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This is the world in brief from The Economist.

Our top stories.

Donald Trump picked Bill Pote, a loyalist and head of a federal housing agency,

to become the acting director of national intelligence.

Mr. Pulte is replacing Tulsi Gabbard,

who announced she would step down last month.

While at the housing agency,

he pushed the Justice Department

to investigate several of the president's foes for mortgage fraud.

He has no previous national security experience. Russia launched more than

600 drones and missiles against several cities in Ukraine, according to Ukraine's air force.

At least 22 people were killed and hundreds more injured in one of Russia's biggest assaults in months.

Ukrainian officials have suggested that more people are trapped under rubble.

Struggling to advance on the front line, Russia has in recent months stepped up its attacks

on civilian areas.

Mr Trump claimed that Israel and Hezboola had agreed to scale back attacks on one another

and that Benjamin Netanyahu had called off a, quote, major raid on Beirut, Lebanon's capital.

...