Russia has conducted major aerial and shelling assaults on Kyiv, Kharkiv and several other main cities this week. The first major city -- Kherson -- fell on Thursday, and Europe's largest nuclear power plant was attacked and captured on Friday. Meanwhile, the strategic port city of Mariupol is encircled but still under Ukrainian control, while the convoy approaching Kyiv from the west has been stalled for several days. Russian troops are pushing on towards Mykolaiv, and may be preparing an amphibious attack on Odessa. Ukraine reportedly launched a successful counter-offensive in Kharkiv over the weekend, pushing Russian troops back to the Russian border. Russian and Ukrainian delegations failed again to reach a cease-fire in a second round of talks on Thursday, but did agree to establish humanitarian corridors. Civilian evacuation from Mariupol was halted on Saturday, however, after the corridors were bombed. Shelling was also reported at an evacuation point near Kyiv on Sunday. Meanwhile, Ukraine has turned to cryptocurrencies to fund its defense.

With global tensions at their highest since the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US reiterated its commitment to Taiwan, Australia pledged $70m to fund Ukrainian defense, and polls showed that Finland and Sweden are more interested in joining NATO. Meanwhile, China was accused of having prior knowledge of Putin's invasion and requesting its delay, and Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia made a bid to join the EU. More sanctions were put in place against Russia - with several banks blocked from the SWIFT system and Visa, MasterCard and American Express suspending operations in the country - but the US has resisted calls to sanction Russian oil. In other news, a UN report warned that Iran may be increasing its nuclear stockpile, and cyber tensions increased around the globe.

Biden delivered his State of the Union address, while the GOP held their annual CPAC gathering, and Rep. Taylor Greene (GA) was criticized for speaking at the alternative AFPAC. Meanwhile, the president asked Congress for $32.5B for Ukraine and COVID relief, and granted Ukrainians temporary status to stay in the US. Confirmation hearings were set for Biden's SCOTUS nominee, FL Gov. Ron DeSantis faced backlash for berating mask-wearing students, and NV Gov. Sisolak and his wife were threatened in restaurant. Regarding Trump, the Jan. 6 committee claimed it has sufficient evidence to implicate him in a criminal conspiracy, and former AG William Barr urged the GOP to move on from him in a new tell-all book. Meanwhile, the former president faced criticism for his rhetoric on Ukraine.

Both the West and Russia targeted freedom of speech this week, with tech giants and European regulators blocking Russian state media, and the Kremlin in turn cracking down on Western and independent sources. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, New Zealand police clamped down on COVID protests that had seen thousands camp outside parliament for three weeks. In America, the US Senate rejected a democrat bill to codify abortion rights, and the Florida Senate approved legislation to ban abortions after 15 weeks. Meanwhile, Georgia's Senate passed a bill ending gun license requirements, and the federal House passed an anti-lynching bill. Meanwhile, in Europe, refugees of color fleeing Ukraine accused nations of discrimination.

In the courts, an associate of Hunter Biden's was sentenced for fraud, a judge rejected New York AG Letitia James' bid to break up the NRA, and a juror from Ghislaine Maxwell's trial pled the fifth in allegations he failed to disclose a history of sexual abuse. Meanwhile, the ACLU sued to block parents of transgender children in Texas from being investigated for child abuse, and a VA judge ruled the state's school admission policy is discriminatory. SCOTUS also had a busy week, agreeing to review the legality of the decades-old Indian Child Welfare Act, blocking the testimony of two former CIA contractors involved in Guantanamo Bay, and wrapping up by reinstating the death penalty for one of the Boston Marathon bombers. Across the globe, Israel's Supreme Court suspended the eviction of four Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah.

The NFL lifted all COVID protocols, and Djokovic became more likely to play in the French Open after vaccine passports were scrapped. Meanwhile, Russia was banned from several sporting events around the world, and said it will appeal the sanctions with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In America, Pfizer vaccine effectiveness was shown to plummet for kids 5-11, but the CDC still eased mask guidance for 70% of the population. Meanwhile, more Abbott baby formula was recalled following a second infant death.

The IPCC warned that the window is closing on Earth's livable future, while deadly floods swamped Australia's east coast. In legislation, the UN agreed to draft a treaty to limit plastic waste, while SCOTUS is considering limiting the EPA's capacity to regulate emissions.

Ford announced that the company will be split into separate EV and ICE businesses, Toyota production was disrupted after a possible cyberattack, and Fitbit recalled Ionic smartwatches over safety concerns. Meanwhile, Starlink internet terminals arrived in Ukraine after Musk promised to provide connectivity to the country.

A piece of space debris, originally thought to be a SpaceX rocket but later identified as more likely a booster rocket from China, is believed to have crashed into the moon on Friday. This was the first unintentional collision with the moon in the history of space exploration.