Russia accused of blackmail after gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria cut | First Thing

Kremlin accused of blackmail while Gazprom claims supply halted because of failure to pay in roubles. Plus, Santa takes on Sarah Palin

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Russia has been accused of seeking to blackmail Europe as the energy company Gazprom confirmed it had halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, prompting crisis talks in capitals across the continent.

When do experts think the war in Ukraine will be over? Lloyd Austin, the US defense secretary, has said the west is gearing up to help Ukraine for the long haul" and would take steps to increase rearmament of the embattled country after a meeting of defense ministers in Germany.

What else is happening? Here is what we know on day 63 of the invasion.

What else is behind the drop? The share fall took place against a backdrop of difficult trading for tech stocks. The Nasdaq closed at its lowest level since December 2020 on Tuesday, as investors worried about slowing global growth and more aggressive rate increases from the US Federal Reserve.