On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams took on the task of explaining why NYC needs more money. You could have done that, too.

Happening in the World: Russia’s EU ambassador, Vladimir Chizhov, said he believes that diplomacy will aid in de-escalating the Russia-Ukraine crisis. In addition to these statements, Chizhov denied that Russia ever planned to invade Ukraine. These statements come after days of diplomatic efforts, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, to alleviate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. (BBC)

Happening in the US: Mask mandates are being lifted in several states in the US as of Wednesday. The governors of New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Washington have made sweeping motions to lift COVID-19 restrictions in their states, with most attributing their decisions to decreasing COVID-19 cases nationwide. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: NYC mayor Eric Adams participated in his first “Tin Cup Day,” where New York mayors state the financial cases of the cities they govern. Adams fielded questions from Albany representatives about NYC’s financial state and called for more bail reform and public safety funding. Adams also pleaded for funding packages to help NYC citizens recover from the effects of the pandemic. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: Today at 12 pm, join Alexandra Cooley, the Claire Tow Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, and author Tinatin Japaridze (MARS-REERS ‘19) Stalin’s Millennials: Nostalgia, Trauma, and Nationalism. Tinatin’s book discusses the image of Joseph Stalin in a post-Soviet world. Register here.

home of the rats via Wikimedia Commons