The first few days of the Olympic games have been marked by overwhelmingly positive media coverage of North Korea — namely of Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong.
Why it matters: North Korea is the least free country in the world, with its authoritarian regime subjecting citizens to brutal and inhumane laws. And Kim Yo-jong heads the "Propaganda and Agitation Department" of that regime.
Vice President Mike Pence said that there was "no daylight" between the United States, South Korea, and Japan on the issue of North Korean nuclearization, per the AP. His comments came aboard Air Force Two on his way back to the United States after a stop at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Why it matters: With the U.S. set to unveil the toughest sanctions ever against North Korea, Kim Jong-un extended an offer for South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang, heightening concerns that Kim might be attempting to drive a diplomatic wedge between South Korea and the U.S.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un extended an invitation to South Korean President Moon Jae-in for talks in Pyongyang, which South Korean officials said Moon "practically accepted," per Reuters. The invitation — which proposed meeting "at an early date" — came via Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, who met with Moon in Seoul as a part of North Korea's Winter Olympics delegation.
Why it matters: The meeting, which would be the first between Korean leaders since 2007, could accelerate the thaw in tensions between North and South Korea. It's also likely to be poorly received by the United States, which is set to unveil the toughest sanctions ever against the North Korean regime.
Israeli forces attacked Syrian government and Iranian targets in Syria on Saturday after one of its F-16 jets was downed by what appeared to be Syrian antiaircraft fire, per the N.Y. Times.
Why it matters: This is believed to be the first Israeli jet downed by enemy forces since the 1980s, per the Times. It also marks a direct confrontation between Israeli troops and Iranians.
The Intercept reports that the U.S. intelligence community has been "conducting a top-secret operation" to get back classified U.S. documents stolen by Russian operatives.
Why it matters: To retrieve the documents, the U.S. opened an "off-the-books communications channel" with Russia early last year. Per the Intercept, it's been "highly controversial" among the U.S. officials that knew about it, and "many involved...are said to be uncertain about what is really going on."
