What does Putin really want from the Ukraine standoff?

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today's Top Stories from NBC News WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022 Good morning, NBC News readers.     Today we take a closer look at why Russian President Vladimir Putin is so fixated on Ukraine and what he hopes to gain from the current diplomatic standoff. Researchers hope a new study may offer clues about who may be at risk for long Covid. Plus, meet Methuselah, the world's oldest living aquarium fish.    Here's what we're watching this Wednesday morning.     Biden thinks Putin will invade Ukraine. Here's why the West is so worried. Russian President Vladimir Putin has massed an estimated 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border, with the United States and its European allies scrambling to deter an invasion and respond to the Kremlin's demands.    What will Putin's next move be? The question has dominated conversation in the corridors of power here and in Europe as President Joe Biden looks to ward off what he said would be "the most consequential thing that's happened in the world, in terms of war and peace, since World War II."   Read our in-depth analysis on the roots of the crisis, what Putin might want from the standoff, and how he could be planning to get it.   Plus, here's why Germany might be the West's weak link in the Russia-Ukraine standoff.    And Biden said Tuesday that he has "no intention" of moving U.S. forces into Ukraine, but stressed there would be enormous economic and political consequences if Putin goes through with an invasion.  Wednesday's Top Stories Who will get long Covid? Study may offer clues A blood test may someday help determine a person's risk for long Covid, "promising" new research suggests. "There is no single test, no imaging study, that can be used to give a diagnosis" of long Covid, one researcher said. "This helps move us in that direction." READ MORE Republicans tout parts of infrastructure package after voting against the bill  Several House Republicans are praising parts of the recently enacted funding measure they see as beneficial to their districts after they bashed the overall bill as wasteful. READ MORE 'We are seeing a new level of despair': Latinas decry impact of Texas abortion law  Hispanic women in clinics that provide abortions are seeing "terror" and "trauma" from the law that bans abortions around six weeks of pregnancy. READ MORE Ending college affirmative action could have ripple effect for Black, Latino students  As affirmative action programs face their biggest threat in decades with two Supreme Court cases coming up, experts say Black and Latino students would experience fewer job and financial opportunities. READ MORE Also in the News LGBTQ Afghans face surge of rape, torture after Taliban takeover, report says Coast Guard searching for 39 people after boat in suspected human smuggling capsizes Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens denied Hall of Fame in final year of eligibility on baseball writers' ballot Peter Dinklage pushes back on Disney remake of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' What's a market correction? Two charts help explain. 'Devastating loss': Ozzie, the world's oldest male gorilla, dies at 61 at Zoo Atlanta  Editor's Pick As alternative birth choices gain popularity, new report urges caution  With growing interest in water births, placenta consumption and deferring newborn vaccinations, doctors should counsel expectant parents on the risks such decisions could pose to babies, the authors wrote. READ MORE Select Blueland's eco-friendly cleaning products are surprisingly tough on everything from marble to glass. One Fun Thing  Meet Methuselah, the 'mellow' 90-year-old lungfish Meet Methuselah, the fish that likes to eat fresh figs, get belly rubs and is believed to be the oldest living aquarium fish in the world.   In the Bible, Methuselah was Noah's grandfather and was said to have lived to be 969 years old. Methuselah the fish is not quite that ancient, but biologists at the California Academy of Sciences believe it is about 90 years old, with no known living peers.   Methuselah is a 4-foot-long, 40-pound Australian lungfish that was brought to the San Francisco museum in 1938 from Australia.   Read a story and watch a video on the legendary lungfish.  Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill     FOLLOW US     Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? SIGN UP HERE Check out all of NBC Newsletters here.     Get the NBC News Mobile App   30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 View in browser | Unsubscribe | Manage Subscription | Contact | Privacy