The World

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 so-called “peacekeeping” mission. Some Ukrainians say their families in Russia believe state propaganda more than their own accounts. Plus, British singer Tom Odell performed “Another Love” on Friday at a train station in Bucharest, Romania. The song featured in a viral TikTok video showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a peace conference that failed to end conflict with 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 been essential for getting refugees out of the country while bringing supplies in as thousands pass through Lviv’s main train station. Plus, some orchestras and opera companies in the West that have ignored their Russian artists' controversial views for years are now doing an abrupt about-face.

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. Tracking war crimes has so far proven challenging. Plus, the world remembers Paralympian snowboarding champion Bibian Mentel, who helped bring her sport to the Paralympic Games. The Dutch athlete died in March last year, but her legacy lives on.

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 former US Marine Trevor Reed has been in detention in Russia since 2019 on charges of police assault. His family believes his detention was purely political — and that Russian authorities are using him essentially as a hostage.

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 residents are rushing to protect these cultural treasures, as they watch the Russian military's continued assault on several cities. Plus, we hear from the granddaughter of Tom Crean, the navigating officer on Ernest Shackleton's found ship The Endurance. She continues his legacy by retracing Crean's expedition.

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 been taking boats across the Danube River into Romania. They’ve been welcomed with food and shelter there amid the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

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 investigators verify evidence that might constitute war crimes. Plus, Singapore continues to cling to a colonial-era law that criminalizes homosexuality. But six decades later, some Generation Z Singaporeans are pushing hard to get rid of it.

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, declared a state of emergency and closed its airspace. Plus, Tonga has reconnected with the rest of the world after its undersea fiber optic cable was severed last month by a massive underwater volcanic eruption, bringing down most of the small Pacific island nation's telecommunications.

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 Games in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee has now banned both teams, sending 83 athletes home. Plus, a new US task force called KleptoCapture aims to track down Russia’s politically connected elite, prosecute those who violate US sanctions and seize their assets.

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 hospitals, schools and markets in Syria in an effort to keep leader Bashar al-Assad in power. Plus, hundreds of athletes and international sport federations have demanded the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the upcoming Paralympics in Beijing. But on Wednesday, the International Paralympic Committee announced that the athletes will be allowed to compete —  under neutral flags.