The World

An explosion at an illegal oil refinery in Nigeria killed over 100 people this past weekend. The government vowed to crack down on these illegal operations, which it says steals over 150,000 gallons of oil each day. Also, roughly three months after ISIS fighters attacked a prison in northeast Syria, the United Nations says the fate of more than 100 minors who were held at the prison remains unclear. Plus, after a weekend visit to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that US diplomats will return to Ukraine. They emphasized, however, that the US military will not get directly involved in the war in Ukraine.

Voters in France go to the polls to either reelect French President Emmanuel Macron or propel far-right challenger Marine Le Pen into office. Macron was comfortably ahead in the polls. But Le Pen has worked to soften her image and appeal more to the center. And after two years, Brazil’s Carnival returns with glitz, glamor and a serious message: Rio de Janeiro’s samba groups are turning the world’s biggest festival into a platform to protest against violence and racism faced by Black Brazilians. Plus, leaders across Mexico are remembering Rosario Ibarra, the country’s most visible champion of Mexico’s disappeared people, who died on Saturday.

President Joe Biden has announced that the US is sending $800 million in military aid, including weaponry suited for fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, as Russia prepares to launch a new offensive. And American and Cuban officials are meeting in Washington on Thursday to discuss migration concerns in the highest-level US talks with Havana since Biden took office. Plus, we hear from Bill Browder, a former investor in Russia and one-time nemesis of Vladimir Putin, about the impact of sanctions on Russia.

The besieged port city of Mariupol has become a symbol of resistance during the war, as Ukrainian troops continue to push back against Russia's assault on the city. And, amid an ongoing debate in the European Union over an immediate ban on Russian energy imports, one German parliament member says the time is now. Germany has advocated for a gradual ban. Also, ahead of elections in France, the Muslim community fears Marine Le Pen’s campaign of Islamophobia and right-wing nationalism.

Over the last 24 hours, Russia has expanded its artillery and bombing campaign in Ukraine, hitting cities, towns and villages — including civilians. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russian troops have begun the battle for the eastern Donbas region. And in China, 20 cities and regions are now experiencing some degree of lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. In China’s most populous city, Shanghai, most residents have remained under strict lockdown for three weeks. Plus, Istanbul band Şatellites pays homage to Turkey’s psychedelic rock movement.

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 aren't so clear. Just ask cheesemakers all over the globe who say they are also making Gruyère.

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 neutral stance. It's Good Friday, and in Germany, that means dancing is banned in public. And, Ukrainian runners who had planned to compete in the Boston Marathon this Monday have had to scrap their plans. But even with fears of airstrikes looming, many have still found solace and a sense of normalcy by running on the streets of Ukraine.

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 outbursts of violence broke out in years. This violence comes during the confluence of three major religious holidays in Israel: Ramadan, Passover and Easter. Plus, Ukraine’s oldest-running children’s choir was going to mark its 50th anniversary with a world tour this year. The war made a tour impossible, but they’re finding other ways to get their music out into the world.

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 this week in Moscow, and sentenced to 15 days in jail for "disobeying a police order." Plus, members of Ukrainian quartet DhakaBrakha say that touring during wartime is necessary — and awkward.

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 World Surfing Reserve — only the 12th location around the globe with this status and the first cold-water reserve.