If China aids Russia, what options would the U.S. have?

Mar 16, 2022
The U.S. could expand tariffs on Chinese goods — but that may raise prices for American consumers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on Feb. 4. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has promised consequences if China were to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

What would happen if Russia defaults on its debt?

Mar 15, 2022
"The long-term implications are severe," one expert says, and can scare away foreign investors.
Russia's economic isolationism may largely insulate global markets should Russia default on its debts.
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Russia threatened to shut off its gas taps to Europe. Can it do that?

Mar 15, 2022
If Russia stops sending natural gas to Europe, it'll have to send it somewhere else.
If Russia stops sending natural gas to Europe, it'll have to send it somewhere else.
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Russia wakes up to big technological weaknesses

Mar 15, 2022
Russia's economy relies on imported tech, like aircraft parts and semiconductors. That leaves it vulnerable as sanctions multiply.
The Biden administration has big goals when it comes to implementing the CHIPS Act. But the plan isn't without its hurdles.
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Could U.K. fracking wean Europe off its addiction to Russian gas?

Mar 10, 2022
The government says it is mulling the possibility of lifting the fracking suspension to ease the energy crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine.
The United Kingdom shut down fracking for safety and environmental reasons in 2019; the wells were due to be filled with concrete as early as next week. Above, a Cuadrilla fracking site in Preston, England.
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Who are the Russian oligarchs being sanctioned, and how did they get so rich?

Mar 10, 2022
Their fates and fortunes are tied closely to Vladimir Putin's.
After Vladimir Putin became president, he helped fund the wealth of Russian oligarchs with state money. In return, oligarchs provided him money and loyalty.
Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Among the aid Ukrainian refugees can expect: cold, hard cash

Mar 10, 2022
Red Cross founder Clara Barton gave cash to war refugees in the 1870s. Now, aid organizations say it empowers refugees more than in-kind aid.
Residents of Kharkiv, Ukraine, take shelter in a metro station. As aid pours in, many experts believe money would provide the greatest benefit to victims of the war.
Emre Caylak/AFP Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Ukrainians in the U.S. struggle to send money home as war rages

Mar 7, 2022
In a typical year, they send more than $500 million to family and friends. Now, it's not easy.
The Russian invasion has complicated the process of sending remittances to Ukraine through money transfer companies like Western Union.
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What would Europe do if Russia cuts off natural gas?

Unpacking Europe's reliance on Russian energy — and the risks that now carries.
A natural gas line runs through the country side on March 11, 2015 outside Donetsk, Ukraine.
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How does isolating Russia affect global aviation?

"We have gone backward probably about 30 years in a blink of an eye," says Jon Ostrower, editor of aviation industry website The Air Current.
"Global aviation relies on two fundamental pillars that cannot be ignored: peace and stability," says Jon Ostrower of The Air Current.
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