The World

Friday marks 100 days of war in Ukraine. During that time, death, destruction and displacement has occurred on a massive scale, and it’s difficult to accurately count the human toll. We hear about how Ukraine's seed bank is under threat amid the mass destruction of other critical infrastructure. Also, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, the chairmen of the African Union, Senegal's President Macky Sall, headed to Russia on Friday for talks about the impact of the war in Ukraine on African countries. Russia and Ukraine are both major exporters of grain to the continent. Plus, on Sunday, thousands of spectators in the English village of Brockworth will watch contestants run and tumble down a hill in pursuit of a 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese.

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Hundreds of flights have been grounded across Europe this week with British airports particularly badly affected. Airport and airline operators blame the end of COVID-19-related restrictions and a lack of trained employees for the delays. And in Kenya, conflicting legislation on abortion has stirred confusion about what is and is not illegal. Also, Japan's government has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But the resource-poor island nation has struggled to wean itself off coal. Plus, from the twilight of the British empire to Brexit, a lot has changed since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ceremony 70 years ago. We look at the evolution of the monarchy as the UK hosts her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

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In a first for Canada, British Columbia has joined a handful of regions around the world in decriminalizing small amounts of illicit drugs. The decision, granted by the federal government, comes amid a massive overdose crisis that has only worsened during the pandemic. Also, Italian officials have been circulating a four-point peace plan for Ukraine, calling on Kyiv to give up territory to Russia. The Ukrainian president has criticized the plan as appeasement, while the US has announced it will send Kyiv midrange rockets. How might US support prolong the war? Plus, across the world, men make up the majority of taxi drivers. But the pandemic has led some women in Turkey to take up the work. We hear from one woman who happily traded her desk job for a life behind the wheel.

The World relies on listener support to power our nonprofit newsroom. If you count on The World to bring you human-centered stories from across the globe, make your gift today to help us reach our goal of raising $25,000 before June 30. Learn more and donate here.

European Union leaders agreed to punish Russia for its Ukraine invasion with sanctions banning the purchase of crude oil delivered to EU states by sea. Moscow has vowed to find other importers for their crude oil. And in response to the string of mass shootings this year in the US, neighboring Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his government will put forth legislation freezing all handgun sales. Still, some guns arrive in Canada illegally, often from the US. Plus, in the Seychelles, a collaboration between the government and three companies in the tuna fishing industry have found a way to recycle old fishing nets.

The World's Memorial Day special is focusing on energy. Much of the world is working to wean itself off of Russian energy in the short-term, which in some cases means building up new fossil fuel infrastructure to secure supplies from different countries. At the same time, countries are struggling to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but falling behind on climate targets. Which raises a question: Will the move away from Russian energy speed up the development of renewable energy sources, or lock-in dependency on fossil fuels for longer? Also, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year, many European countries are refocusing their energy independence efforts to nuclear power. And, here’s what we largely know how to decarbonize, and what we don't — yet.

Since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine, Moscow’s navy has blockaded Ukrainian Black Sea ports. Its impact is having ripple effects all around the world. Also, pandemic restrictions have prevented most asylum-seekers hoping to enter the US from Mexico from entering. The Biden administration tried to end the practice on Monday, but a judge in Louisiana blocked it, at least for now. And in Israel, the Palestinian flag is seen as a threat. Plus, extreme weather in Iraq is deepening inequality. Flooding and dust storms are disproportionately impacting poor neighborhoods that lack adequate infrastructure to cope. And finally, a Zulu musician from South Africa hopes to transport listeners to Mars.

China has dangled security agreements and cooperation on communications and cybersecurity before 10 Pacific nations. The Federated States of Micronesia has warned them not to go along with China. Also, Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has made the company a lot of money — tens of billions of dollars in sales. Those dizzying returns have led to accusations of pandemic profiteering. Also, the Marcos family looted an estimated $10 billion from the Philippine government in the 1970s and '80s. Now, the Marcos family is back in power and once again, flaunting its wealth. And, spoken communication is not just a human gift. Chimpanzees have a 400-word language, according to new research published in the journal Communications Biology.

Following the mass shooting on Tuesday at an elementary school in Texas, US Senator Chris Murphy gave an impassioned speech to Congress highlighting America's exceptionality when it comes to gun violence when compared to other countries. And around the world, few treatments exist for long COVID. In the UK, a group of medical specialists and professional opera singers are examining if opera singing can help with the debilitating symptom of breathlessness. Plus, the day after 19 children were murdered in Texas, 12-year-old Noah Green sings a healing Cree song with his grandmother that goes viral.

It’s been three months since Russia began its invasion into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Most of the fighting has shifted to areas in eastern Ukraine such as the Donbas and Kharkiv regions. And a trove of leaked police files and photos from Xinjiang, in western China, has revealed more than 2,800 mugshots of Uyghur detainees in what China terms "reeducation" camps, along with a shoot-to-kill policy for those who try to escape. Plus, hospital sounds like alarms and beeping monitors can be detrimental to doctors and patients alike. A group of psychologists, designers and musicians are reimagining the future of hospital sounds.

President Joe Biden said during a summit in Tokyo that the US will get involved militarily in the event that China attacks Taiwan. Beijing responded by expressing opposition to the comments. And, new technology often gets tested in war zones. In Ukraine, one particular form of technology has taken hold within the Ukrainian army — facial recognition. Plus, a sobering statistic: 100 million people have now been forcibly displaced worldwide due to conflicts and crises. Refugees from Ukraine make up about 6.4 million of the tally.