Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist.

In New York, I'm your host, John Fassman.

And in London, I'm Jason Palmer.

Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

America's immigration system has long been a mess.

But a federal judge has blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy

that effectively closed the border.

That comes next is unclear.

And just about everywhere that's photogenic these days must serve as a backdrop for the

selfies of social media types.

In China, that increasingly includes the playful and picturesque shelves of bookshops.

And first, European leaders have at last agreed an embargo on the majority of Russian

oil imports to take effect by the end of the year.

It's a long-awaited move to increase pressure on Russia and to constrain its war in Ukraine.

I'm very glad that the leaders were able to agree in principle on the sanctions package.

England officials will eventually feel an increased squeeze from the West, but right now,

Russian forces in Ukraine's east are having some success.

Since regrouping in the eastern Donbass region, they've captured multiple villages and have

focused efforts on the strategically significant city of Severo Donetsk.

But the Ukrainians are still mounting a stiff resistance.

What we've seen in the last 10-15 days is intensifying on the edge of the Lohansk province.

And in particular, we've seen the Russian army, which in many ways has struggled to advance

...