This week saw Ukraine continue to make headway in its counteroffensive, with the reported gains - which came in territories recently annexed by Moscow - raising questions about how Russian Pres. Putin would respond.On Wednesday, Putin seemingly acknowledged the losses, saying: "We are working on the assumption that the situation in the new territories will stabilize."This comes as the annexation of the regions - Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia - were unanimously ratified by the Russian Federation Council on Tuesday, amidst international condemnation.In another blow to Moscow, the Crimean Bridge - a significant supply route linking the peninsula to Russia - suffered a huge blast on Saturday causing two sections to partially collapse.Train service and car traffic resumed later that day, and divers were deployed on Sunday to assess the damage amid an ongoing investigation.Meanwhile, Ukraine announced that it had moved forward with its intention to join NATO and submitted an application - signed by Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy - to join the alliance.Shortly after, Zelenskyy appeared to call for NATO to launch "preventative" strikes against Russia. His press secretary said he was referring to "preventative sanctions,"though Russia rejected the clarification.

Yemen's six-month truce expired,the Ethiopian government and Tigray rebels accepted an invitation for peace talks,a US raid in Syria reportedly targeted an IS official,and the Somalian government said it killed one of the co-founders of the militant group al-Shabaab.Meanwhile, North Korea fired missiles twice in three days,the US sanctioned an alleged Myanmar arms traffickers,and a bombing at a mosque at Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior killed four.

Taiwan vowed to safeguard its semiconductor interests through the "Chip 4" alliance,King Charles III announced plans to host South Africa's leader,and the US is reportedly planning to ease Venezuelan sanctions and allow Chevron to pump oil.Meanwhile, Burkina Faso's interim president agreed to resign after a coup,opposition parties in Bosnia & Herzegovina's Republic of Srpska called for an election recount,and Brazil's presidential race went to a runoff.In other news,Canada's top court heard challenges to the US border asylum pact,the UK's home secretary proposed an asylum ban on channel migrants,US intelligence said Ukraine was behind the car bombing that killed Russia's Daria Dugina,Iran released American citizen Baquer Namazi,and Iran's supreme leader blamed Israel and the US for anti-government protests.

A report alleged that the FBI has enough evidence to prosecute Hunter Biden,A US appeals court ruled against the DACA immigration program,and Trump asked SCOTUS to intervene in the Mar-a-Lago caseand sued CNN for defamation.In other news, SCOTUS began a new term with landmark cases on its docket,a US judge temporarily blocked parts of New York's gun law,and SCOTUS declined to hear a gun rights case on bump stocks.

A court ruled that the Netherlands' refugee facilities must meet EU standards,the UN dismissed a debate on Chinas alleged Xinjiang abuses,Amnesty condemned the Indian police's public flogging of Muslims,Angela Merkel won the UN refugee prize,and the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarusian activists.

More than 30 were killed in a childcare center shooting in Thailand,Philippine radio broadcaster "Percy Lapid" was murdered,and a Chinese billionaire settled a sexual assault case in Minnesota.Meanwhile, Biden announced plans to pardon federal marijuana possession convictions,a US judge delayed the former Theranos founder's sentencing,and American actor Alec Baldwin settled with the family of fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

SCOTUS declined to hear a case on vaccine mandates,the UN warned of a "cholera time bomb" in Haiti,and Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo's evolution research won the Nobel prize for medicine.

US unemployment claims increased more than expected,OPEC+ cut oil production by 2M barrels per day,the UK announced plans to reverse a cut to its highest tax bracket,and New Zealand raised interest rates to a seven-year high.Meanwhile, the power came back on in Bangladesh after a grid failure,Bank of America agreed to pay $1.8B in a mortgage crisis settlement,and Credit Suisse offered a $3B debt repurchase plan.Elsewhere, more bank protests erupted across Lebanon,including a sit-in from a member of parliament.

Hurricane Ian's death toll rose above 80 after making landfall in Florida,Australia announced a "zero-extinction" plan to save endangered species,and the UK prime minister's maiden speech was disrupted by Greenpeace protesters.

Indonesia's president ordered an audit of the national stadium following a deadly stampede,a report alleged that there's "systemic" abuse in women's soccer,and a report found that chess player Hans Niemann "likely" cheated in more than 100 games.

Elon Musk proposed buying Twitter at the originally agreed price..