In the headlines
The 40-mile Russian convoy to the north of Kyiv has dispersed, prompting speculation that it is planning to encircle and lay siege to the capital. There are also fears that Russia could be preparing to use chemical weapons in Ukraine, after Moscow accused the US of carrying out its own “military biological activities” in the country. “If you want to find out Russia’s plans,” says Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, “you should look at what Russia is accusing others of.” China has acknowledged the invasion as a “war” for the first time. The change in language signals that Beijing “may be seeking to put a little distance between itself” and Moscow, says The Times. Facebook is temporarily changing its hate speech policy to allow users in some eastern European countries to call for the deaths of Vladimir Putin and his soldiers.