The World

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. They also hosted the first attempt at negotiations between the Russian government and Ukraine this week. Plus, Ukrainians citizens are stockpiling homemade petrol bombs — Molotov cocktails —  to defend their streets. We hear the story of one Ukrainian brewery that has chosen to bottle up gasoline instead of beer for ordinary Ukrainians to ignite and hurl in self-defense.

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 spending and military aid for Ukraine, and Norway's massive, sovereign wealth fund is selling off Russian assets. The European Union is also closing air space to Russian planes. Plus, as Russia continues to invade Ukraine, they’re also fighting an information war. Russian state media continues to spread propaganda as Ukraine attempts to push back against disinformation and rally citizens to defend the country.

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 Moscow and St. Petersburg. Demonstrations were followed quickly by arrests. We hear from some of these protesters about how the invasion of Ukraine looks to them. Also, Poland is seeing a large uptick in people crossing into the country as Ukrainians flee the Russian invasion. And, we look at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s history in Ukraine, Belarus and purported meddling in US election politics.

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 why some military experts think Russian troops will have a hard time stabilizing an occupied Ukraine. Plus, Turkish pop-star Tarkan just released "Geçcek," or “It Will Pass.” On the surface, the song speaks to getting through the pandemic, but many say it’s a veiled way to express the imminent end to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s rule.

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 $40,000 at Christie's annual auction of rare and unusual meteorites from space.

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 stories and music inspired, in part, by Japanese spirit folklore, with her latest album, "Squeeze."

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 come to a close in Beijing after 109 events in which nearly 3,000 athletes soared, skied and skated.

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 emissions, but Germany is heading in the opposite direction, shutting down its nuclear plants. Plus, meet the fantasy coffin makers in Ghana, who make colorful caskets in shapes that pay homage to a deceased person's profession or passions: a lion for a village leader, a microphone for a broadcaster or a seed pod for a farmer.

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. Plus, we hear about Ukraine and Russia’s complex, tangled history that goes all the way back to the 9th century.

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 Minister Naftali Bennet was in Bahrain on Tuesday in the first visit of its kind by an Israeli prime minister.