This morning, hundreds of thousands of people across Ukraine woke up to the sound of air raid sirens. Russia’s military sent dozens of long-range missiles and drones across Ukraine, hitting at least 10 cities. Also, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once one of the most powerful men in Russia, became Vladimir Putin's enemy, and has written a book about his experience. Plus, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban portrays himself as the defender of Christianity, not only in Hungary, but across Europe. And, it's "Double Ten Day" in Taiwan, a day that marks an uprising that eventually ended hundreds of years of Chinese imperial rule.

As the Ukrainian military presses on with its successful ground offensive, the Russian military appears to be taking a gamble. Russian troops in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine are advancing and putting themselves at risk of being surrounded by Ukrainian forces. And, this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin promoted Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to army general. Kadyrov, a long-time ally of Putin, is known for his inflammatory remarks and abysmal human rights record. Also, US President Joe Biden is offering pardons to thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law. In some ways, the US is unique in its approach to cannabis policy. Plus, Haiti requests international assistance to quell the violence there.

Pakistan is entering a second wave of death and destruction from outbreaks of diseases, including malaria, dengue, diarrhea, scabies and other skin diseases, according to the United Nations. Health workers are trying to contain these outbreaks among millions of displaced people. And the US-Saudi relationship took a major hit this week when OPEC+ announced it would significantly cut oil production levels. The move comes amid the energy crisis and would affect gas prices in the US and Europe. Also, just days after a US federal judge dismissed Mexico's first lawsuit against US gun manufacturers, the Mexican government says it intends to file a second lawsuit, this time against gun sellers along the border. Plus, a volunteer group is hosting cleanup raves to help rebuild Ukrainian villages.

The Ebola outbreak rapidly spreading in Uganda has caused at least 29 deaths in the past two weeks. A vaccine hasn’t yet been tested for this strain. Also, Australia has earned the dubious distinction of being the "mammal extinction capital of the world." But now, the Australian government says it's determined to give wildlife a better chance. Plus, the 50th anniversary of Picasso's death next year is raising some difficult questions about the painter's misogyny. And a song that's becoming the anthem of the protests in Iran.

North Korea launched a missile over Japan on Tuesday morning, for the first time since 2017. Alerts went off in Tokyo and other northern cities at 7:30 a.m., and there was fear and confusion about how to take cover. And, jargon can quickly clog up government documents, making vital information hard to find and difficult to understand. Lawmakers in New Zealand are trying to clear things up with a bill that would require clear, concise communication from the government. Also, living through the trauma of the war in Ukraine has taken an immeasurable toll on people there. Soldiers and civilians alike have been through unspeakable horrors. We hear from a few Ukrainians who are helping people process these traumas. Plus, human tower competitions return to Catalonia after a four-year hiatus.

In Brazil's presidential election on Sunday, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva got the highest number of votes, as expected. But the final result showed incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro just a handful of points behind the former president. And amid protests in Iran, a group of students were trapped inside the prestigious Sharif University after security guards locked them inside and chased others to a university parking lot. Similar events took place at Iranian universities in 1999 and 2009, leading to many arrests and deaths. Also, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announced last week that the four children of her son Prince Joachim will lose their royal titles. The palace said the reasoning was to allow her grandchildren the chance to “shape their own existence.” Plus, the Common loon, known for its haunting cry across the North American wilderness, is in trouble. 

The World's Carol Hills and reporter Michael Fox explore institutional religion in Brazil, how President Jair Bolsonaro tapped into religion in his rise to the presidency, and the ripple effects of his alliance with evangelicals throughout the country. This special edition of The World is part of our reporting series called, Sacred Nation, focused on the intersection of religion and nationalism around the globe.

In Moscow, inside the halls of the Kremlin, Russian officials, led by President Vladimir Putin, celebrated the annexation of four Ukrainian regions. The move is being justified based on referendum votes staged this month by Russia. Across the globe, nations are not recognizing the land grab and they're condemning it as a violation of Ukraine's sovereign rights. And a recent census report shows that Catholicism has emerged as the top identified religion in Northern Ireland, a Protestant-formed and Britain-aligned country, for the first time in its 101-year history. With this new declaration, some worry about the possibility of a referendum that would determine if Northern Ireland would stay aligned with Britain or join the Republic of Ireland as one Ireland. Also, Yemen's eight year civil war has been on pause since April. The truce expires this weekend, but many people want the ceasefire extended. Plus, Brazil’s election system is a model for the rest of the world.

In 2014, after pro-Russian forces took control of the Crimea peninsula, Kremlin-backed officials there oversaw a chaotic referendum without credible international observers. This week, we’re seeing a page from that same playbook in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. And Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen from Maryland has been leading an effort for accountability on the death of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh, who was shot by Israeli security forces while reporting in the West Bank. Also, in Iran, a mapping app called Gershad allows users, mostly women, to mark the location of the country’s morality police, so others can avoid them. Now, the app has been updated to include the location of riot police and tens of thousands of people have downloaded it. Plus, Kolkata’s biggest religious festival, Durga Puja, gets reframed as an international art experience.

Both Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia to Germany are leaking, after a pair of explosions went off in the Baltic Sea on Monday off the coast of Denmark. Blame remains unclear, but many European leaders are pointing the finger at Russia. And, the Biden administration is trying to aid suppressed protesters in Iran, at the same time that it’s attempting to cut a deal with Iranian officials to revive the 2015 nuclear accord. Some see this as a contradiction in US foreign policy. Also, when about 50 migrants were flown to Martha's Vineyard from Texas and Florida, they realized they’d been part of a publicity stunt. Now, their lawyers argue that the migrants may qualify for visas reserved for crime victims, which will allow them to stay in the US. Plus, we hear a musical flashback to an undemocratic Brazil with Caetano Veloso.