The espionage trial for Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal correspondent, has begun in Russia’s Ural mountain capital of Yekaterinburg. That’s the same city where he was detained 15 months ago.

Gunmen attacked several religious sites in the region of Dagestan. A majority Muslim area, it is home to a diverse group of ethnicities and religious faiths, but no stranger to Islamic extremism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a two-day state visit to North Korea meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. We explore how the two countries might cooperate, with NPR's correspondents in Moscow and Seoul.

(Image credit: Vladimir Smirnov)

Staff Sergeant Gordon Black is on trial in Russia. He was stationed in South Korea and was about to return to the U.S. when he decided without authorization to enter Russia to see his girlfriend.