The World

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. One woman said she couldn't hear the air raid sirens. She saw people running into shelters but could not understand why. Plus, as hundreds of thousands of women and children flee Ukraine, there’s growing fear that traffickers are targeting and exploiting them at border crossings — and online.

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 summit in the region. Plus, a growing number of colleges and universities are moving to add caste to their anti-discrimination policies. California State University's 23 campuses are the latest to allow South Asian students to report anti-Dalit bias.

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 for peace moving forward. Also, in Canada right now, there are stark differences in how Afghan and Ukrainian refugees are being handled and admitted. The urgency to process Ukrainian cases is much greater. One big question that this war has prompted is: What does it mean to be Ukrainian? Plus, the pandemic has been bad for many of our waistlines. It's also been bad for many of our pets, who are packing on a few extra pounds themselves.

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 deals on oil, gas and pipelines could end up sidelining the US dollar as the global reserve currency. Plus, we remember former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who died on Wednesday at the age of 84. Albright represented the US through historic meetings with allies and adversaries, impacting the course of world events.

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 air pollution. And what can be done to make the inside safer.

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 all adds up to a serious challenge for Moldova's economy. Plus, the Philippines’ campaign season has focused more on climate change and renewable energy than ever before, giving activists hope that the next president may go green.

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 the term “denazification” in Ukraine to justify Russia’s invasion. We learn about the deeper historical context behind this particular narrative within Russian propaganda.

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 crisis affect the world's capacity to help refugees fleeing from other crises? Plus, US President Joe Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday in a call intended to warn Beijing against supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. We learn more about what arrows Washington has in its quiver to dissuade China.

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 fertilizer source. Plus, architect Diébédo Francis Kéré makes history as the first African to win the esteemed Pritzker Prize — the highest honor in architecture. Kéré, who grew up in Burkina Faso, has dedicated his career to creating structures out of scarce resources with the community in mind.

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, poverty and food insecurity have eclipsed those concerns. Plus, Russian oligarchs might invoke images of luxury yachts, private jets and palatial mansions. But how much influence do they have over Russian President Vladimir Putin? We hear from one diplomat who says you can’t be a billionaire in Russia without close Kremlin connections.