Morning news brief
Russia seeks to lay siege to the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. China lays out its economic and policy agenda for the year ahead. And, nearly 200 countries reach a landmark deal on the high seas.
Europe
Italy's prime minister supports Ukraine — causing tension within her coalition
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is known for her far-right domestic policies, but she is supporting Ukraine. However, some of her coalition partners do not.
Russia aims to capture Bakhmut, its first important battlefield victory in months
Russian and Ukrainian forces have been fighting over the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Both sides have suffered horrific losses. Russia is trying to encircle Ukrainian forces still in the city.
Justice Department task force takes aim at Russian oligarchs and their riches
The Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture, set up in the days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has gone after Kremlin-aligned elites, including their luxury yachts and opulent homes.
Attorney General Garland pledges support for war crimes investigations against Russia
Attorney General Merrick Garland visits Ukraine to pledge support for war crimes investigations against Russian suspects.
Northern Ireland businesses are cautiously optimistic about EU trade agreement
Businesses react to British Prime Minister Rushi Sunak's new deal with the European Union about trade arrangement in Northern Ireland.
The covert effort to get abortion pills into Ukraine
In the early weeks of the Russian invasion, abortion pills dwindled in Ukraine. NPR's Rough Translation podcast followed an effort to smuggle pills to Ukrainian doctors.
Russia's foreign minister gets laughed at over Ukraine remarks at a global conference
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia was not the aggressor in the Ukraine war, but that his country was simply trying to defend itself, to which the crowd laughed and groaned.
Moldovans are worried that Russia's war in Ukraine will spill into their country
NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Moldovan official Alexandru Flenchea about fears that Russia's war in Ukraine could spill over into neighboring Moldova.
Ukraine is dominating the election in Estonia, a key NATO ally. Here's what to watch
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has led the former Soviet republic since 2021. She's an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a vocal supporter of Ukraine.