, are fielding thousands of offers from volunteers seeking to fight for Ukraine, even as they work on the far more pressing matter of securing weapons to defend against an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-evacuations-kharkiv-01693b3373cf8bcf2400ae29af992bbe">increasingly brutal Russian onslaught</a>.“They really feel that this war is unfair, unprovoked,” said Ukraine’s military attaché, Maj. Gen. Borys Kremenetskyi. “They feel that they have to go and help.”U.S. volunteers represent just a small subset of foreigners seeking to fight for Ukraine, who in turn comprise just a tiny fraction of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-philanthropy-7a08176a4b6c6822fcbfc0afc548969a">international assistance</a>&nbsp;that has flowed into the country. Still, it is a reflection of the passion, supercharged in an era of social media, that the attack and the mounting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-lifestyle-kyiv-ed0e4c3b29d4b287afaa4e43aead4f0e">civilian casualties</a>&nbsp;have stirred.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">❗❗❗ ASSISTANCE FOR LOGISTICAL AND MEDICAL SUPPORT OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE ⤵️<a href="https://t.co/BRjxM36pt5">https://t.co/BRjxM36pt5</a>&mdash; UKR Embassy in USA (@UKRintheUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UKRintheUSA/status/1498324103597596682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This is not mercenaries who are coming to earn money,” Kremenetskyi said. “This is people of goodwill who are coming to assist Ukraine to fight for freedom.”The U.S. government discourages Americans from going to fight in Ukraine, which raises legal and national security issues.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">the Feb. 24 invasion</a>, the embassy in Washington has heard from at least 6,000 people inquiring about volunteering for service, the “vast majority” of them American citizens, said Kremenetskyi, who oversees the screening of potential U.S. recruits.Half the potential volunteers were quickly rejected and didn’t even make it to the Zoom interview, the general said. They lacked the required military experience, had a criminal background or weren’t suitable for other reasons such as age, including a 16-year-old boy and a 73-year-old man.Some who expressed interest were rejected because the embassy said it couldn’t do adequate vetting. The general didn’t disclose the methods used to screen people.Kremenetskyi, who spoke to The Associated Press just after returning from the Pentagon for discussions on the military hardware his country needs for its defense, said he appreciates the support from both the U.S. government and the public.“Russians can be stopped only with hard fists and weapons,” he said.So far, about 100 U.S. citizens have made the cut. They include veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with combat experience, including some helicopter pilots, the attaché said.They must make their own way to Poland, where they are to cross at a specified point, with their own protective gear but without a weapon, which they will get after they arrive. They will be required to sign a contract to serve, without pay, in the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine.The Ukrainian government says about 20,000 foreigners from various nations have already joined.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tristan, from Belgium: “I came to join the International Legion of Defense of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> for freedom in Europe. I had to come &amp; do what I can do best, do what I can do to protect Ukrainian people” Freedom is a choice. Join the brave!<a href="https://t.co/QyUOgKPFQx">https://t.co/QyUOgKPFQx</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopRussianAggression?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopRussianAggression</a> <a href="https://t.co/4nU8SD8KLX">pic.twitter.com/4nU8SD8KLX</a>&mdash; MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) <a href="https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine/status/1503400183685648392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Borys Wrzesnewskyj, a former Liberal lawmaker in Canada who is helping to facilitate recruitment there, said about 1,000 Canadians have applied to fight for Ukraine, the vast majority of whom don’t have any ties to the country.“The volunteers, a very large proportion are ex-military, these are people that made that tough decision that they would enter the military to stand up for the values that we subscribe to,” Wrzesnewskyj said. “And when they see what is happening in Ukraine they can’t stand aside.”It’s not clear how many U.S. citizens seeking to fight have actually reached Ukraine, a journey the State Department has urged people not to make.“We’ve been very clear for some time, of course, in calling on Americans who may have been resident in Ukraine to leave, and making clear to Americans who may be thinking of traveling there not to go,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters recently.U.S. citizens aren’t required to register overseas. The State Department says it’s not certain how many have entered Ukraine since the Russian invasion.Under some circumstances, Americans could face criminal penalties, or even risk losing their citizenship, by taking part in an overseas conflict, according to a senior federal law enforcement official.But the legal issues are only one of many concerns for U.S. authorities, who worry about what could happen if an American is killed or captured or is recruited while over there to work for a foreign intelligence service upon their return home, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters.The official and independent security experts say some of the potential foreign fighters may be white supremacists, who are believed to be fighting on both sides of the conflict. They could become more radicalized and gain military training in Ukraine, thereby posing an increased danger when they return home.“These are men who want adventure, a sense of significance and are harking back to World War II rhetoric,” said Anne Speckhard, who has extensively studied foreigners who fought in Syria and elsewhere as director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism.Ukraine may be getting around some of the potential legal issues by only facilitating the overseas recruitment, and directing volunteers to sign their contracts, and receive a weapon, once they arrive in the country. Also, by assigning them to the territorial defense forces, and not front-line units, it reduces the chance of direct combat with Russians, though it’s by no means eliminated.The general acknowledges the possibility that any foreigners who are captured could be used for propaganda purposes. But he didn’t dwell on the issue, focusing instead on the need for his country to defend itself against Russia.“We are fighting for our existence,” he said. “We are fighting for our families, for our land. And we are not going to give up.”

U.S. discourages Americans from going to fight in Ukraine

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/14/lawmakers-easily-advance-bill-to-allow-year-round-daylight-saving-time/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — Economic activity and tax revenue would increase and deaths would 
decrease if Nebraska went to year-around daylight saving time, a state 
senator argued Monday.

State
 Sen. Tom Briese of Albion introduced a bill that would, under certain 
conditions, make daylight saving time year-round in the state.

Legislative
 Bill 283 was given first-round approval on a 40-3 vote. The debate came
 a day after Nebraskans made the switch to daylight saving time by 
adjusting their clocks one hour ahead.

Nebraska
 would switch to year-round daylight saving time only if that was 
permitted by the federal government and if three adjoining states also 
approved the switch.&nbsp;

Right
 now, the feds permit states to allow either permanent standard time (as
 Arizona does) or to follow a system of switching back and forth. A 
subcommittee of the U.S. House&nbsp;Energy and Commerce Committee held a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/10/congress-hates-changing-the-clocks-just-like-everyone-else/">hearing</a> last week on the proposal to switch to year-round daylight saving time.

At
 least 19 states have passed bills seeking a change to year-round 
daylight saving time. Briese, who introduced LB 283 along with 22 
cosponsors, said 28 other states are considering bills like his this 
year.

None of Nebraska’s neighbors has approved the switch, although&nbsp;Iowa’s House <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/house-passes-year-round-daylight-saving-time-proposal/">recently</a> passed a bill to switch to year-round daylight saving time, pending federal action.

Currently,
 Nebraska operates on daylight saving time from the second Sunday in 
March to the first Sunday in November, operating on standard time during
 the late fall and winter.

Briese
 said he hears almost universal complaining about the current “spring 
forward, fall back” routine. It is a hard adjustment for many, including
 those who follow a schedule for medications, he said.

The
 senator also told colleagues studies have shown that heart attacks and 
strokes rise by about 24% to 25% in the aftermath of a time change.

“This practice, of changing our clocks twice a year, is actually hurting and killing people,” Briese said.

He
 said providing an additional hour of sunlight after 5 p.m. in the 
winter months would increase consumer spending and productivity.

The
 JPMorgan Chase Institute concluded in a 2016 study that the start of 
daylight saving time in the Los Angeles area sparked an increase of 
daily credit card spending of 0.9%. By contrast, the end of daylight 
saving time decreased consumer spending by 3.5%.

Thus, Briese said, year-round daylight saving times would be a “valuable tool” in growing the economy.

Bayard
 Sen. Steve Erdman objected to a switch to permanent daylight saving 
time, saying it would mean that more schoolchildren would be walking and
 busing to school in the dark.

He
 said he liked that the sun was at its highest point at noon and argued 
that if people didn’t want to adjust their clocks twice a year, going to
 year-round standard time was the answer.

“If it’s good enough for God, it’s good enough for me,” Erdman said.

He added that if people want to golf, they should just adjust their work hours so they get off an hour earlier.

The
 federal government would have to pass a law allowing states to choose 
year-round daylight saving time, Briese said. But, he added, if enough 
states pass bills like LB 283, that would probably happen.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647279718653.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/14/lawmakers-easily-advance-bill-to-allow-year-round-daylight-saving-time/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — Economic activity and tax revenue would increase and deaths would 
decrease if Nebraska went to year-around daylight saving time, a state 
senator argued Monday.State
 Sen. Tom Briese of Albion introduced a bill that would, under certain 
conditions, make daylight saving time year-round in the state.Legislative
 Bill 283 was given first-round approval on a 40-3 vote. The debate came
 a day after Nebraskans made the switch to daylight saving time by 
adjusting their clocks one hour ahead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647279776153.jpeg" alt="Sen. Tom Briese of Albion (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Tom Briese of Albion (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska
 would switch to year-round daylight saving time only if that was 
permitted by the federal government and if three adjoining states also 
approved the switch.&nbsp;Right
 now, the feds permit states to allow either permanent standard time (as
 Arizona does) or to follow a system of switching back and forth. A 
subcommittee of the U.S. House&nbsp;Energy and Commerce Committee held a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/10/congress-hates-changing-the-clocks-just-like-everyone-else/">hearing</a> last week on the proposal to switch to year-round daylight saving time.<h2>Several states pass bills</h2>At
 least 19 states have passed bills seeking a change to year-round 
daylight saving time. Briese, who introduced LB 283 along with 22 
cosponsors, said 28 other states are considering bills like his this 
year.None of Nebraska’s neighbors has approved the switch, although&nbsp;Iowa’s House <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/house-passes-year-round-daylight-saving-time-proposal/">recently</a> passed a bill to switch to year-round daylight saving time, pending federal action.Currently,
 Nebraska operates on daylight saving time from the second Sunday in 
March to the first Sunday in November, operating on standard time during
 the late fall and winter.Briese
 said he hears almost universal complaining about the current “spring 
forward, fall back” routine. It is a hard adjustment for many, including
 those who follow a schedule for medications, he said.<h2>Medical issues</h2>The
 senator also told colleagues studies have shown that heart attacks and 
strokes rise by about 24% to 25% in the aftermath of a time change.“This practice, of changing our clocks twice a year, is actually hurting and killing people,” Briese said.He
 said providing an additional hour of sunlight after 5 p.m. in the 
winter months would increase consumer spending and productivity.The
 JPMorgan Chase Institute concluded in a 2016 study that the start of 
daylight saving time in the Los Angeles area sparked an increase of 
daily credit card spending of 0.9%. By contrast, the end of daylight 
saving time decreased consumer spending by 3.5%.Thus, Briese said, year-round daylight saving times would be a “valuable tool” in growing the economy.<h2>Busing in the dark</h2>Bayard
 Sen. Steve Erdman objected to a switch to permanent daylight saving 
time, saying it would mean that more schoolchildren would be walking and
 busing to school in the dark.He
 said he liked that the sun was at its highest point at noon and argued 
that if people didn’t want to adjust their clocks twice a year, going to
 year-round standard time was the answer.“If it’s good enough for God, it’s good enough for me,” Erdman said.He added that if people want to golf, they should just adjust their work hours so they get off an hour earlier.The
 federal government would have to pass a law allowing states to choose 
year-round daylight saving time, Briese said. But, he added, if enough 
states pass bills like LB 283, that would probably happen.

Neb. lawmakers advance year-round daylight saving time bill

By RON FIELDS <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/post-news-network">Post News Network</a>

Hours after the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, social media channels were barraged with misinformation. Photos and videos of fighter jets being downed, videos of explosions, photos of Russian forces parading through the streets of Moscow or Ukrainians praying in the streets — <a href="https://www.axios.com/uikraine-misinformation-videos-context-c9c13e84-7a9e-4578-8e52-6b8f34379f92.html">all from years or even decades before February 2022. </a>

These images filled social media feeds across the world and were shared countlessly, <a href="https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2022/russia-war-invasion-ukraine-scripted-fake/">fueling misinformation and confusion.</a>

But Ukraine is just one example of the now-constant battle to fight mis- and disinformation online, a problem that has accelerated in recent years. Young people are particularly vulnerable to both believing and sharing false information.

"We are now realizing that the more exposed we are to media, the less we have the tools to deal with all this media content," said Dr. Joseph Erba, strategic communication chair with the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas. "With teenagers especially, we just assume since they've been around social media their whole lives that they know how it works."

Erba was quick to point out that youngsters aren't the only ones struggling with media literacy.&nbsp;

"Adults need help too," he said. "It's disheartening to see how easily people can be misinformed."

<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2019/06/05/many-americans-say-made-up-news-is-a-critical-problem-that-needs-to-be-fixed/">A 2019 study by Pew Research Center</a> found more than half of the 6,000-plus U.S. adults polled admitted to sharing made-up news — the vast majority telling researchers that they didn't know the information was false or misleading.&nbsp;

<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2785686">A recent study by JAMA Pediatrics</a> found that screen time among adolescents grew and astounding four hours a day from pre-pandemic levels — from 3.8 hours a day to 7.7 hours a day.

Each minute added to that figure translates to more and more opportunities young people will be exposed to — and possibly share — misinformation.

"I hesitate to call it fact versus fiction," said Robyn Hartman, information and digital librarian at Fort Hays State University's Forsythe Library. "It's information overload. The more you get hit with difference pieces of information, whether from true news sources or other actors in the field, the less ability you have to distinguish face from an unproven claim or a half-truth or an opinion disguised as news."

There are ample bad actors intentionally creating "fake news" to push an agenda or ideology, Hartman said, making it even more difficult to tell a credible source from a questionable one.

Disseminating false information is nothing new, she added. But in the pre-internet and pre-social media world, that information traveled and spread at an exponentially slower pace. 

Media literacy is a critical piece of a new curriculum plan being rolled at at FHSU. While there are no actual "media literacy" courses, the concept of critical thinking and information literacy will be baked into every aspect of coursework. 

"There's no magic bullet," she said. "I would love to hand you a checklist, but the big emphasis should be on your critical thinking skills. (Fact-checking tools) can help you make those decisions, but it's only a piece of the puzzle."

Erbe pleads with his students to slow down on social media — both to help prevent the spread of misinformation and to change one's own behavior on social media. 

"From a media literacy perspective, one of the tools that has worked the best is thinking to press pause, take a step back and really consider what you're reading here," he said. 

He believes most students entering KU have a "very low level of media literacy."

"The difference I've noted in the classroom is, years ago, students were chatting with each other. Now they are on their phones and even more plugged into media," Erbe said. "The idea of media literacy is not rocket science. The main tenant is to demystify the media, to deconstruct media into pieces small enough we can see what's behind the curtain. If you know how something works, you're less likely to be influenced by it."

He urges his students to use those critical thinking skills prior to blindly believing or sharing what they see on social media — Who is the source? Who is writing it? Where are their credentials? What examples are cited and who is quoted? Is it even a news article?

Jessica Augustine, journalism adviser at Hays High School, said while there is no course specifically focusing on media literacy or misinformation at HHS, "it's part of the stuff we do on a daily basis."

"In 21st Century Journalism, we talk about it — interviewing, balancing sources, finding good sources. I think the kids I have are a bit more aware of the misinformation that's out there. They tend to be more analytical about what they choose," she said. "In general, the student body ... some kids just read whatever is on social media and they take it as fact."

In her 20 years of teaching, Augustine said there have been noticeable behavior changes among young people. 

"In my first year ... it was rare for anyone to have a cellphone. Now it's odd if someone doesn't," she said. "I don't think they socialize face-to-face as well.

"And they're constantly barraged with just tons of information. I think it makes it hard for them to sift through and think about it. ... No one can sit there and fact check over and over and over."

Augustine also urges students to stop and think —&nbsp;hit pause — before sharing social media posts. 

She referenced a December string of incidents in which students were creating Instagram account to bully and publicly shame fellow students <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e24207c9-9f9b-4f93-8e22-3840df309059">— a chain of events that led to an all-school assembly and candid discussion about the risks of social media. </a>

"When you share those types of things, think before you post," she said.

Alex Mahadevan, program manager for the Poytner Institute's <a href="https://www.poynter.org/mediawise/">MediaWise</a>, said it's important to teach young people to think like fact checkers. He pointed out the significant number of first-time voters in 2018 and 2020 elections — many of them getting a bulk of their news from social media.

"The problem itself has only gotten worse and more widespread. Misinformers are getting better. ... People are becoming more polarized. ... <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/confirmation-bias">Confirmation bias</a> is a lot stronger than it was in the past," he said. "While the problem is getting worse, we are trying to scale up quickly to keep up with it."

<a href="https://www.poynter.org/teen-fact-checking-network/">Poytner's Teen Fact-Checking Network</a> has a "newsroom" of teens keeping an eye on social media in an attempt to turn the tide. When a dubious claim is spotted online, these teens will research the subject, write a script and post their findings— <a href="https://www.poynter.org/tfcn/2022/no-that-isnt-a-nuclear-power-plant-next-to-the-olympic-ski-jump/">either confirming or denying,</a> or noting information is <a href="https://www.poynter.org/tfcn/2022/was-2021-the-deadliest-year-for-police/">either lacking or taken out of context.</a>

Even though he works in the fact-checking field, he said he has seen misinformation shared by his own family in India via the Facebook messaging tool WhatsApp.

"It's frustrating, because they're not doing it on purpose," Mahadevan said. "But there's only so much fact checkers can do. One content farm in Macedonia could reach 100 million people in a day. ... We've tried to follow misinformation from platform to platform, but it's an arms race."

He also pointed to algorithms used by Facebook/Meta and other social media networks to determine what fills a news feed. 

"We're trying to help people understand why they see what they see. It could be curated by an computer algorithm rewarding negative engagement," he said. 

Mahadevan said parents need to help their children understand that what they see and share online can have real-world consequences on their future, noting billions of dollars being funneled into climate change denial efforts. 

"People are voting for politicians, doing things that are actively harming their future based on disinformation and misinformation online," he said. "Your future is at stake."

Recent changes by Facebook to downplay local news sources in news feeds is "extremely frustrating," Mahadevan added. 

"What happens at a local level has such a profound effect on your life compared to memes," he said. "What you (local news organizations) do at a local level has so much of a deeper effect than the things they see on Facebook, which is not doing a good job of amplifying local news."

And with many areas of the country now living within a "news desert" as an increasing number of newspapers close or cut staff, Mahadevan said that lack of local information is worrisome — noting a proper news diet should have local news as its foundation.

"That has been one of the biggest drivers of media illiteracy — the death of local news," he said. "The decline of local news has had a devastating effect on media literacy in the U.S."

By RON FIELDS <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/post-news-network">Post News Network</a>Hours after the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, social media channels were barraged with misinformation. Photos and videos of fighter jets being downed, videos of explosions, photos of Russian forces parading through the streets of Moscow or Ukrainians praying in the streets — <a href="https://www.axios.com/uikraine-misinformation-videos-context-c9c13e84-7a9e-4578-8e52-6b8f34379f92.html">all from years or even decades before February 2022. </a>These images filled social media feeds across the world and were shared countlessly, <a href="https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2022/russia-war-invasion-ukraine-scripted-fake/">fueling misinformation and confusion.</a>But Ukraine is just one example of the now-constant battle to fight mis- and disinformation online, a problem that has accelerated in recent years. Young people are particularly vulnerable to both believing and sharing false information.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646672222349.jpeg" alt="Joseph Erba" />
 <figcaption>Joseph Erba</figcaption>
 </figure>"We are now realizing that the more exposed we are to media, the less we have the tools to deal with all this media content," said Dr. Joseph Erba, strategic communication chair with the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas. "With teenagers especially, we just assume since they've been around social media their whole lives that they know how it works."Erba was quick to point out that youngsters aren't the only ones struggling with media literacy.&nbsp;"Adults need help too," he said. "It's disheartening to see how easily people can be misinformed."<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2019/06/05/many-americans-say-made-up-news-is-a-critical-problem-that-needs-to-be-fixed/">A 2019 study by Pew Research Center</a> found more than half of the 6,000-plus U.S. adults polled admitted to sharing made-up news — the vast majority telling researchers that they didn't know the information was false or misleading.&nbsp;<h2>More screen time</h2><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2785686">A recent study by JAMA Pediatrics</a> found that screen time among adolescents grew and astounding four hours a day from pre-pandemic levels — from 3.8 hours a day to 7.7 hours a day.Each minute added to that figure translates to more and more opportunities young people will be exposed to — and possibly share — misinformation."I hesitate to call it fact versus fiction," said Robyn Hartman, information and digital librarian at Fort Hays State University's Forsythe Library. "It's information overload. The more you get hit with difference pieces of information, whether from true news sources or other actors in the field, the less ability you have to distinguish face from an unproven claim or a half-truth or an opinion disguised as news."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646672369750.jpeg" alt="Robyn Hartman" />
 <figcaption>Robyn Hartman</figcaption>
 </figure>There are ample bad actors intentionally creating "fake news" to push an agenda or ideology, Hartman said, making it even more difficult to tell a credible source from a questionable one.Disseminating false information is nothing new, she added. But in the pre-internet and pre-social media world, that information traveled and spread at an exponentially slower pace. Media literacy is a critical piece of a new curriculum plan being rolled at at FHSU. While there are no actual "media literacy" courses, the concept of critical thinking and information literacy will be baked into every aspect of coursework. "There's no magic bullet," she said. "I would love to hand you a checklist, but the big emphasis should be on your critical thinking skills. (Fact-checking tools) can help you make those decisions, but it's only a piece of the puzzle."<h2>Pressing pause</h2>Erbe pleads with his students to slow down on social media — both to help prevent the spread of misinformation and to change one's own behavior on social media. "From a media literacy perspective, one of the tools that has worked the best is thinking to press pause, take a step back and really consider what you're reading here," he said. He believes most students entering KU have a "very low level of media literacy.""The difference I've noted in the classroom is, years ago, students were chatting with each other. Now they are on their phones and even more plugged into media," Erbe said. "The idea of media literacy is not rocket science. The main tenant is to demystify the media, to deconstruct media into pieces small enough we can see what's behind the curtain. If you know how something works, you're less likely to be influenced by it."He urges his students to use those critical thinking skills prior to blindly believing or sharing what they see on social media — Who is the source? Who is writing it? Where are their credentials? What examples are cited and who is quoted? Is it even a news article?<h2>In the classroom</h2>Jessica Augustine, journalism adviser at Hays High School, said while there is no course specifically focusing on media literacy or misinformation at HHS, "it's part of the stuff we do on a daily basis.""In 21st Century Journalism, we talk about it — interviewing, balancing sources, finding good sources. I think the kids I have are a bit more aware of the misinformation that's out there. They tend to be more analytical about what they choose," she said. "In general, the student body ... some kids just read whatever is on social media and they take it as fact."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646672316191.jpeg" alt="Jessica Augustine" />
 <figcaption>Jessica Augustine</figcaption>
 </figure>In her 20 years of teaching, Augustine said there have been noticeable behavior changes among young people. "In my first year ... it was rare for anyone to have a cellphone. Now it's odd if someone doesn't," she said. "I don't think they socialize face-to-face as well."And they're constantly barraged with just tons of information. I think it makes it hard for them to sift through and think about it. ... No one can sit there and fact check over and over and over."Augustine also urges students to stop and think —&nbsp;hit pause — before sharing social media posts. She referenced a December string of incidents in which students were creating Instagram account to bully and publicly shame fellow students <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e24207c9-9f9b-4f93-8e22-3840df309059">— a chain of events that led to an all-school assembly and candid discussion about the risks of social media. </a>"When you share those types of things, think before you post," she said.<h2>Arms race</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646672161575.jpeg" alt="Alex Mahadevan" />
 <figcaption>Alex Mahadevan</figcaption>
 </figure>Alex Mahadevan, program manager for the Poytner Institute's <a href="https://www.poynter.org/mediawise/">MediaWise</a>, said it's important to teach young people to think like fact checkers. He pointed out the significant number of first-time voters in 2018 and 2020 elections — many of them getting a bulk of their news from social media."The problem itself has only gotten worse and more widespread. Misinformers are getting better. ... People are becoming more polarized. ... <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/confirmation-bias">Confirmation bias</a> is a lot stronger than it was in the past," he said. "While the problem is getting worse, we are trying to scale up quickly to keep up with it."<a href="https://www.poynter.org/teen-fact-checking-network/">Poytner's Teen Fact-Checking Network</a> has a "newsroom" of teens keeping an eye on social media in an attempt to turn the tide. When a dubious claim is spotted online, these teens will research the subject, write a script and post their findings— <a href="https://www.poynter.org/tfcn/2022/no-that-isnt-a-nuclear-power-plant-next-to-the-olympic-ski-jump/">either confirming or denying,</a> or noting information is <a href="https://www.poynter.org/tfcn/2022/was-2021-the-deadliest-year-for-police/">either lacking or taken out of context.</a><figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JRSB7BwHUQg"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Even though he works in the fact-checking field, he said he has seen misinformation shared by his own family in India via the Facebook messaging tool WhatsApp."It's frustrating, because they're not doing it on purpose," Mahadevan said. "But there's only so much fact checkers can do. One content farm in Macedonia could reach 100 million people in a day. ... We've tried to follow misinformation from platform to platform, but it's an arms race."He also pointed to algorithms used by Facebook/Meta and other social media networks to determine what fills a news feed. "We're trying to help people understand why they see what they see. It could be curated by an computer algorithm rewarding negative engagement," he said. Mahadevan said parents need to help their children understand that what they see and share online can have real-world consequences on their future, noting billions of dollars being funneled into climate change denial efforts. "People are voting for politicians, doing things that are actively harming their future based on disinformation and misinformation online," he said. "Your future is at stake."Recent changes by Facebook to downplay local news sources in news feeds is "extremely frustrating," Mahadevan added. "What happens at a local level has such a profound effect on your life compared to memes," he said. "What you (local news organizations) do at a local level has so much of a deeper effect than the things they see on Facebook, which is not doing a good job of amplifying local news."And with many areas of the country now living within a "news desert" as an increasing number of newspapers close or cut staff, Mahadevan said that lack of local information is worrisome — noting a proper news diet should have local news as its foundation."That has been one of the biggest drivers of media illiteracy — the death of local news," he said. "The decline of local news has had a devastating effect on media literacy in the U.S."<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bm3Yyn-xn-4"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cover image courtesy MediaWise

🎥 Pounded by waves of misinformation, youth struggle with media literacy

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. official said Russia asked China for military equipment to use in its invasion of Ukraine, a request that heightened tensions about the ongoing war ahead of a Monday meeting in Rome between top aides for the U.S. and Chinese governments.

In advance of the talks, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan bluntly warned China to avoid helping Russia evade punishment from global sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy. “We will not allow that to go forward,” he said. China in turn accused on Monday the U.S. of spreading “disinformation.”

The prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one of several concerns for President Joe Biden. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that in recent days, Russia had requested support from China, including military equipment, to press forward in its ongoing war with Ukraine. The official did not provide details on the scope of the request. The request was first reported by the Financial Times and The Washington Post.

The Biden administration is also accusing China of spreading Russian disinformation that could be a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces to attack Ukraine with chemical or biological weapons.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put China in a delicate spot with two of its biggest trading partners: the U.S. and European Union. China needs access to those markets, yet it also has shown support for Moscow, joining with Russia in declaring a friendship with “no limits.”

In his talks with senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi, Sullivan will indeed be looking for limits in what Beijing will do for Moscow.

“I’m not going to sit here publicly and brandish threats,” he told CNN in a round of Sunday news show interviews. “But what I will tell you is we are communicating directly and privately to Beijing that there absolutely will be consequences” if China helps Russia “backfill” its losses from the sanctions.

“We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country anywhere in the world,” he said.

Without giving details, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday that the “Ukraine situation will definitely be a hot topic” at the meeting, which had been scheduled before Russia invaded its neighbor.

Asked at a daily briefing about the reported Russian request for assistance, Zhao responded: “The U.S. has been spreading disinformation targeting China recently over the Ukraine issue. It is malicious.”

“What is pressing now is that all parties should exercise restraint and strive to cool down the situation, rather than fueling the tension,” Zhao told reporters. “We should promote diplomatic settlements instead of further escalating the situation.”

In a statement posted on the ministry’s website late Sunday, Zhao did not mention Ukraine, but said the sides would “exchange views on China-U.S. relations and international and regional issues of common concern.”

The White House said the talks will focus on the direct impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on regional and global security.

Biden administration officials say Beijing is spreading false Russian claims that Ukraine was running chemical and biological weapons labs with U.S. support. They say China&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-jen-psaki-chemical-weapons-weapons-of-mass-destruction-f01cedf434ec697034b2912696a3448b">is effectively providing cover</a>&nbsp;if Russia moves ahead with a biological or chemical weapons attack on Ukrainians.

When Russia starts accusing other countries of preparing to launch biological or chemical attacks, Sullivan told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “it’s a good tell that they may be on the cusp of doing it themselves.”

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, on ABC’s “This Week,” said “we haven’t seen anything that indicates some sort of imminent chemical or biological attack right now, but we’re watching this very, very closely.”

The striking U.S. accusations about Russian disinformation and Chinese complicity came after Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged with no evidence that the U.S. was financing Ukrainian chemical and biological weapons labs.

The Russian claim was echoed by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao, who claimed there were 26 bio-labs and related facilities in “which the U.S. Department of Defense has absolute control.” The United Nations has said it has received no information backing up such accusations.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the claims “preposterous.”

There is growing concern inside the White House that China is aligning itself with Russia on the Ukraine war in hopes it will advance Beijing’s “vision of the world order” in the long term, according to a person familiar with administration thinking. The person was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Sullivan told “Face the Nation” on CBS that the Russian rhetoric on chemical and biological warfare is “an indicator that, in fact, the Russians are getting ready to do it and try and pin the blame elsewhere and nobody should fall for that.”

The international community has assessed that Russia used chemical weapons in attempts to assassinate Putin detractors such as Alexei Navalny and former spy Sergei Skripal. Russia also supports the Assad government in Syria, which has used chemical weapons against its people in a decade-long civil war.

China has been one of few countries to avoid criticizing the Russians for its invasion of Ukraine. China’s leader Xi Jinping hosted Putin for the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, just three weeks before Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

During Putin’s visit, the two leaders issued a 5,000-word statement declaring limitless “friendship”.

The Chinese abstained on U.N. votes censuring Russia and has criticized economic sanctions against Moscow. It has expressed its support for peace talks and offered its services as a mediator, despite questions about its neutrality and scant experience mediating international conflict.

But questions remain over how far Beijing will go to alienate the West and put its own economy at risk. Sullivan said China and all countries are on notice that they cannot “basically bail Russia out ... give Russia a workaround to the sanctions,” with impunity.

Chinese officials have said Washington shouldn’t be able to complain about Russia’s actions because the U.S. invaded Iraq under false pretenses. The U.S. claimed to have evidence Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction though none was ever found.

On CNN, Sullivan said the administration believes China knew that Putin “was planning something” before the invasion of Ukraine. But he said the Chinese government “may not have understood the full extent of it because it’s very possible that Putin lied to them the same way that he lied to Europeans and others.”

Sullivan and Yang last met for face-to-face talks in Switzerland, where Sullivan raised the Biden administration’s concerns about China’s military provocations against Taiwan, human rights abuses against ethnic minorities and efforts to squelch pro-democracy advocates in Hong Kong.

That meeting set the stage for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-meeting-e6013378e03727b85a8f59f71fe61f4a">three-hour long virtual meeting</a>&nbsp;in November between Biden and Xi.

Sullivan is also to meet Luigi Mattiolo, diplomatic adviser to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, while in Rome.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645218431708.png" alt="The prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one of several concerns for President Joe Biden.-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one of several concerns for President Joe Biden.-photo courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. official said Russia asked China for military equipment to use in its invasion of Ukraine, a request that heightened tensions about the ongoing war ahead of a Monday meeting in Rome between top aides for the U.S. and Chinese governments.In advance of the talks, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan bluntly warned China to avoid helping Russia evade punishment from global sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy. “We will not allow that to go forward,” he said. China in turn accused on Monday the U.S. of spreading “disinformation.”The prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one of several concerns for President Joe Biden. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that in recent days, Russia had requested support from China, including military equipment, to press forward in its ongoing war with Ukraine. The official did not provide details on the scope of the request. The request was first reported by the Financial Times and The Washington Post.The Biden administration is also accusing China of spreading Russian disinformation that could be a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces to attack Ukraine with chemical or biological weapons.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put China in a delicate spot with two of its biggest trading partners: the U.S. and European Union. China needs access to those markets, yet it also has shown support for Moscow, joining with Russia in declaring a friendship with “no limits.”In his talks with senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi, Sullivan will indeed be looking for limits in what Beijing will do for Moscow.“I’m not going to sit here publicly and brandish threats,” he told CNN in a round of Sunday news show interviews. “But what I will tell you is we are communicating directly and privately to Beijing that there absolutely will be consequences” if China helps Russia “backfill” its losses from the sanctions.“We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country anywhere in the world,” he said.Without giving details, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday that the “Ukraine situation will definitely be a hot topic” at the meeting, which had been scheduled before Russia invaded its neighbor.Asked at a daily briefing about the reported Russian request for assistance, Zhao responded: “The U.S. has been spreading disinformation targeting China recently over the Ukraine issue. It is malicious.”“What is pressing now is that all parties should exercise restraint and strive to cool down the situation, rather than fueling the tension,” Zhao told reporters. “We should promote diplomatic settlements instead of further escalating the situation.”In a statement posted on the ministry’s website late Sunday, Zhao did not mention Ukraine, but said the sides would “exchange views on China-U.S. relations and international and regional issues of common concern.”The White House said the talks will focus on the direct impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on regional and global security.Biden administration officials say Beijing is spreading false Russian claims that Ukraine was running chemical and biological weapons labs with U.S. support. They say China&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-jen-psaki-chemical-weapons-weapons-of-mass-destruction-f01cedf434ec697034b2912696a3448b">is effectively providing cover</a>&nbsp;if Russia moves ahead with a biological or chemical weapons attack on Ukrainians.When Russia starts accusing other countries of preparing to launch biological or chemical attacks, Sullivan told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “it’s a good tell that they may be on the cusp of doing it themselves.”Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, on ABC’s “This Week,” said “we haven’t seen anything that indicates some sort of imminent chemical or biological attack right now, but we’re watching this very, very closely.”The striking U.S. accusations about Russian disinformation and Chinese complicity came after Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged with no evidence that the U.S. was financing Ukrainian chemical and biological weapons labs.The Russian claim was echoed by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao, who claimed there were 26 bio-labs and related facilities in “which the U.S. Department of Defense has absolute control.” The United Nations has said it has received no information backing up such accusations.White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the claims “preposterous.”There is growing concern inside the White House that China is aligning itself with Russia on the Ukraine war in hopes it will advance Beijing’s “vision of the world order” in the long term, according to a person familiar with administration thinking. The person was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.Sullivan told “Face the Nation” on CBS that the Russian rhetoric on chemical and biological warfare is “an indicator that, in fact, the Russians are getting ready to do it and try and pin the blame elsewhere and nobody should fall for that.”The international community has assessed that Russia used chemical weapons in attempts to assassinate Putin detractors such as Alexei Navalny and former spy Sergei Skripal. Russia also supports the Assad government in Syria, which has used chemical weapons against its people in a decade-long civil war.China has been one of few countries to avoid criticizing the Russians for its invasion of Ukraine. China’s leader Xi Jinping hosted Putin for the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, just three weeks before Russia invaded on Feb. 24.During Putin’s visit, the two leaders issued a 5,000-word statement declaring limitless “friendship”.The Chinese abstained on U.N. votes censuring Russia and has criticized economic sanctions against Moscow. It has expressed its support for peace talks and offered its services as a mediator, despite questions about its neutrality and scant experience mediating international conflict.But questions remain over how far Beijing will go to alienate the West and put its own economy at risk. Sullivan said China and all countries are on notice that they cannot “basically bail Russia out ... give Russia a workaround to the sanctions,” with impunity.Chinese officials have said Washington shouldn’t be able to complain about Russia’s actions because the U.S. invaded Iraq under false pretenses. The U.S. claimed to have evidence Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction though none was ever found.On CNN, Sullivan said the administration believes China knew that Putin “was planning something” before the invasion of Ukraine. But he said the Chinese government “may not have understood the full extent of it because it’s very possible that Putin lied to them the same way that he lied to Europeans and others.”Sullivan and Yang last met for face-to-face talks in Switzerland, where Sullivan raised the Biden administration’s concerns about China’s military provocations against Taiwan, human rights abuses against ethnic minorities and efforts to squelch pro-democracy advocates in Hong Kong.That meeting set the stage for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-meeting-e6013378e03727b85a8f59f71fe61f4a">three-hour long virtual meeting</a>&nbsp;in November between Biden and Xi.Sullivan is also to meet Luigi Mattiolo, diplomatic adviser to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, while in Rome.___

White House warns China to avoid helping Russia in Ukraine

EUREKA, Kan. (AP) — One person has died after fire destroyed a home in the small southeastern Kansas town of Eureka. KSNW-TV reports that the fire was reported around 3:15 a.m. Saturday. 

The fire department says crews arrived to find the home fully engulfed in flames, spreading to a second structure. 

Details about the victim, including which building that person was in, have not been released. An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

EUREKA, Kan. (AP) — One person has died after fire destroyed a home in the small southeastern Kansas town of Eureka. KSNW-TV reports that the fire was reported around 3:15 a.m. Saturday. The fire department says crews arrived to find the home fully engulfed in flames, spreading to a second structure. Details about the victim, including which building that person was in, have not been released. An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

One person dead after fire destroys Kansas home 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha City Council will consider reducing the decision-making powers for the city health director in the event of an epidemic. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the proposal up for discussion Tuesday comes two months after Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse issued a mask mandate for Omaha amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. 

The proposed ordinance would give the city health director only the power to certify the presence of an epidemic. If a threat is established, a special epidemic health director would be responsible for coming up with a plan to manage it. Any order could be rejected by the mayor. 

The City Council also would have the ability to weigh in.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629381462356.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha City Council will consider reducing the decision-making powers for the city health director in the event of an epidemic. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the proposal up for discussion Tuesday comes two months after Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse issued a mask mandate for Omaha amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. The proposed ordinance would give the city health director only the power to certify the presence of an epidemic. If a threat is established, a special epidemic health director would be responsible for coming up with a plan to manage it. Any order could be rejected by the mayor. The City Council also would have the ability to weigh in.

Omaha to weigh reducing health chief's power in an epidemic

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An investigation continues after a fatal crash in Omaha. 

The accident happened just after 11 p.m. Saturday at 42nd Street and Grover. 

Police say a 2017 Jeep Compass was making a left turn into a store parking lot when a 2011 Chevrolet Impala traveling at a high rate of speed struck the Jeep. 

Firefighters saw the accident and responded, but the Jeep driver was pronounced dead at the scene. 

She was identified as 35-year-old Regina K. Bright of Omaha. The 21-year-old driver of the Impala suffered a knee injury.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1559744286393.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An investigation continues after a fatal crash in Omaha. The accident happened just after 11 p.m. Saturday at 42nd Street and Grover. Police say a 2017 Jeep Compass was making a left turn into a store parking lot when a 2011 Chevrolet Impala traveling at a high rate of speed struck the Jeep. Firefighters saw the accident and responded, but the Jeep driver was pronounced dead at the scene. She was identified as 35-year-old Regina K. Bright of Omaha. The 21-year-old driver of the Impala suffered a knee injury.

Woman killed in two-vehicle accident in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police are investigating the fatal shooting of a teenager. 

Police said the shooting happened just after 10 p.m. Saturday. Officers called to 161st Avenue found 18-year-old Tanner Farrell had been shot. Farrell was taken to a hospital, where he later died. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560127290802.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police are investigating the fatal shooting of a teenager. Police said the shooting happened just after 10 p.m. Saturday. Officers called to 161st Avenue found 18-year-old Tanner Farrell had been shot. Farrell was taken to a hospital, where he later died. No arrests have been made.

Teenager fatally shot in Omaha; no arrests made

FORD COUNTY, Kan.—Three children from Iowa died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Saturday in Ford County, Kansas.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by David C.&nbsp;Clements, 43, West Des Moines, IA, was westbound on U.S. Highway 54 eight miles west of the Kansas Highway 34 Junction.

The sedan traveled left of center and struck an eastbound 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Ali&nbsp;Hassani, 30, Portland, Oregon.

Three passengers identified as 12-year-old Juno Clements, 10-year-old Arabella Clements and 7-year-old Harper Clements all of&nbsp; Johnson, Iowa, were pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported David Clements to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita. Hassani was not injured.

 The 10-year-old and 7-year-old were not properly restrained, according to the the KHP.

FORD COUNTY, Kan.—Three children from Iowa died in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Saturday in Ford County, Kansas.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by David C.&nbsp;Clements, 43, West Des Moines, IA, was westbound on U.S. Highway 54 eight miles west of the Kansas Highway 34 Junction.The sedan traveled left of center and struck an eastbound 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Ali&nbsp;Hassani, 30, Portland, Oregon.Three passengers identified as 12-year-old Juno Clements, 10-year-old Arabella Clements and 7-year-old Harper Clements all of&nbsp; Johnson, Iowa, were pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported David Clements to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita. Hassani was not injured. The 10-year-old and 7-year-old were not properly restrained, according to the the KHP.

3 children dead after car, semi crash on Kansas highway

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The death of a Lincoln fire inspector at his home will be considered a death in the line of duty. 

Fifty-seven-year-old Don Gross died of a heart attack at his home on Jan. 4. 

Karla Houfek, a coordinator with Nebraska’s Local Assistance State Team, says Gross died within 24 hours of performing stressful, strenuous work as part of his job. That meets the federal criteria for his death to be considered a job-related.

 Gross had been on scene of a structure fire in Lincoln in the hours before his death. 

The ruling means Gross' family is eligible for a payment from the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647172422393.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The death of a Lincoln fire inspector at his home will be considered a death in the line of duty. Fifty-seven-year-old Don Gross died of a heart attack at his home on Jan. 4. Karla Houfek, a coordinator with Nebraska’s Local Assistance State Team, says Gross died within 24 hours of performing stressful, strenuous work as part of his job. That meets the federal criteria for his death to be considered a job-related. Gross had been on scene of a structure fire in Lincoln in the hours before his death. The ruling means Gross' family is eligible for a payment from the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program.

Lincoln fire inspector's death at home ruled in line of duty

A shrinking number of well-known companies are still doing business in Russia, even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-business-europe-lifestyle-ca0aabe1c4a8fb3fbc0baec76a9c5666">hundreds</a>&nbsp;have announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-lifestyle-restaurants-1cb12b1112a4542dde48c962762be3cc">curtail ties</a>.

Burger King restaurants are open, Eli Lilly is supplying drugs, and PepsiCo is selling milk and baby food, but no more soda.

By TALI ARBEL, Associated. PressA shrinking number of well-known companies are still doing business in Russia, even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-business-europe-lifestyle-ca0aabe1c4a8fb3fbc0baec76a9c5666">hundreds</a>&nbsp;have announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-lifestyle-restaurants-1cb12b1112a4542dde48c962762be3cc">curtail ties</a>.Burger King restaurants are open, Eli Lilly is supplying drugs, and PepsiCo is selling milk and baby food, but no more soda.The pace of businesses exiting Russia accelerated over the past week as the deadly violence and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine worsened, and as Western governments ratcheted up economic sanctions to punish Russia for its two-week-old invasion. Major oil companies BP and Shell walked away from multibillion-dollar investments. McDonald’s and Starbucks stopped serving customers.The companies that still have a presence in Russia say they have franchise owners or employees to consider; they don’t want to punish Russians by taking away food or medicine; or they provide software or financial services for Western businesses that aren’t easy to replace.“It’s a business calculation. On the stay side: How much revenue do they earn in Russia? Do they provide an essential service?” said Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. “Each day that passes, though, calculations change. Sanctions against Russia are likely to last a long time, along with rising revulsion.”Some companies in lower-profile industries like agriculture have been able to fly under the radar and avoid the type of social media pressure that had been directed at brands such as McDonald’s, Uniqlo and Starbucks, before they decided to cut ties this week, if only temporarily.But in this era of hyper-awareness that some customers and even employees have about the positions companies take on social and moral issues, those still doing business with — or in — Russia are putting their reputations on the line.Take Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo, which drew negative attention after the CEO of its parent company told the Nikkei newspaper&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Ukraine-war/Uniqlo-to-continue-selling-clothes-in-Russia" target="_blank">in a story published</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that the reason to keep nearly 50 Russian stores open was that: “clothing is a necessity of life.” By Thursday, Uniqlo said it would close the stores.“There’s potentially a big downside of companies to be on the wrong side of this,” Lovely said.Many large multinationals didn’t flee Russia at the start of the war. But that changed as the invasion led to increasing violence — and more than 2 million refugees fleeing Ukraine.There are now more than 300 companies that have curtailed operations in Russia,&nbsp;<a href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-300-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain" target="_blank">according to a list</a>&nbsp;maintained by a team at Yale. Apple stopped shipments. Google paused ad sales. Automakers halted production. Hollywood studios ceased releasing films, and Netflix stopped streaming.Some of these decisions were driven by the need to comply with the sanctions Western governments leveled at Russia; others came because of supply chain issues or the fear of a hit to their reputations. S&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-joe-biden-business-congress-a187eb7dcbb8e8c7224adb518392bab2">anctions</a>&nbsp;have already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-japan-9fbeb1c66c523f4018abb8ebc6580839">taken a toll</a>&nbsp;on Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-moscow-perm-9789398569c54f5ed3062410845dff06">economy&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-middle-east-global-trade-12ba42660a05c0b3ff533aec4e73bbac">global trade</a>.Some companies that plan to sever ties with Russia say it isn’t so simple.Citigroup said Wednesday that selling its 11 Russian bank branches will be difficult because the country’s economy has been cut off from the global financial system. Until then, Citi said it is “operating the business on a more limited basis” and is helping its U.S. and other corporate clients suspend their businesses in Russia.Likewise, Amazon says its biggest cloud-computing customers in Russia are headquartered elsewhere. The company said Tuesday it has stopped accepting new cloud-computing customers in Russia and that it plans to suspend e-commerce shipments to Russia.Fast-food companies often have franchising agreements that complicate an exit, because they don’t own those locations.That helps explain why Restaurant Brands International, owner of Burger King, is keeping its 800 restaurants open in Russia. And why Yum Brands, parent company of KFC and Pizza Hut, announced the closure of 70 company-owned KFCs across Russia, but not the nearly 1,000 franchisee-owned KFCs, or its 50 Pizza Hut locations.This sometimes applies to hotels as well: Marriott says its Russian hotels are owned by third parties, and it’s evaluating their ability to remain open.“I think a lot of these companies are expecting a backlash if they’re staying,” said Susanne Wengle, a political science professor and Russia expert at Notre Dame.McDonald’s action in Russia was easier: it owns most of the 850 restaurants in Russia it will temporarily close.But there are companies that remain in Russia — whether in whole or in part — and say that it’s because they view their products as essential.Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is one of them. “We continue to distribute medicines in Russia as patients with cancer, diabetes and auto-immune diseases everywhere count on us to support them,” said spokesperson Tarsis Lopez, noting that EU and U.S. sanctions do not apply to medicine.PepsiCo said it will stop selling soda, but that it will continue to supply milk, baby formula and baby food in Russia. And Unilever said it will keep selling “everyday essential” Russian-made food and hygiene products to Russians, but that it will stop exporting and advertising these products.Tech companies have their own balancing act. Providers of internet-based services like Google, Twitter and Facebook have been mostly reluctant to take actions that could deprive Russian citizens access to information other than what they get from state media. (Russia blocked Facebook and Twitter, however, and then TikTok largely suspended its service in the country.)The response from industrial food producers has been complicated by Russia’s role as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-africa-lifestyle-middle-east-1b41faaa7ac0984d0673023b68d39a70">major exporter&nbsp;</a>of wheat and other commodities.Bunge, which has assets of $121 million in Russia, said Thursday that its Russian oilseed plant will operate and serve the domestic market, but that it has suspended “any new export business.” Farm equipment maker John Deere said it has stopped machine shipments to Russia; it is monitoring a Russian plant that makes seeding equipment and its dealer network in the country “day-by-day.” Cargill and ADM, other agriculture companies, have not responded to questions.These companies don’t want the Russian government to seize their assets should they close up shop, said Vincent Smith, an economics professor at Montana State University.Other companies point to their employees’ livelihoods in rationalizing decisions to stay, or not completely sever ties.Starbucks initially expressed concern for its 2,000 Russian employees before reversing course Tuesday. The Kuwaiti company that franchises its 130 Russian stores is closing them, but continuing to pay employees.British American Tobacco on Wednesday said it would keep making and selling cigarettes in Russia, where it has 2,500 employees, citing a “duty of care” for employees.___