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.

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.