Ukrainian forces continue to fight in Mariupol
Ukrainian forces holed up at a steel plant in the besieged port city of Mariupol have ignored a “surrender or die” ultimatum from Russian forces and continue to fight. Meanwhile, new cyberattacks targeting the Ukrainian electrical grid indicate a new phase in the digital war between Russia and Ukraine. Plus, some foods — like Champagne — can come only from one region, but for others, the rules ...
48m Apr 18, 2022
48m
Hundreds killed amid heavy rains and flooding in South Africa
Heavy rains and flooding have killed more than 340 people in South Africa, and the death toll is expected to continue rising. Persistent rains have collapsed buildings, swept away roads and flooded schools, prompting protests over a lack of official assistance. Also, Finland says it will decide as soon as this spring whether to join NATO, a rapid change in foreign policy from its historically n...
43m Apr 15, 2022
43m
Truck traffic jams at both sides of Texas-Mexico border
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has implemented a new vehicle inspection policy at the Texas-Mexico border that’s led to traffic jams for miles on both sides. Abbott accuses the Biden administration of not doing enough to secure the southern US border, but the White House says the new policy hurts American businesses and consumers. And Israel and the West Bank are on edge after one of the worst outburst...
48m Apr 14, 2022
48m
Biden calls Russian war atrocities ‘genocide’
US President Joe Biden has called Russian war atrocities in Ukraine "genocide." We hear from a genocide scholar who agrees. And a growing number of Haitians have been arriving on the coast of Florida since last fall. It's the latest challenge for authorities trying to control the numbers of new undocumented immigrants. Also, Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza was arrested earlier...
47m Apr 13, 2022
47m
Russia’s military regroups in eastern Ukraine
The Russian military is retreating from Kyiv and other northern cities, and regrouping in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has also appointed a new top commander, Gen. Alexander Dvornikov, to lead the war effort. And across Europe, countries are telling Russian diplomats to leave, accusing them of working covertly as spies. Plus, the United Kingdom's frigid North Devon coastline has been selected as a W...
47m Apr 12, 2022
47m
COVID lockdown persists in Shanghai
China's lockdown in Shanghai has been intense, with harsh restrictions on movement testing residents' patience. COVID-19 cases are also growing in the manufacturing hub of Guangzhou. We hear about what life has been like as the lockdown continues. And while India has sent aid to Ukraine, it has not censored or imposed sanctions against Russia. The country also abstained from UN Security Council...
43m Apr 11, 2022
43m
Assessing the impact of sanctions on Putin’s war effort
Russia’s military continues to target Ukrainian civilians, with revelations of possible war crimes committed in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. Most countries, including the US, have responded with more sanctions. What impact does economic pressure have on Vladimir Putin’s war effort? And, the United Kingdom’s government has promised to ban the discredited practice of conversion therapy. But this wee...
48m Apr 08, 2022
48m
Russian military shifts target to eastern Ukraine
Six weeks into the war in Ukraine, Russia’s military efforts are now targeting the eastern part of the country. As Russian troops retreat from Kyiv, journalists have been able to further document atrocities taking place there. And on Thursday, a Turkish court said it was moving the trial of the 26 Saudi nationals linked to the grisly murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia. Plus, a...
46m Apr 07, 2022
46m
The impact of sanctions on Russian energy sales
The European Union has announced a ban on Russian coal. Squeezing Russia's energy exports is seen as the way to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw from Ukraine. But global sales of oil and gas — not coal — are the real contributors to Russia's coffers. And Human Rights Watch says that more than 300 civilians have been executed in an isolated village in Mali that is controlled by I...
47m Apr 06, 2022
47m
Ukraine calls for war crimes tribunal
At a meeting of the UN Security Council, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for Russia's removal as a permanent member and an investigation into possible war crimes by Russia's military. But Russia's veto power at the UN Security Council is a fundamental challenge. And in 2016, Ukraine enlisted the US military to help overhaul its defense systems — everything from recruitment to field hospita...
47m Apr 05, 2022
47m
Evidence of Russian war atrocities mounts in Ukraine
Eye witnesses have been reporting atrocities not just in Bucha, but also in other areas in the outskirts of Kyiv and throughout Ukraine. Ukrainian Oleksii Vostretsov was trapped in Bucha for 22 days at the start of the war and tells his story. And the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sends a clear message: There’s still time to hold off catastrophic climate chang...
48m Apr 04, 2022
48m
Russia may shift focus to territorial gains
Russia's military has made gains in southern and eastern Ukraine, but Ukraine's military continues to push back with force. Ukrainian officials believe that Russia may be changing its strategy to focus on holding onto its territorial gains. And, Pope Francis has apologized for the Roman Catholic Church's role in “deplorable” abuses at Canada's residential schools for Indigenous children. He spo...
47m Apr 01, 2022
47m
Ukraine: The humanitarian catastrophe
As part of our regular series of conversations with Harvard University’s T.H. Chan’s School of Public Health, The World’s reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discussion with Michael VanRooyen, director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, about the dire situation and the multiple health risks that refugees from Ukraine, and from around the world, face. VanRooyen is also the chairman of Emergen...
44m Apr 01, 2022
44m
Is Moscow ready for peace?
Russian officials claim they are scaling back their military offensive in Ukraine. But Marie Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, says Moscow isn’t ready for real peace negotiations. And in 2011, drought in the Horn of Africa killed more than 200,000 people. Now, the United Nations is warning that Somalia is on the brink of famine once again due to the worst drought in more than 40...
47m Mar 31, 2022
47m
Russia renews attacks on Ukraine amid delicate peace talks
Russia renewed its assault around Kyiv, Ukraine, a day after they claimed to scale back military operations during delicate peace talks in Istanbul on Tuesday. And in southern Ukraine, Russian forces continue to bombard the port city of Mariupol. The city's mayor called it a humanitarian catastrophe as about 160,000 remaining residents lack electricity and access to food and water. Plus, a four...
47m Mar 30, 2022
47m
Signs of progress in Ukraine-Russia peace talks
There have been some signs of progress in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia today in Istanbul. Ukrainian officials were willing to discuss the status of Ukrainian territory now held by Russian forces. And Russia said it would "drastically reduce" military activity near Kyiv. And a group of refugees who are Deaf recount their experiences fleeing the war in Ukraine, from a shelter in Romania...
47m Mar 29, 2022
47m
Shanghai residents brace for COVID lockdown
Shanghai residents are scrambling for supplies as the city goes under lockdown in two phases to contain the spread of COVID-19. The staggered closure is intended to allow Shanghai, the country’s financial center, to remain partially operational. Also, foreign ministers from the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt met with their Israeli and US counterparts in Israel — an unprecedented diplomatic su...
47m Mar 28, 2022
47m
Biden in Europe to rally allies against Russia’s offensive
President Biden is in Europe today trying to rally allies together to counter Russia's offensive. And he’s called for kicking Russia out of the G-20 nations. Biden has said that NATO will respond if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the United States’ second-ranking diplomat, talks about the diplomacy that's happening in Europe and the prospects f...
47m Mar 25, 2022
47m
US to receive 100,000 refugees from Ukraine
The White House announced on Thursday that the United States will accept up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine. The Biden administration says it will use a range of legal pathways, including the US refugee admissions program, to bring Ukrainian refugees to the US. And, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is revealing a growing energy partnership between Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and India. These de...
48m Mar 24, 2022
48m
Finland and Sweden say they want to join NATO
Both Finland and Sweden have long been opposed to joining NATO. But after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, majorities in both nations say they'd like to join the organization. Plus, Sri Lanka is facing a big problem: It can't afford to pay its bills. But China is offering Sri Lanka some financial assistance with some strings attached. And a group of moms in India is spreading the word about INDOOR...
47m Mar 23, 2022
47m
War in Ukraine disrupts food supplies in Middle East
For countries in the Middle East that rely on food imports from Ukraine, the war has spelled chaos and uncertainty. The ongoing war has threatened food supplies, leaving several countries scrambling to mitigate the problem. And Moldova is not directly involved in Russia’s war against neighboring Ukraine. But the current refugee crisis, trade disruption and rising inflation on food and energy al...
47m Mar 22, 2022
47m
Russia intensifies bombing campaign in southern Ukraine
Russian forces continue to bombard Ukrainian city centers throughout the country. The bombing campaign has intensified in the south of the country, in cities like Mariupol and Mykolaiv. And Ukrainian poet Iya Kiva is no stranger to war. In 2014, she had to flee her hometown of Donetsk. Now, she is a refugee again, enduring war, loss and trauma. Plus, Russian President Vladimir Putin has used th...
48m Mar 21, 2022
48m
Moldova on high alert as Russia bombards neighboring Ukraine
The small country of Moldova has hundreds of Russian troops based in the breakaway region of Transnistria, a sliver of territory that sits along the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. Russia’s invasion into Ukraine makes for anxious times for this non-NATO country. And the Ukraine refugee crisis has triggered billions of dollars in relief aid to help those displaced by the war. How does the new refugee...
47m Mar 18, 2022
47m
Europe braces to receive tens of thousands of refugees
European infrastructure and processes are fast developing to receive tens of thousands of new refugees. We hear about the challenges for Europe as large numbers of refugees arrive from war-torn Ukraine. And the war in Ukraine has threatened to limit Brazil’s supply of fertilizer from Russia. Now, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro wants mining expanded on Indigenous lands to create a domestic f...
47m Mar 17, 2022
47m
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy pleads with US Congress for more help to fight Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the US Congress on Wednesday via video, making an emotional appeal for more help to fight Russia. Former US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor weighs in on Zelenskiy’s speech. And when the Taliban seized control of the Afghan government in August 2021, many were concerned about the erosion of human rights and judicial reforms. But since then, ...
48m Mar 16, 2022
48m
Russia bombardment of Kyiv continues
Russia's war against Ukraine continues as the Russian military's artillery-and-bombing campaign intensifies throughout the country. Overnight, Russian missiles hit Kyiv amid ongoing fighting in the outskirts of the city. And Russian state media shows a very different version of the conflict with Ukraine than Western media, one in which the Russian military is “liberating” Ukrainian cities on a ...
48m Mar 15, 2022
48m
US warns China of ‘isolation’ if they help Russia
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan flew to Rome to meet his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi. Sullivan allegedly went to warn China of the isolation they would face if they help Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. And for the first time since the war began, Russian missiles hit deep into western Ukraine, about an hour from the regional capital, Lviv. This vital corridor has bee...
48m Mar 14, 2022
48m
Russia expands war to western Ukraine
Russia launched air strikes on new targets in the west of Ukraine on Friday morning, a sign that, as the war enters its third week, Russia is expanding its military operation. And since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, international observers and bodies have started to document potential war crimes by Russia's military. Meanwhile, Russia denies any responsibility for its actions in Ukraine. ...
50m Mar 11, 2022
50m
Russia attacks Ukraine’s medical system
Fighting in Ukraine is taking a toll on the country's health system. Shortages of medical supplies are reported, and an air strike on a maternity hospital in the port city of Mariupol on Wednesday highlighted the danger to health facilities. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared two years ago on March 11, 2020. We hear about how life around the world has changed — or hasn't — since then. And...
48m Mar 10, 2022
48m
Ukrainian citizens use ‘safe corridors’ to evacuate as bombardment continues
The Russian military is stepping up its attacks on residential areas of besieged cities in Ukraine.  Today, Russian and Ukrainian authorities appeared to take steps toward setting up safe corridors for civilians to evacuate from six cities in the east and south. And the historic city of Lviv features cobblestone streets, ornate churches, and the Lviv Theater of Opera and Ballet.  Today, its res...
48m Mar 09, 2022
48m
EU to cut ties with Russian natural gas
The European Commission unveiled a plan on Tuesday to end its dependence on Russian natural gas. The aim is to reduce imports from Russia by two-thirds by the end of 2022. And residents of Ukraine’s major cities are hunkering down for what may be an extended conflict. The city of Kyiv is turning into a fortress, with Ukrainians stocking up on food and medicines. Plus, Ukrainian refugees have be...
48m Mar 08, 2022
48m
Some refugees from Ukraine flee to Romania, Moldova
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now displaced nearly 2 million people in less than two weeks. Although Poland has taken in the bulk of refugees, two of Europe’s poorest nations — Romania and Moldova — have accepted about 162,000 people so far. And, Russian forces have increasingly targeted civilians in Ukraine, attacking residential apartments, schools and hospitals. We hear how investigato...
49m Mar 07, 2022
49m
Ukrainians, foreigners flee to Poland to escape war
This week, Poland has seen tens of thousands of people crossing the border from Ukraine, fleeing for their lives. Among them are many foreigners who were studying or working in Ukraine before the Russian invasion began. And Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hits close to home for neighboring Moldova, a small, non-NATO country on Ukraine’s eastern border. Last week Moldova condemned Russia's invasion...
48m Mar 04, 2022
48m
Russia says it aims to ‘demilitarize’ Ukraine
Cathedral bells rang out across Europe today. A gesture of solidarity with Ukraine, and a prayer for peace, marking one week of war. Today, Russian forces continued to pummel Ukrainian civilian centers. From Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the aim is to "demilitarize" Ukraine. And, following immense backlash for allowing Russia and Belarus to compete at the upcoming Paralympic Gam...
48m Mar 03, 2022
48m
Russia escalates attacks on Ukrainian cities
The Russian military continues to bombard Ukraine’s city centers, including civilian populations. “We’ve hardly slept for seven nights,” Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an address to the nation, adding that rest is not possible until there’s victory. And, Syrians also know what it's like to be on the receiving end of Russia's military might. Russia has carried out bombings on ho...
49m Mar 02, 2022
49m
Russia bombards Ukraine's Kharkiv
On the sixth day of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, Kharkiv, the second-largest city, remains under attack. Rocket strikes from the Russian military are hitting the city, including Kharkiv's central square, a city government building, the city's opera house and the ballet theater. Also, Belarus has supported the Russian military’s push south to take control of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. The...
48m Mar 01, 2022
48m
Kharkiv under siege
Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine, is often described as the country’s most Russia-friendly city. Now, Russia forces have unleashed a brutal assault on the city, including a barrage of rockets that fell in residential areas, killing dozens of civilians — including many children. And several European countries are stepping up their response to the Ukraine crisis: Germany is taking a U-turn on defense ...
49m Feb 28, 2022
49m
The battle for Kyiv
The battle for Kyiv is underway. Explosions have been reported as close as half a mile from the president's headquarters, a large apartment building has been hit by shelling and the Ukrainian military is defending the city's bridges. Hear the latest from Kyiv and what it all means for Ukraine. Also, thousands of Russians have turned out for anti-war protests in more than 50 cities, including Mo...
49m Feb 25, 2022
49m
Russia attacks Ukraine
Early this morning, Russia began a full-fledged assault on Ukraine. Multiple cities and military bases are under fire as part of Russia's military offensive. In Kyiv, residents woke up to the sounds of blasts in and around their city. And some US military observers see the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a sort of “shock and awe” effort, aimed at cowing a possible Ukrainian resistance. We hear w...
47m Feb 24, 2022
47m
Ukraine declares ‘state of emergency’
Ukraine declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, calling up its reservists aged 18 to 60. This follows Russian troops moving into the separatist-controlled Donbas region of Ukraine. And new US sanctions target Russia’s sovereign debt and two large Russian financial institutions. But critics say they’ll be ineffective. Plus, a German shepherd’s meteorite-hit dog house just sold for more than ...
48m Feb 23, 2022
48m
Washington and allies issue sanctions against Russia
In response to Russian troops entering eastern Ukraine, US President Joe Biden spoke today about sanctions against Moscow. European Union foreign ministers also adopted widespread sanctions against Russia. Also, we hear about a massive data breach of Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse and what this revelation says about Switzerland's banking sector. Plus, Los Angeles-based musician Sasami shares...
47m Feb 22, 2022
47m
Russia recognizes independence for separatist regions in eastern Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said that his administration is recognizing the independence of the so-called Dontesk and Luhansk People's Republics in eastern Ukraine. What’s at stake with this recent development? And Africa was declared free of wild polio in 2020. But the disease is now back with the detection of a case in a young child in Malawi. Plus, the 2022 Winter Olympics have...
48m Feb 21, 2022
48m
Is Russia creating a pretext for a Ukraine invasion?
Tensions continue to heighten on the Ukraine-Russia border. The US says Russia has increased its troops at the border, as fighting continues between Russian-backed groups and Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine. Some Ukrainians fear that Russia is creating the pretext for an invasion. And France plans to build 14 new nuclear reactors by 2050, in an effort to cut back on carbon emissi...
50m Feb 18, 2022
50m
France to withdraw troops from Mali
Nine years after intervening in Mali to drive out ISIS, France is now withdrawing its troops. France's relationship with Mali's junta military government deteriorated recently. Also, COVID-19 infections are down by nearly 20% worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. While parts of the US have seen dramatic declines, Hong Kong and New Zealand are experiencing surges of new cases. P...
49m Feb 17, 2022
49m
NATO unsure of Putin’s next move with Ukraine
After meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russian leader Vladimir Putin declared that Moscow would “partially pull back troops” from the Ukrainian border. But NATO leaders are not convinced that Putin has decided to step back from the brink. And, following years of drought and war, Afghans now face severe food shortages in parts of Afghanistan, leaving many hungry. Also, Israel’s Prime ...
49m Feb 16, 2022
49m
Eastern Ukraine border residents weigh in on Russia conflict
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that it’s pulling some troops back, away from Russia’s borders with Ukraine. Residents living in Kharkiv, near the Russian border, are keenly aware of what’s at stake. And the former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, has only been out of office for three weeks. He’s now facing extradition to the US. Plus, musician Luke Sital-Singh had ...
51m Feb 15, 2022
51m
Trucker protests energize Canada’s far-right movement
The so-called Freedom Convoy blockades in Ottawa and other cities began as a protest against vaccine mandates for truckers. Their actions have energized a small but growing far-right movement in Canada. And similar protests have popped up in Europe, where people are trying to convene in a convoy in Brussels to protest against pandemic restrictions such as vaccine mandates and passports. Plus, e...
49m Feb 14, 2022
49m
Ontario declares ‘state of emergency’ over trucker blockades
Ontario has declared a state of emergency as bottlenecks on the US-Canada border worsen due to protesters in trucks in front of Parliament in Ottawa. Also, Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva made history by being the first woman to land a quadruple jump in the Olympics. Now, the 15-year-old is making headlines after her drug test came back positive. Plus, a 60-year-old museum security guard i...
49m Feb 11, 2022
49m
ISIS continues after leader’s death
The US dealt a major blow to ISIS in Syria last week by assassinating its top leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi. But that doesn’t spell the end of the terror group that once controlled large swaths of territory across Syria and Iraq. And in Ukraine, many citizens say that in the event of an all-out Russian invasion, they’re prepared. Some have decided to join the Kyiv Territorial Defens...
50m Feb 10, 2022
50m
India court rules on hijab in schools controversy
A court in India will decide whether young women attending schools and colleges in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka can wear their hijab to class. Six young women who were barred from college for wearing the Muslim head scarf filed suit, sparking protests and mobs across Karnataka. And refueling after grueling competition is crucial for Olympians. With so many COVID-19 restrictions in Bei...
50m Feb 09, 2022
50m