Russian advances in Ukraine grind to a halt in some areas, with Ukrainian forces holding out in several cities. / BBC News

Gay Ukranian soldiers discuss fighting in part from a fear of "Russian repression." / Openly

"If plan A doesn't work, and it hasn't, Putin is ready to turn Kiev and Kharkiv into Aleppo and Grozny." / The Octavian Report

Reuters reporters want to know why their company's business-to-business service is distributing Russian state media. / Politico

In case you missed it: World leader impersonators worked together to help Umid Isabaev, the Ukrainian president's double.  / The Daily Star

China locks down the industrial city of Shenyang amid reports of more than 4,000 coronavirus cases. / The Guardian

A study finds two in 100 Covid-19 patients are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. / The Washington Post

Katelyn Jetelina: This is the perfect time to get boosted, get vaccinated, and order your second set of free antigen tests. / Your Local Epidemiologist

Related: How to order those free tests. / USPS

As mandates end in schools around the country, many teenagers have mixed emotions and are staying masked. / The New York Times

A study finds nearly half of Millennial and Gen Z investors are waiting for more "normal" times to save for retirement. / Bloomberg

Barnes & Noble's CEO says teenagers and young adults are the main drivers of book sales, mostly thanks to BookTok. / Publishers Weekly

A trans gamer reviews the latest Harry Potter video game in light of J.K. Rowling's "gender critical feminism." / Gamespot

See also: Americans think about a fifth of all Americans are transgender. The real proportion is 0.6%. / YouGovAmerica

A Japanese architect evaluates the hotel rooms she stays in by painting them. / Spoon & Tamago

"Affect my voice like it's going into eternity." A producer explains how A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg wanted to sound posthumously. / The New Yorker