March 8, Tuesday, 2022 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline

1. US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Britain, Germany and France have agreed to strengthen their pressure on Russia and continue assistance to Ukraine.
2. The two leading candidates in South Korea’s presidential race have made their final appeals before voters cast their ballots on Wednesday. The election will decide a successor to President Moon Jae-in. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party and Yoo Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party are neck and neck in the opinion polls.
3. A senior US Defense Department official says Russia has deployed almost all of its forces that had amassed around the border with Ukraine before last month’s invasion. It comes as efforts to evacuate Ukrainian civilians are underway. The official says Moscow’s advance into Ukraine has stalled north of the capital Kyiv because of heavy resistance. The airspace over the country is still contested so Russian forces are increasingly relying on missile and artillery strikes.