Newsletter Apr 22, 2021

The war of words with Russia struck a threatening tone when heavy-handed leader Vladimir Putin put the U.S. and his own citizens on notice.

3 Things

Putin his foot down: Russian President Vladimir Putin had some harsh words for his domestic enemies and even harsher words for foreign rivals in the West about the ongoing upheaval in his country.
Responding to thousand of protesters in the streets and strict U.S.-led sanctions against Russia, Putin told citizens to stay home and outsiders to mind their own business or face dire consequences.
"The organisers of any provocations threatening the fundamental interests of our security will regret their deeds, more than they have regretted anything in a long time," Putin declared on Wednesday. " ... I hope that no one will think of crossing the red line in relation to Russia. And where it will be -- we will determine that ourselves."
Protesters are calling for medical treatment for detained dissident Alexei Navalny, Putin's biggest domestic challenger, who is reportedly dying from a hunger strike he began three weeks ago. Navalny's lawyers are pleading for their client to receive immediate medical attention at a hospital, but their requests are being ignored.
The same can't be said for the U.S., which is involved in conflict with Russia on a variety of fronts, including the Kremlin's troop buildups on the Ukrainian border. Biden is trying to walk the thin line of punishing Russia for election meddling, computer hacking and other violations while also leaving the door open to diplomatic dialogue.
FIND OUT EXACTLY WHERE PUTIN IS DRAWING A 'RED LINE'

Missed goal: For soccer fans around the world, there was a much bigger international crisis this week than any political conflicts.
Enthusiasts of the world's most popular sport were blindsided by the announcement that the newly formed Super League would end the traditional club system. The plan was to cherry-pick the top programs from Europe's elite leagues and form a competing organization that would leave the national-league system and UEFA in shambles.
But one thing soccer fans know how to do is make some noise, and protests throughout Europe erupted in protest. Pressured by fans and clubs, the Super League was forced to call it quits just three days after its announcement after 10 of the 12 clubs dropped out.
"We got it wrong," Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer said. "... It goes without saying but should be said, the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans."
FIND OUT HOW FANS ARE REACTING TO THE REVERSAL

Moon pie in the sky?: President Joe Biden has spent much of his first three months in office dismantling virtually every initiative under the sun taken by his predecessor -- but not one involving the moon.
Biden's nominee to head NASA recommitted to a lunar-landing program approved by the Trump administration Wednesday, saying that crossing into space should not cross into the realm of politics.
â€œThese projects are not one administration, theyâ€™re many. Like building an aircraft carrier, you start it and itâ€™ll take you years down the road,â€ said former Rep. Bill Nelson, who commanded the Columbia space shuttle missions . â€œIt has to be continued regardless of whoâ€™s in the majority, regardless of whoâ€™s in the presidency.â€
While Nelson and the moon mission have broad bipartisan support, the aggressive timeline of 2024 has become a point of contention. Many doubt the program can pulled off in such a short time period, while others wonder why the mission isn't more focused on Mars.
FIND OUT THE LIKELY FATE OF THE 2024 MOON LANDING

Markets

DJIA	34,137.31	0.93%
S&P 500	4,173.42	0.93%
Nasdaq Composite	13,950.22	1.19%
Japan: Nikkei 225	29,152.56	2.26%
UK: FTSE 100	6,895.29	0.52%
Crude Oil Futures	60.90	-0.73%
Gold Futures	1,789.40	-0.21%
Yen	108.04	-0.02%
Euro	1.20	-0.04%
* As of market close

'Are we there yet?'

Family vacations were put on hold last summer as Americans opted to take staycations in favor of navigating travel protocols and self-quarantine mandates. But with vaccination rates climbing and hot spots cooling, eager vacationers are taking a page out of the old-school playbook.

Born in the 1950s when Americans began traveling the country by car, the traditional family summer vacation is back. Rather than flying to exotic locales or flocking to more populated amusement parks and big cities, vacationers are opting to pile in the vehicle and go to the closest coast.

â€œBecause of the last year, thereâ€™s pent-up demand for travel this summer which makes it more competitive to book your typical vacation spots,â€ said Zander Buteux, head of organic growth at VacationRenter.com. â€œSmaller cities and areas that donâ€™t traditionally experience summer tourism are growing in response to other locations booking up faster than before.â€

The family station wagon is now an SUV, and those impossible-to-fold road maps have given way to GPS technology, but the spirit behind the family road trip remains the same. TripAdvisor says nearly half of all travelers is planning a domestic vacation to the seashore this summer.

CHECK OUT THIS SUMMER'S TOP 10 U.S. BEACH DESTINATIONS

Olympic pandemic

The clock is ticking on organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and cases of COVID-19 in Japan are on the uptick. The conflicting countdowns leave the world wondering what the already-postponed Summer Games will look like, and health officials asking if the games should go on at all.

After announcing that the 2020 Olympics would go on one year after they were originally scheduled, officials were forced to ban international fans from attending events due to the pandemic. Now they are saying local fans might also be out, leaving a noticeable absence of excitement.

"The Covid-19 situation is changing as we speak," said Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto, delaying the policy until closer to Opening Ceremonies. "There are only 93 days left to go. We would like to make a proper judgement, and we may need more time in order to be able to do that. We need to carefully make a final decision about the spectators."

Attendance isn't the only obstacle organizers are facing as issues have began to cross onto the fields of play. A number of test events have been delayed, cancelled or moved abroad as officials scramble for solutions.

FIND OUT IF TOKYO WILL BE GOOD TO GO FOR THE OLYMPICS

Apple of my iPad

Apple unveiled some of its new and improved products and programs this week, and some have the impact of the pandemic written all over them.

Apple rolled out a new lineup of powered-up iPad Pro Tablets, including some with 5G connectivity, in response to a surge in tablet usage for home-based work and play. The new iMacs also got a sleeker makeover and a major memory boost via the M1 chip that gives users more power.

"The revolutionary M1 chip has been a breakthrough for the Mac, and we're incredibly excited to bring it to iPad Pro," said Apple senior vice president Greg Joswiak, who credited the M1 chip for providing a "huge jump in performance... all in a device users can hold in one hand."

Apple also announced the long-awaited release of its latest iOS 14.5 updates, as well as a couple of smaller features that have customers excited. The new Air Tag, which allows users to tag and track important items like keys, purses and bicycles, has absent-minded users lining up for the April 30 release, while others are thrilled about the new iPhones coming in the color purple. Even when high-tech gadgets are involved, sometimes it's the simple things that generate the most excitement.

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEW HIGH-TECH TOYS COMING FROM APPLE